By Alayna Een
Surprisingly, this is the first time that the BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts in Provo, Utah, has joined in the tradition of performing Fiddler on the Roof.* What started as a few resonant short stories written by Sholem Aleichem at the turn of the Twentieth Century became a Broadway musical in 1964 with the book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock. In the 50 years since its Broadway debut, Fiddler has become a global favorite with a long history of making the specific and quotidian both universal and significant within a context of family and faith. We see ourselves in the characters, as they struggle to balance past traditions and future possibilities within an unprecedented present.
The story centers around Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, and his wife and five daughters who live in the Russian shtetl of Anatevka in 1905. Tevye struggles to accept the increasingly nontraditional marriage choices of his three eldest daughters while living in an increasingly hostile Russia. Eventually, he reconciles his faith and focus on tradition with his love for his family and prepares to seek the refuge of American shores.
BYU’s production of Fiddler is nothing short of stunning. The main set (designed by Erin Bjorn) is a semicircle of makeshift wooden structures built to varying physical heights, which the actors leverage to demonstrate power and subservience or respect and unity. Whimsical window frames hang against a dynamic, clouded sky that, by Marianne Ohran’s design, changes colors naturally with the titular “Sunrise, Sunset.” Though deceptively simple, the setting automatically transported me to the world of this humble Jewish community long before Tevye’s opening line. The dramaturgy of Spencer Fields is thorough and makes the story and community approachable.
Korianne Johnson’s music direction and Michelle Ohumukini’s sound design highlight the play’s beautiful songs and talented performers and add an element of reality to the actions on stage. The performance is supported by a full symphony orchestra in the pit, brilliantly led by Christian Smith (Orchestra Conductor). The vocal talent of the main characters was incredible all around, with a few standouts. Peter Morgan’s (Tevye) voice is rich and varied, and he switches between a charming, half-drunk vocal freedom and a solemn, resonant vibrato as dictated by the lyric and moment. Nikole York (Golde) has an incredible character voice that captures the nagging and screeching of a hen-pecking wife but always delivers the right notes. The eldest girls, Bronwyn Reed (Tzeitel), Sage Patchin (Hodel), and Emma Larsen (Chava), give a truly matchless performance of “Matchmaker” with impressive vocals and a great balance between demonstrating a sister dynamic and introducing individual characterization.
The four main couples have great dynamics that emphasize the personalities of their characters. Reed’s Tzeitel is strong but pressured and Tayor Egan’s Motel Kamzoil is timid but determined, and their childhood romance deepens and blooms onstage. Patchin’s stubborn but affectionate Hodel pairs perfectly with Justin Bawden’s energetic and intellectual Perchik to create a clear chemistry and passion (with the help of a few swoon-worthy dips). Larsen’s quiet but firm Hodel joins Steven Bangerter’s thoughtful and good Fyedka. And the iconic dynamic between Morgan’s Tevye and York’s Golde consistently elicits the audience’s laughter.
The characters outside of Tevye’s family are just as strong, with a few standouts. It isn’t very often a college student so convincingly portrays every tick of an upright old man, but Jimmy Henderson does just that as Rabbi, delivering every “blessing” with impeccable comedic timing. Lane Olson’s Lazar Wolf is good natured and Yente (Marion Pack; u/s Lindsay Whitney) is the classic loud busybody. David Een’s Constable towers over Tevye and the rest of the cast, with the help of his seven-foot frame, and his snaps between a resonant, conversational voice and a commanding shout are both instantaneous and unsettling. Finally, Allison Hillam’s Fiddler has a jovial though solitary presence that carries through the masterfully performed notes.
The cast’s commitment to accents and the careful costuming of La Beene (Costume Design) and Emilie Ronhaar (Makeup and Hair Design) lend an unmistakable air of authenticity and warmth to the performance. And while the ensemble’s contribution as a chorus is laudable, it is the dancing that wins the day. With incredible featured dancers, amazing aerialists, and the interesting emphasis on modern-style dance (instituted by choreographer Adam Ray Dyer), Fiddler’s dancing stands out like never before. I was especially impressed with “The Dream,” which, while often the strangest scene in the play, was truly a specter-filled spectacle of zombie fights and circus delights. But the musical numbers didn’t have to be over-the-top to be memorable. The ensemble number “The Rumor” stood out as a warm and delightful laughter-inducing portrayal of human folly.
Director David Morgan takes new direction with Fiddler, ensuring that the play itself, like what it depicts three times in the show, is a brave marriage between tradition and present opportunity. BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts’ Fiddler on the Roof honors Fiddler tradition while carefully and compellingly deviating from it in specific instances through modern dance and varied character portrayals. Fiddler is a kid-friendly performance with resonant themes for families and individuals to contemplate and discuss. This performance in Provo, Utah, may be BYU Arts’ first performance of Fiddler on the Roof, but I hope that it’s just the beginning of an incredible new “Tradition.”
*Fiddler on the Roof was performed at BYU in 1972 but has not been performed since then.
BYU Department of Theatre and Media Arts presents Fiddler on the Roof, Based on Sholem Aleichem’s stories by special permission of Arnold Perl, Book by Joseph Stein, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, Music by Jerry Bock.
de Jong Concert Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center BYU, 800 E Campus Dr, Provo, UT 84602
January 20–22, 25–29 at 7:30 PM; January 22, 29 at 2:00 PM in 2022
Tickets: $24 (Student), $26 (Alumni/Senior), $27 Public
BYU Box Office: 801-422-2981 (BYU1), Byutickets@Byu.Edu
BYU Theatre and Media Arts websiteBYU Arts Facebook Page
BYU Arts Facebook Page
Fiddler on the Roof Facebook Event page*
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test is required for attendance. All audience members must wear masks that cover the nose and mouth for the duration of the performance.
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