To be honest, I was a little wary about seeing this show on Broadway. The reviews hadn’t been great, but I don’t usually let reviews stop me. No, it was the fact that the Stratford production was so perfect in nearly every way that I couldn’t imagine anything living up to it. And, to make myself clear right from the start, this production did not live up to it. Nor does it live up to the film, in my opinion. There were some good moments, but all in all, not the best Fiddler I’ve seen by a long shot.
 Fiddler on the Roof at the Minskoff |
The set is very simple on the huge Minskoff stage. There are trees and leaves and lanterns, and the orchestra is on stage as well, to the right.
Alfred Molina is a good Tevye – quite understated, which works at time, and not so much at others. I could believe he loved his daughters, but not that he would instill such fear in Motel. I also, though, didn’t really buy that he was so cowed by Golde. Randy Graff is a lovely singer, but needed a stronger edge in this role, I felt.
Of the daughters, Laura Michelle Kelly was my favourite as Hodel. She did a beautiful “Far from the Home I Love.” Sally Murphy as Tzeitel was a little too over the top for me, particularly in “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” In that, she was certainly matched by John Cariani, whose frenetic movements did milk some laughs, but to the detriment of the character. I know others disagree with me on his interpretation, but I found myself not caring very much about either of them. I did, however, rather like Robert Petkoff as Perchik.
There is a new song in this production, called “Topsy Turvy”, which replaces “The Rumour”, and is sung by Yente. Nancy Opel has some nice moments as Yente, but the new song didn’t do much for me. It’s basically an extension of Yente’s lamenting the passing of the old ways, which is already in the show, so the song seemed a little pointless.
The dancing was well-done, naturally, using the original choreography. Even here, though, I felt that during “To Life”, for example, it didn’t quite reach the fever pitch that it did during the scene in Stratford.
At intermission, I might have still said the show was pretty good, but the end was where my main disappointment stemmed from. “Anatevka” left me quite cold. The fact that the production didn’t capture the joyousness, the liveliness and zest of life in the town from the beginning made the disintegration of it not seem very important at all. The whole thing just seemed rather bland. This production simply didn’t have the heart that makes this show what it is.
Me, Jenn and Peggy at the Minskoff, before the show
The cast:
| Tevye’s Family: | |
Tevye |
ALFRED MOLINA |
Golde |
RANDY GRAFF |
Tzeitel |
SALLY MURPHY |
Hodel |
LAURA MICHELLE KELLY |
Chava |
TRICIA PAOLUCCIO |
Shprintze |
LEA MICHELE |
Bielke |
MOLLY EPHRAIM |
Yente, the Matchmaker |
NANCY OPEL |
| Papas | |
Lazar Wolf |
DAVID WOHL |
Rabbi |
YUSEF BULOS |
Mordcha |
PHILIP HOFFMAN |
Avram |
MARK LOTITO |
Jakov |
DAVID ROSSMER |
Chaim |
BRUCE WINANT |
| Mamas | |
Shandel |
BARBARA TIRRELL |
Mirala |
MARSHA WATERBURY |
Fredel |
RITA HARVEY |
Rivka |
JOY HERMALYN |
| Sons | |
Motel |
JOHN CARIANI |
Perchik |
ROBERT PETKOFF |
Mendel |
CHRIS GHELFI |
Yussel |
ENRIQUE BROWN |
Yitzuk |
RANDY BOBISH |
Label |
JEFF LEWIS |
Shloime |
RANCIS TOUMBAKARIS |
| Daughters | |
Anya |
MELISSA BOHON |
Surcha |
HAVILAND STILLWELL |
Nachum, the beggar |
TOM TITONE |
Fiddler |
NICK DANIELSON |
Boy |
MICHAEL TOMMER |
Constable |
STEPHEN LEE ANDERSON |
| Russians | |
Fyedka |
DAVID AYERS |
Sasha |
JONATHAN SHARP |
Vladek |
STEPHEN WARD BILLEISEN |
Vladimir |
KEITH KÃHL |
Boris |
ADAM ZOTOVITCH |
Grandma Tzeitel |
HAVILAND STILLWELL |
Fruma-Sarah |
JOY HERMALYN |
Bottle Dancers |
RANDY BOBISH ENRIQUE BROWN CHRIS GHELFI JEFF LEWIS FRANCIS TOUMBAKARIS |