ECS Students to Perform Broadway Hit
ECS Students to Perform Broadway Hit
ECS Drama Club to Perform Rendition of “Fiddler on the Roof” March 24th and 25th
Photo Courtesy of Ellicottville Central School
When "Fiddler on the Roof" opened on Broadway, it was nominated for ten Tony awards and it won nine of them. Then it broke the record for the longest-running musical, held that record for almost a decade, and it has been tremendously popular worldwide ever since. Why is that? If you can relate to family togetherness, romantic love or changing times, and you enjoy joyous singing, energetic dancing, or down-to-earth humor, then you'll certainly enjoy Fiddler on the Roof. It is a wonderfully entertaining and emotionally powerful musical full of colorful characters, with universal appeal and unforgettable songs. On March 24 and 25, ”Fiddler" will be performed by the Ellicottville Central School Drama Club.
Fiddler on the Roof takes place in a small village in Russia at the turn of the last century. Two of the main characters - Tevye, a poor milkman, and his wife Golde - will be played by sophomore Mikey Kerns and senior Sarah Weber, respectively. Other students who have been cast include Katie Krotz who plays two parts - Grandma Tzeitel and Rifka; Samantha Stock playing the role of Bielke (one of Tevye's five daughters); Aaliyah Winslow who will be handling stage crew responsibilities, and Bryce Wood who will be handling the sound board. All are seniors at ECS.
ECS juniors involved include Abby Chudy as Tzeitel (Tevye and Golde's oldest daughter); Shelby Colburn as Nachum; Gwendolyn DeChane as the Rabbi; Cameron Kaleta as Mendel; Morgan Krotz as the matchmaker Yente; Emma Lafferty as Mordecai; and Gaby Spross as Sasha.
Sophomores playing a role include Henry Frank who will be handling the light board; Alarice Krause as the constable; Liam McGuire as Fyedka; Grace Priviera as Shprintze (another of Tevye's daughters); Siyung Sun as Yussel; Sophia Sundeen as Chava (another of Tevye's daughters) and also Fruma Sarah; Colton Taylor as Perchik; and Adelaide Weber as Hodel (another of Tevye's daughters).
Acting freshmen include Keira Baldwin as the fiddler and also as Avram; Talyn Wyatt as Lazar Wolf, and Sky Wood as Motel. Shawne Hunt is the play's producer, and Jamie Edwards is the rehearsal accompanist.
Many parents became involved in helping their children participate in Fiddler. The two teachers co-directing the musical are Wendy Burch, who is also the vocal director, and Elizabeth Weber, who is also the choreographer and teaches 7th and 8th Grade English.
"I used to be the choreographer for the High School and Middle School musicals until I had to step away due to family reasons,” said Mrs. Weber. "It was an extremely difficult decision for me to choose to be involved this year, but I wanted to make sure that we had a musical for all of our talented students. That is one of the main reasons we chose Fiddler on the Roof. We knew there were many parts that could highlight everyone’s talents. The students overall seemed very excited about the choice of musical even though not all of them were familiar with it. This has been a learning experience for all of us.”
When the musical begins, the first song, "Tradition" spells out the social responsibilities required of each person in town: fathers must work hard, but their word is traditionally law at home, and the mothers keep their households running smoothly. The sons learn a trade at an early age, and both sons and daughters must wait to marry until they are matched by the village matchmaker. However, life is beginning to change for everyone. The plot includes a wedding with wonderful dancing and a hilarious dream sequence. One of the songs, "Sunrise, Sunset" is frequently played at weddings because it beautifully describes the feelings of parents watching their child get married. Another song, "If I Were a Rich Man", humorously details Tevye's daydreams about having an easier life. Serious challenges arise and the villagers face them together.
Throughout Fiddler, you are entertainingly reminded about what keeps the villagers going: their families, their faith, and their sense of humor. Tevye is an Everyman, torn between the old ways he's always known, and the modern world on the horizon, with new freedom and unknown dangers.
The musical will be performed in The Ward at the Ellicottville High School at 7:00pm both evenings and welcomes the community to attend. ECS is located at 5873 Route 219, Ellicottville, NY. Tickets are $7 apiece and will be available at the door.