Review By Emily Lawrence, Front Row Reviewers
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High Valley Arts (HVA) presents an outstanding production of Fiddler on the Roof against the backdrop of a setting sun in mountainous Midway, Utah. Originally directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins in 1964 for its Broadway debut, Fiddler on the Roof remains relevant to modern day audiences with its gentle exploration of personal growth and societal change. The dream team crew for HVA’s current production includes familiar names and beloved local talent, such as Director David Thorpe, Choreographer Christie Moulton, Stage Manager Bailee Godfrey, Costume Director Kristen Hughes, and Music Director Daniel Clegg (also performing as The Fiddler.)
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Highlighting tension between cultural tradition and societal change, this classic musical introduces characters familiar to all of us, even if you’re meeting them for the first time. You’ve got Tevye, played by Todd Beagley: a poor but hardworking husband and father to five daughters. He stands by his Jewish values and seeks to live by example for his family, even as they present him with young and new-fangled notions and desires. T. Beagley’s voice is both powerful and soothing, whether he is speaking or singing. He portrays Tevye with warm-hearted relatability, skillfully navigating the frustration of a man who honors the tradition of a fading time, with the love and wisdom of a father who is learning when to let his children assert independence.
Tevye’s wife Golde is played by Kara Charlesworth, who is a strong and excellent counterpart to T. Beagley. The teasing and bickering, laughter and banter, good-intentioned manipulating, and foundational teamwork between husband and wife is an impressive example of an arranged marriage turning into mutual respect and trust over 25 years. K. Charlesworth sings exactly like you would expect a stalwart and hilarious matriarch to sound: absolutely brilliant.
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Aside from Tevye and Golde’s traditional marriage, three other love stories are woven simultaneously throughout the plot, involving their eldest daughters. Each of them finds a match fitting to their personality, but not to their parent’s idea of an acceptable suitor. All five daughters in HVA’s production of Fiddler on the Roof are double cast, and because I was able to see their rendition, this review focuses on Bethany Ward as Tzeitel, Emersen Lyman as Hodel, Lexy Osborne as Chava, Charlotte Sullivan as Shprintze, and Fern George as Bielke.
B. Ward plays Tzeitel with grace and finesse. She brings a light youthfulness to the role tempered with the assured tone of an eldest daughter. Michael Clegg, who plays Tzeitel’s childhood friend Motel the Tailor portrays an adorably meek love interest who grows in courage and maturity as he stands up for his right to some happiness. He is a delight to watch and listen to on stage.
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Via the skilled direction of D. Thorpe and the crisp, impactful choreography of C. Moulton, each romantic partnership gets its own moments to shine. Enjoy the intelligent and spirited interactions between E. Lyman as Hodel and Sam Neal as Perchik. Watch tentative love bloom across a religious divide as Lexy Osborne as Chava and Kai Haddock as Fyedka build a relationship built on a faith in humanity.
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K. Hughes’s costumes are functional and pleasing; they add to the setting without distracting from the characters. Other crowd pleasing moments include Becky Thorpe’s (who plays Yente, the Matchmaker) noisy old woman antics and dramatic one-liners, D. Thorpe’s (who plays Mendel, the Rabbi’s Son) devout insistence on Jewish tradition, and Brooke Thatcher’s surprising trust fall as Fruma-Sarah in Tevye’s Dream. D. Clegg aptly adapts a mysterious presence as The Fiddler, enchanting us all as he plays his violin in key moments of Tevye’s deep thought.
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While all the individual actors catch our attention at various moments throughout the evening, the collective feel of the entire cast is almost an impression in itself. The oohs and ahhhs of the crowd are orchestrated perfectly, exclamations climb over each other with timing that indicates a fluid whole. Is it the skill of the production crew, the consistency of rehearsals, or the magic of a group of people leaning into the tradition of theater together? Who knows for sure. But everyone in the audience can feel it.
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It’s worth noting that several families, including that of director D. Thorpe, in both the cast and crew, have come together to create a play all about the enduring love of family. Now you’re invited to share the experience with your own family.
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A word to the wise, if it’s your first experience with HVA outdoor theater: more than half the play will be in the dark, and in Midway that means it’s chilly. Bring warm clothes and a blanket. You can bring your own lawn chair, but there are also some for rent at the venue. Parking is in a grass and gravel lot behind Lupita’s Valley. You’ll likely be leaving the venue between 10:30 and 10:45 pm.
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High Valley Arts presents Fiddler on the Roof, Book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
00-0006-5347, Midway, UT 84049
July 13, 15, 17- 20, 2024, 8:00 PM
High Valley Arts Facebook Page
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