Fiddler on the Roof at the Empress Theatre

Last night I went to the Empress Theatre for the third production of Fiddler on the Roof that I've seen this year. I obviously love the show but this version is full of so much heart it put a huge smile on my face. Tevye (Don Smith) is a poor Jewish dairyman living in the small Russian village of Anatevka with his wife Golde (Marie Roe) and his five daughters. He clings to his traditional way of life as a protection from the harsh realities of life but his three oldest daughters, Tzeitel (Makayla Porter), Hodel (Kieryn Crawford), and Chava (Abby Shelley), push against tradition when it comes time to find a match. This features one of the largest ensemble casts I've seen at this venue and the staging is done very well for such a small space. I enjoyed all of the different patterns created in the choreography for "Tradition," "To Life," "Tevye's Dream" (I always judge every production by this number because I once played Fruma Sarah and this one is a lot of fun), "The Wedding," and "Anatevka." One of the things I love most about community theatre is that the ensemble, especially those featuring young children, often includes family members and that is the case with this show. The children are absolutely adorable and I often found myself watching them because they were concentrating so hard on the songs, blocking, and choreography! I especially loved a young boy who sweeps during "To Life" because he definitely takes it very seriously and another boy who sings at the top of his lungs during "Sunrise, Sunset." The main cast is outstanding and many of the characters have little moments that are really poignant, particularly the scene between Tevye and Tzeitel when she begs him not to make her marry Lazar Wolf (Joel Clark), the scene between Tevye and Hodel when she leaves Anatevka, the scene when Golde learns that Chava has married Fyedka (Blake Nelson), and all of the interactions between Tevye and the Fiddler (Aimee Pike). My very favorites from the main cast were Ricardo Ramirez as Motel, because his nervous reactions to Tevye are hilarious, and Diana Sorenson as Yente, because she absolutely looks the part. The minimal sets for Tevye's house, Motel's tailor shop, and the village along with the simple rustic costumes are very effective at portraying the reality of life in pre-revolutionary Russia. I just loved this and I definitely recommend getting a ticket for one of the four remaining performances (go here for tickets).

Note:  I don't think I can pick a favorite Fiddler on the Roof from the three I saw this year. While HCT's production was probably the best I've ever seen, this one and the one at Terrace Plaza Playhouse were delightful!