Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 4 p.m. — WOODSTOCK — ArtisTree Theatre Company and Pentangle Arts are thrilled to present the worldwide hit musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” Feb. 5 – 15 at Woodstock Town Hall Theatre. One of multiple surrounding events, the cast of “Fiddler” will give a sneak peek on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Norman Williams Public Library, with members singing songs from the production, from 4 – 5 p.m.
“Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as… as… as a fiddler on the roof!” asserts Tevye, the famous father of five and main character in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Tevye’s wit, insights, and heart are just part of what has made “Fiddler” one of the most successful and longest running productions in musical theatre history. The story is set in 1905 in a fictional Jewish village called Anatevka, in Russia, and depicts Tevye’s struggle to instill old world traditions in his five daughters, who have their own thoughts about their respective futures. The timeless theme of parent versus child plays out against the backdrop of a growing anti-Semitic movement that is sweeping across Russia. Life for Tevye and his family becomes shakier and more dangerous as the story unfolds, much like a fiddler on the roof.
Fifty years later audiences are as much in love with Tevye, his humor and his struggles as they were five decades ago when the musical first appeared on Broadway. “I love this show! I chose Fiddler because the play is rooted in family and community. It’s the concept of tradition and, specifically, changing tradition that is such an exciting, contemporary idea to me. I can’t wait to introduce this perfect American musical to young people who can carry on its music and its message for another 50 years,” says director Jarvis Green of the recently formed ArtisTree Theatre Company.
Fiddler marks the first production by local talent, Green, and the ArtisTree Theatre Company. Matching Green’s excitement for the upcoming production, ArtisTree founder, Kathleen Dolan, says, “I’m pleased and honored to be partnering with Pentangle Arts for ArtisTree’s first musical production, “Fiddler On The Roof.” It is a gift to be able to use the well-known and established Woodstock Town Hall performance facility. More importantly, we are also in the midst of a valuable learning experience in a relatively larger scale theatre production through working with the individuals who operate and promote the wonderful arts experiences Pentangle offers to this community.”
Collaboration is the driving force behind any successful production, and ArtisTree Theatre Company and Pentangle Arts have embarked on this one with high spirits. Says Pentangle Executive Director, Alita Wilson, “the collaboration of Fiddler brings together the best of what our two organizations have to offer. Pentangle has the in-house technical expertise in regard to the Town Hall Theatre as well as an infrastructure to support sales and marketing. This, combined with ArtisTree’s rich artistic talent, offers the community the best of both worlds. As I’ve said before, this town is too small for us not to work together. It is a win-win all the way around!”
ArtisTree will be offering multiple events surrounding the performances. These events are free and open to the public:
Cast of Fiddler: Sneak Peek
Tuesday, Jan. 20, 4 – 5 p.m., Norman Williams Public Library
Members of the cast sing songs from Fiddler.
Open Rehearsal: Script Club
Saturday, Jan. 31, 12 – 1 p.m., Woodstock Town Hall Theatre
Join the cast, director, and crew for an hour-long peek into a Fiddler rehearsal.
Invited Tech
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Woodstock Town Hall Theatre
Witness a portion of tech rehearsal while the Production Manager explains the design choices for Fiddler.
Talkback: Q & A
Sunday, Feb. 8, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Woodstock Town Hall Theatre
Q & A with the cast held by a moderator to initiate conversation about the themes of the play.
For more info, call 802-457-3500 or visit www.artistreevt.org. To order tickets, call 802-457-3981 or visit www.pentanglearts.org.
