Just about everyone has seen "Fiddler on the Roof," either the play or the movie version. So to create a production that makes the Broadway musical fresh and appealing is quite an undertaking.
Lawrence Community Theater has pulled it off, thanks to a magnificent match of singing, acting, orchestration, costumes, direction, lighting, choreography and set design.
Mike Cormack, as Tevye, could not be better. His intuitive acting and robust vocals mix for a strong portrayal of the poor dairyman. He captures the pride, frustration and pain of a man who sees his world changing and can do little to stop it from doing so.
Annette Cook is perfectly cast as Tevye's wife, Golde, who has weathered hardships and crises and now must watch as her children scatter to make their own lives.
Cormack and Cook's brilliance radiates in "Do You Love Me?" -- a song that shows Tevye's vulnerability and affirms that love really does matter in a marriage.
Other highlights of the show:
- "Far From the Home I Love," a heartfelt solo by Alisa Saville, who plays Hodel, the daughter who falls in love with the "radical" teacher. Saville's voice has the dexterity of a seasoned vocalist.
- The bottle dance, where Andy Brown, J. Damian Houston and Andrew Johnson balance wine bottles on their hats while doing a Russian-style folk dance.
- The dream scene, where Granma Tzeitel (Ann LaPoint) and Fruma-Sarah (Judy Heller) make a ghostly appearance.
- The scenic design by Jack Riegle, which allows the theater's stage to be transformed into a house, a bar, the countryside, a village and a train depot.
"Fiddler on the Roof" continues Thursdays-Sundays through Oct. 10.
-- Jan Biles' phone message number is 832-7146. Her e-mail address is jbiles@ljworld.com.
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