Reagle Music Theatre has reached quite a
milestone: This is their 45th year of presenting iconic American
musicals. (This summer they’re venturing out of their comfort zone with Les Miz
in August.) What Reagle can do that other theaters can’t is to stage a show
like FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (playing through July 27th) with a cast of
thousands. (Well, it seems like thousands.)
The stage is filled to bursting with the
denizens of Anatevka, squabbling, dancing and celebrating their rich heritage. Reagle
has called back their Tevya of 10 years ago to star as the stalwart father of
three (plus two more in training) headstrong daughters. Scott Wahle is matched,
edict for edict, by his no nonsense wife, affectionately played by Donna
Sorbello. Director Kirby Ward plays up their relationship in Tevye's touching, now
revealing query “Do You Love Me?" At the end of the song, we know.
FIDDLER was written in the turbulent ‘60s so
it should come as no surprise that Joseph Stein’s book (and the lovely
Boch/Harnick songs) reflect the zeitgeist: Tevye has a chasm of a gender gap to
contend with…and his next-to-eldest daughter is in love with a student radical,
to boot! What makes FIDDLER one of the great American musicals is its
universality and its timelessness.
Tevye can “bend” his rules to accommodate two
of his daughters but he cannot break with his religion when a third marries out
of the Jewish faith. Wahle and company succeed in transmitting the immense,
overwhelming sadness involved in the sacrifice. And we feel every bit of the
villagers’ tragedy when the Tsar drives them out of their homeland.
What sets this FIDDLER apart, too, is Larry
Blank’s updated orchestration (under Dan Rodriguez’ smart music direction and
Jeffrey Leonard’s steady baton), as well as some charming performances, like
Peter Mill’s spunky (who knew!) Motel the Tailor, Matt Phillips’ kindly Russian
soldier, Nora Fox’s determined Tzeitel, Gillian Gordon’s plucky Hodel and Alexa
Lebersfeld’s sweet Chava.
Reagle is fortunate to have Rishi Basu to
make the butcher more of a mensch than he’s usually portrayed and R. Glen
Michell to make the Russian constable more than a cipher. Andrew Winans’s
gorgeous tenor enlivens the “To Life” singing (while Susan Chebookjian’s
choreography ensures dazzling footwork). Shonna Cirone has a high old time as
the towering ghost of Fruma-Sarah and Reagle’s remarkable chorus create a
memorable “Dream.” Miracle of Miracles, indeed!
