Live theatre will be returning to Ashcroft in a big way on April 8, which is opening night for a new production of the beloved classic musical Fiddler on the Roof.
Presented by the Twisted Desert Music Society, and featuring a cast of nearly 30, Fiddler on the Roof is a timeless story of tradition, change, love, family, and community. Director and producer Michelle Reid, who is also the production’s music director, says that she has a longstanding love for the musical and what it represents.
“It’s not just the familiarity of it, but the messages: the warmth and hope and sadness and sorrow and laughter that is still so relevant for today.”
In 2019 the Sage Sound Singers, under Reid’s direction, did a concert production of songs from the musical, but Reid says it wasn’t until March 2024 that she applied for the rights to stage a full production. In between those dates she was one of the instigators of, and teachers for, a concert trip to New York City that saw members of the Sage Sound Singers, and other singers from the region, perform at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City.
“Carnegie Hall gave us the boost we needed to take on this project; not just confidence, but the reassurance from my peers," says Reid. "As you get older you have doubts you can do this kind of project.”
Jim Mertel — who sang the central role of Tevye the Milkman in the 2019 concert, reprises the role for the new production, and was one of the singers who went to Carnegie Hall — agrees.
“From a choir member perspective, if I can do ‘Missa Brevis’ in front of a picky New York audience, I can do anything I want! And every single one of Tevye’s lines is a joy to say; he has the best wit.
“It’s an honour and a challenge to play Tevye, and I’ve worked really hard to honour the play as best I can. I always knew I had big shoes to fill. Topol [the actor who originated the role] is my role model for this whole thing, but I’ve watched very few productions of Fiddler, as I decided early on that I can’t match these great actors. I decided to be the Tevye I am, so on the whole Tevye is me; I’m not going by any other Tevye there ever was.
“He’s a witty, funny character, but brings me to depths of emotions I’ve never felt before, and I’m kind of exhausted afterwards. Tevye has some of the most emotional scenes in there, and it’s beautiful.”
“I know I picked the right person,” says Reid. “Jim is Tevye.”
“We’re having fun,” adds Mertel. “I remind people we’re here to enjoy ourselves and have fun. I was scared shitless about this role, and asked ‘How am I going to do this?’ But Michelle has told me for years to work at the front end to know your lines and music. You learn from your failures and can improve from that.”
Reid agrees. “Work at the front end and the rest falls into place. We always have failures in our lives, but this won’t be one of them.”
The cast features several veteran singers and actors, including 11 people who were in the 2019 concert, as well as many newcomers, some of them younger actors. Reid says that having young people in the cast, as well as people with disabilities, shows that the production is a family and community affair that represents the diversity we see around us.
“And it’s a journey of discovery of what people are capable of doing when you have faith in them. You mentor them through what they don’t even know they can do, help them discover what they can do. It gives people opportunities to develop in ways they didn’t know they could.”
There were three sets of auditions to find all the performers, with Reid looking for people who could pull off some difficult roles, not just people who could sing. Rehearsals have been ongoing since fall of last year, and an impressive set, designed by Reid and brought to life by set manager Rick Laing, has been erected in the gym of the Ashcroft HUB. The first dress rehearsal on it took place on March 25, and Reid says everyone felt confident when it was under their belts.
“Everyone left happy. Overall I think they were exuberant, and proud of themselves, and I think it will be a fabulous production.”
“What I like is the camaraderie,” says Mertel. “There’s so much fun when someone goofs in rehearsal with a line and we all laugh. It’s a special friendship. And you get confidence after good rehearsals, and know that no matter what happens you’ll be fine.”
He adds that the production has received tremendous support in terms of time and money from volunteers, businesses, and local governments. “It would have cost us $249,000 to do this without in-kind donations.”
“We’ve worked very, very hard on this, and had some major challenges, and we’re thankful to the community for this opportunity,” says Reid. “We want audiences to feel a sense of hope as they leave, a sense of peace, and pride in our community that we can do this.”
Fiddler on the Roof, with live piano accompaniment by Dimiter Terziev, is at the Ashcroft HUB for six performances from Tuesday, April 8 through Saturday, April 12. Performances are at 7 p.m. each day (plus a 1 p.m. matinee on April 12), with doors opening 30 minutes before showtime. Tickets are $25 each, and can be booked by going to https://bit.ly/4cnxORt; you can also go to Eventbrite and search for “Fiddler”.
