Fiddler‘s tale begins with Sholem Aleichem. Aleichem published several short stories in 1894 including one entitled “Tevye and his Daughters.” This story inspired Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick to inevitably create the 3,242-performance-running, nine-time-Tony-winning, and Zero Mostel-starring musical in 1964. The musical proceeds to follow the life of Tevye as he endeavors between his ideals of Jewish tradition and the ever-changing nature of Mother Russia.

To kick off the stellar performance, Pope John Paul the Great bought out an amazing cast. Jimmy Mullen’s portrayal of Tevye contained a phenomenal amount of comic timing and pacing with an admirable approach to the complex songs. Meanwhile, Tevye’s beautiful chemistry with his wife, Golde (performed with the consistency and lovely vocals of Sabrina Morales), in “Do You Love Me?” paid exquisite tribute to their twenty-five year marriage. To complement her mother and father, Hodel’s (Felicity Morgan) equally outstanding voice wonderfully matched with revolutionist Perchik (Andrew Lane) in “Now I Have Everything.” Then, with the fabulous dancing of Motel (Michael Manley) and Chava (Megan Krakie), Pope John Paul the Great set itself far and beyond most other high schools.

Not to easily be forgotten is the energetic ensemble. Despite some overacting, by playing to their strengths, the stupendous harmonies and in-character styles (especially in the chaotic sequence of “The Dream”) of the ensemble helped stand them apart as well as stand together in the grand scheme of the musical. The spectacular stage presence of Denise Gallant’s fiddling assisted the illustration of survival through a particularly distraught era of Russian history. Meanwhile, Yente, astonishingly executed by Abigail Williams, held onto her old lady physicality with impressive comedic timing. Furthermore, the Constable’s (Ben Nash) torturous expressions between his desires to stay true to the government or care for the poor villagers painted how far deep the injustices of Tsarist Russia had gone.

The acting was only further complemented by the marvelous tech! While the orchestra was overpowering at time, this likely came from a lack of time practicing with the cast. On the other hand, the astounding attention to detail paid by the costumes shined through the black wedding dress of Golde and the magnificent beards of the Village Elders. Even more remarkable was the fantastic choreography of Christine Connor, especially noticeable in the bottle dancing at the wedding celebration. The splendid sledwork in the house set as well as the gorgeous sunsets from the lighting crew rounded out the technical aspects of the show to provide a solid foundation for the background of the story.

As traditions fade, the future supersedes the past albeit with challenges abounding. As turmoil strikes Tsarist Russia, Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School’s fantastic Fiddler on the Roof proves, through one melodious instrument, that hope thrives in this dreary, impetuous world through change, balance, and tradition.

by Stuart Pratuch of West Springfield HS

Photo Gallery

Jimmy Mullen (Teyve)	Brian Long (Mendel), Jimmy Mullen (Teyve), Teresa Cummings (Grandma Tzeitel), Jessica Sydow (Villager), Sabrina Morales (Golde), and Jacob Curran (Rabbi)
Denise Gallant (The Fiddler)

Photos by Jen Cole

Castaway Repertory Theatre’s production of Man of La Mancha was simply not ready to open Friday night. Beginning with the overture, the orchestra fought an often-losing battle with the score. For their part, actors frequently lost pitch and/or lines, and they and the instrumentalists had great difficulty achieving consensus. Some numbers just fell apart, and some actors, unfortunately, were not up to the acting and singing demands of their roles. Pacing lagged. Important physical sequences, such as the combat between Quixote and the muleteers and the muleteers’ assault on Aldonza, were truncated and never fully realized. On the other hand, some of movement that was inserted (e.g., a sort of kick line for ensemble women during “Knight of the Woeful Countenance”) would have been better off avoided.

The cast included some talented individuals who were ready to open. Jim Mitchell lent experience and gravitas to lead role of Cervantes/Quijana/Quixote, and his warm, strong baritone suited the role well. At times, his interpretation was a bit stolid for the passionate characters he portrayed, but he had some moving acting moments, notably Quijana’s death scene. There were also times when Zina Bleck’s direction disserved him. The show’s best-known song, “The Impossible Dream,” is part of a quiet, intimate scene in which Quixote explains his vision to Aldonza. Sending Aldonza to the sidelines, leaving Quixote to declaim the song straight out to the audience, loses the scene’s touching emotional connection between the two, which is crucial to important changes in Aldonza’s character. Likewise, making an actor play a death scene sitting awkwardly upright in a small chair does him no favors.

As Aldonza, Aerika Saxe had better success with her difficult and dramatic second act song, “Aldonza,” than with her more lyrical musical material elsewhere in the show. In that song, she got more of the character’s mixture of rage, self-loathing, hurt, aggression, and defensiveness than she conveyed in other parts of her performance. Jonathan Faircloth portrayed Quixote’s friend and squire Sancho Panza with great energy and a fine tenor voice, though his cute and lively take on the character seemed far removed from the demeanor of an earthy Spanish peasant. As the unpleasant Duke/Dr. Carrasco, Rich Amada was appropriately aloof and arrogant, at least until his characterization was undermined by a series of overplayed reactions during Quijana’s death scene.

Among the ensemble, Scott Morgan had a nice vocal and acting bit as a traveling barber and one of the women (Amber Miner, based on the program’s attribution to her of the “Young Innocent Gypsy” role) had a sexy dance turn during the Gypsy scene. Morgan and Pat Jannell played a pair of comically anthropomorphic horses.

The space Castaways uses for its shows — an auditorium in a county government building — imposes significant limitations on the technical side of shows there, but these limitations were complicated by some of the production’s choices. In addition to leaving actors in shadow on several occasions, the lighting design featured changing colors projected onto an upstage curtain. The colors seemed to have little connection with the scenes and in some cases were noticeably discordant. Chartreuse, for example, is a color one does not readily associate with the interior of a 17th century Spanish dungeon, and the multiple color changes during the Knight of the Mirrors sequence upstaged the creditable prop pieces that Carrasco and his henchmen used to break Quixote psychologically. The sound reinforcement was inconsistent and sometimes hissy. Costumes were generally plain and simple, in subdued colors, which worked in the prison setting. Aldonza was, for some reason, given a bright orange skirt, a demure blouse, and an encompassing black shawl, quite at odds with the angry prostitute side of the character.

Castaways deserves credit for taking on a show that can be quite challenging for a group with limited resources, and the cast and staff clearly exerted substantial effort in putting the production together. It can only be hoped that the remaining performances will smooth out the bumps and potholes that marred opening night.

Cast

• Captains of the Inquisition: Pat Jannell (4/26) & Andrew Reid
• Manservant (Sancho Panza): Jonathan Faircloth
• Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote and Alonso Quijana): Jim Mitchell
• Governor (Innkeeper): Brian Miller
• Muleteers: Scott Morgan
• Juan: Roger Yawson
• Pedro: Justin Janke
• Anselmo, the Guitar Player: Andrew Reid
• Horses: Scott Morgan & Pat Jannell
• Alsonza (Dulcinea): Aerika Saxe
• Maria (Inkeeper’s wife): Lindsey Capuno
• Fermina (a serving girl): Brooke Angel
• Antonia (Alonso’s niece): Cambria Ungaro
• Housekeeper (for Alonso): Nora Zanger
• Padre: Jack Hopkins
• Duke (Dr. Sanson Carrasco, Anonia’s fiancé
• Barber: Scott Morgan
• Young Innocent Gypsy: Amber Miner
• The Ensemble (Prisoners/Gypsies): Maria Carias, Jen Hood, Jasmine Clark, Amber Elston, Pat Jannell, Amber Miner

Orchestra

• Orchestra Director: Jonathan Blank
• Keyboard, Bass: Jonathan Blank
• Flute/piccolo: Jessica D. Scalph
• Bari Sax/Clarinet: Barbara Koehler
• Clarinet: Jack Sanocki
• Oboe: Patricia )’Keefe
• Trumpet: Rick Wittenberger
• Trombone: Marvin Aleman
• Horn: Al Badrow, Seila Edwards
• Reeds: Carol McLaurin
• Guitar: Erin Cooper

Production Staff

• Director/Producer: Zina Bleck
• Stage Manager: Katre Ka “K” Goins-Williams
• Assistant Stage Manager: Shirley Attanaro
• Choreographer: Katy Chmura
• Dance Captain: Jonathan Faircloth
• Choral Director: Erin Cooper
• Orchestra Director: Jonathan Blank
• Fight Choreographer: Zina Bleck
• Set Design: Gavin Tameris, Zina Bleck
• Set Construction: Gavin Tameris, Zina Bleck, Rich Prien
• Properties: Pat Jannell
• Light Design: Nancy Owens
• Light Crew: Liz Owens, Justin Janke, Miguel Lopez
• Sound Design: Stacy King
• Costumes: Zina Bleck
• Makeup & Hair: by the Cast
• Load in Crew: Scott Morgan, Rich Prien, Gavin Tameris, Rich
• AmadaBrooke Angel, Maria Carias, Pat Jannell, Brian Miller, Jim Mitchell, Aerika Saxe
• Light Board Operator: Eric Raterman, Stephanie Richardson
• Sound Board Operator: Stacy King
• Publicity & Marketing: Don Wilson
• Photography: Jim Jenkins
• Program: Karla Carias
• Program Cover Art: Jim Jenkins
• Front of House: Kathy Sahlberg, volunteer members
• Facilities Coordination: Julie Little

Disclaimer: Castaway Repertory Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Originally written in 1897 by French author Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac has since been adapted into a myriad of different mediums, including the 1987 film, “Roxanne,” starring Steve Martin. Using Barry Kornhauser’s play adaptation, Woodbridge Senior High School’s production utilized gender switches for nearly all the characters, allowing female actors more performance opportunities than in the originally male-dominated show. Spoken entirely in rhyming couplet verses, the play chronicles the life of Cyrano, a strong-willed French cadet soldier whose love for her cousin, Roger, goes unreciprocated. Her unusually large, ugly nose only discourages her from pursuing Roger, who has fallen in love with Paris newcomer, Christiane de Neuvillette. The love triangle soon grows more complex as the war intensifies and Cyrano is asked by Roger to take care of Christiane in battle. Though highly eloquent, Cyrano struggles to convey her true romantic feelings and overcome her self-doubt.

Starring in the titular role, Kaitlyn Rhyne showcased impeccable memorization and a thorough understanding of the script. Rhyne clearly displayed the duality of Cyrano’s ostentatious savoir-faire and her underlying feelings of self-consciousness. Opposite Rhyne was Bryson Jenkins as Roger, Cyrano’s love interest. Exuding charmful innocence, Jenkins’ performance seemed natural and unforced, connecting believably with Hannah Taylor’s character, Christiane. Taylor too, exhibited clear enunciation and all three played off each other well with energy and enthusiasm.

Actors who especially stood out for their spot-on comedic timing included Rachel Price as Ragueneau, a drunk bakery owner, and Harrison Simpson as the Companion, Roger’s servant. Price’s consistent slurred speech, tipsy walk, and strong characterization kept up the energy of the show, while Simpson, casually in the background of many scenes, would remain speechless at times, only to chime in randomly with a witty one-liner or sassy remark about a character’s actions, resulting in peals of laughter. Zoe Sellers portrayed the forceful, deceptive Countess de Guiche, a powerful French noblewoman. Sellers’ mature aura and pointed enunciation highlighted de Guiche’s pompous, snobbish attitude and disdain for those she deemed inferior.

With the intimacy of a black box theatre, actors were able to connect more personally with their audience. All props were effectively used, including swords, instruments and real food. Transitions into different scenes, though a bit lagging, were quiet and commendable as the stage crew handled bulky set pieces with ease.

Despite slow pacing and some flubbed lines, the ensemble handled the extremely lengthy script and unusual language admirably. Though energy and enunciation at times could have been improved, each actor showcased a meaningful commitment to character choices.

Weaving together comedy and tragedy, Woodbridge’s production of Cyrano ultimately depicted the woes of unrequited love, triumph of true affection, and the simple fact, as Cyrano and Roger learn, that “there are some things the heart cannot disguise.”

by Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf of Langley High School

Photo Gallery

McKenzie Larrison, Rachel Price, Justin Janke	Kaitlyn Rhyne, Hannah Taylor, Bryson Jenkins
Tori Lockamey, Kaitlyn Rhyne	Casey Wallace, Mckenzie Larrison, Aliyah Stone, Danny Waldman, Emily Jack, Kaitlyn Rhyne
Zoe Sellers, Victoria Nolan, Mckenzie Larrison, Casey Wallace, Anthony Powell, Tori Lockamy, Dana Orr, Danny Waldman

Photos by Jan Dylewski

• Macbeth, Fall 2013
• Caught In The Web, Winter 2014
• South Pacific, Spring 2014

Schedule is subject to change due to performance rights conflicts or other issues. Specific dates of performances and auditions are yet to be announced.

Based on J.M Barrie’s classic novel and adapted by Doug Rand in 2006, Peter Pan and Wendy is a semi-darker adaptation of the story of the little boy who refused to grow up. Honing in intently on the stories of both Peter and Wendy, Rand’s work, modified from original adaptations, maintains the familiar, captivating tale that has dazzled audiences throughout the ages. Flying to the Darling household, Peter immediately entrances Wendy Darling and her two brothers, John and Michael, with stories of faraway magical lands. Together, the trio of siblings and Peter embark on a journey to Neverland, home of the Lost Boys and Peter’s arch nemesis, the evil Captain Hook. Faced with battling pirates, escaping floods, and mothering the Lost Boys, Wendy is swept away into this bizarre world, unsure of whether she and her brothers will ever be able to return home.

Notable features of the production included flying stunt effects and fog. Garrison Primeau’s original music composition was a subtle addition to many scenes. As a whole, the cast’s remarkable dedication and commitment to each individual character was widely apparent.

With a sprightly, young boy persona, Sarah O’Donnell tackled the difficult title role of Peter Pan. Though playing a part originally intended for a male actor, O’Donnell successfully handled the challenge, using her aesthetic nimbleness and acrobatic skills to tumble and jump all around the stage with unwavering energy. Opposite her was Monica Loesel as the cheerful Wendy Darling. Displaying a dynamic range, Loesel effectively conveyed Wendy’s transformation from a perplexed, naïve girl to an eloquent, motherly figure for the Lost Boys. O’Donnell and Loesel complemented each other nicely.

Portraying Captain Hook was Jacob Barkett, showcasing a pronounced understanding of his character by using adept enunciation to fully assert Hook’s leadership and power, with a hint of entertaining swagger. Also notable was Leonardo Colon as the ever-so-lovable Lost Boy, Tootles, whose innocent, childish charm was depicted through Colon’s body language and high vocal pitch. Perhaps among the most memorable cameos, Nana and Mullins were played by John Paul Frank. In a “human” dog suit, Frank’s physical, canine-like movements were realistic, yet highly comedic as various characters interacted with him.

Christine Connor’s makeup designs were both appropriate and varied, serving a diverse range of all characters, from pirates to Indians. Heading the collection of props, Katherine Virostek’s choices fit well into the story’s time period and added positively to the production. Though there were some technical mishaps and cue issues, the actors handled these with creativity, professionalism, and poise.

Despite some articulation problems and a few scrambled lines, the cast and crew of Peter Pan and Wendy delivered an admirable production full of endearing moments and plenty of laughs, entertaining audiences of all ages with an iconic story that continues to stand the test of time.

by Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf of Langley High School

Hurricane Sandy affected the rehearsals and opening dates for shows all around the region. At the Woodbridge campus of the Northern Virginia Community College, two evenings of tech week rehearsals were lost as final details were being worked out on their fall production of William Inge’s Bus Stop.

Theatre professor Eric Trumbull decided that the show must go on, but the group’s first two performances would now be previews with audience, and the opening performance would be Friday evening. We attended the first act of the Thursday matinée rehearsal. There were a few moments of magic in the performances, but actors were still getting comfortable working with a set and props. Some actors were a bit nervous on Thursday, apparently this was their début in front of an audience. It’s also interesting to note that most roles in the show have been double cast, creating an added level of difficulty as the cast won’t ever be the same way twice.

Technical aspects of the show were obviously still being worked on. This was most obvious in Cherie’s song, A Little Black Magic. Lighting effects on the singer and the set didn’t work at all, reinforcing that this performance was a rehearsal.

Dr. Trumbull said “I decided to schedule Thursday matinees in the hopes that some classes may incorporate the show into their curriculums.” If you’d like to support fledgling actors, please drop by the NVCC campus in Woodbridge next weekend.

Cast

• Elma Duckworth: Kayla Gasztoni, Stephanie Johnson
• Grace: Jasmine Clark, Iris Same, Lindsey Capuno
• Will Masters: Miguel Lopez, Lucretia Johnson
• Cherie: Ryane Hester, Jasmine Clark
• Dr. Gerald Lyman: Gustavo Monje
• Carl: Alex Ryder, Anthony Yowsa
• Virgil Blessing: Bryn Damisch
• Bo Decker: Benjamin Jablonowski

Crew

• Director: E. Trumbull
• Assistant Director: Alex Ryder
• Set Design: D. Falt
• Lighting Design: Wahd Evvyr
• Costume Design: Kayla Gasztonyi
• Tech Crew: Students in CST 136 (Theatre Workshop), CST 131 (Acting 1), Theatre Club

Red Scare on Sunset is set in Hollywood in the early 1950s. Film star Mary Dale discovers that communists really are hiding everywhere. And she has discovered their dastardly plot: to overthrow the Hollywood film system.

Prince William Little Theatre’s Red Scare on Sunset featured a great design premise: keep the audience and actors off-kilter. This was accomplished through Jarret Baker’s set (the playing space was a huge diamond-shaped, raked stage painted with non-parallel straight black lines, with the quadrilaterals created by the intersections of lines painted in blue, yellow or pink, and the set pieces were all painted to match the floor colors and also were not ever squared off.), Leslie Anne Ross’ costumes (gorgeous, mostly shades of gray, but a few had splashes of color; the Drama/Comedy duo’s zentai costumes were a bit distracting and oddly out-of-place) and Jarret Baker’s light design (film noir style for the most part). The actor (Holly Martin Czuchna) sitting at the point of the diamond set with her back to the audience transcribing the show also contributed to the “what’s going on” flavor of Red Scare on Sunset.

Ian Wade was perfect as Frank Taggart, Mary’s husband. Taggart wasn’t too bright, was easily manipulated, and Wade made Taggart’s adventures seem to make sense. Mary-Anne Sullivan as the innocent and determined Mary Dale (a part scripted to be played by a man) was compelling, you really wanted for everything to turn out well for her in the end. You could argue if it did or not. Annie Ermlick was wonderful as the honorable Marta Towers, with a great monologue near the end of the show. Ellen Young as radio star Pat Pilford was successful playing both the strong harpy demanding changes to her radio program, and as the victim of the blackmail plot over her youthful indiscretions.

Despite a few really funny lines in the script (“I support the First Amendment by endorsing censorship!” and the movie director helping Mary Dale find her character of Lady Godiva by “exposing herself.”) the script was a bit too confusing to make for a coherent play. It was difficult to identify with any of the characters, although Andrew Buning’s portrayal of the charming cosmetologist-turned-houseboy was the most sympathetic. Maybe director Leslie Anne Ross was too successful at keeping the audience off-balance? The “serious” aspects of the plot turned into camp, but not always successfully. It seemed that several opportunities for humor were missed, either by the actor not understanding the reference, or Ross choosing to gloss over those moments to keep the show’s pace moving along.

PWLT’s Red Scare on Sunset was an enigma: a great design concept and competent actors merged with a confusing plot didn’t quite equal a completely enjoyable show.

Director’s Notes

By Leslie Anne Ross

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”

“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” said Alice. “Oh, you can’t help that,” said the cat. “We’re all mad here.”

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Wonderland is an apt description for the world of PWLT’s production Red Scare on Sunset. If you asked the cast the Director’s concept, they would probably say I referred to this production as “all caddy wompus” and although “caddy wompus” is currently not a word in the dictionary, it means “chaotic or crazy” like the floor of the Senate. Or better yet, like a funhouse. This production seeks to distort conventional perceptions and startle with unpredictable production elements from the slant of the pink stage, to the cartoon furniture, to the suspenseful music and film noir lighting. By design, the pieces of this puzzle don’t fit together, rather they have great contrasts and polarized extremes juxtaposed against one another thereby making the lines between them even sharper.

Red Scare on Sunset was written in 1991 by Charles Busch who was fascinated by the Hollywood blacklist period in the 1950s. He set out to create a play based on those red-baiting propaganda films from the 40s and 50s like “Red Menace,” “I Married a Communist,” and “My Son John.” Mr. Busch believed “extremism of both the Right and the Left deserves to be satirized.”

Historical context is great but here it only partial helps understand what this production seeks to express. Red Scare on Sunset is set in 1951 during the post-war era (immediately after World War II). That time in history was defined by a strange mixture of international cooperation to rebuild Europe and Japan juxtaposed against the hostilities between western democracies (led by the United States) and the Soviet Union. Yeah, yeah. This conflict, known as the Cold War, focused on espionage and proxy wars between the United States and the Soviet Union and was the expression of underlying ideological differences between the two post-World War II powers. Blah, blah, blah. According to Wikipedia, the term “Red Scare” actually denotes two distinct periods of strong Anti-Communism in the United States. The First Red Scare, from 1919 to 1921, was based on a worker (socialist) revolution and political radicalism. The Second Red Scare, from 1947 to 1957, focused on national and foreign communists influencing society and infiltrating the federal government. Okay, okay, we get it.

Step right up folks and peak inside to the greatest farce on earth. We’ve got capitalism and communism, Hollywood producers and New York playwrights, suspense and intrigue, blackmail and murder, McCarthyism and zany musical comedy numbers. We’ve got a strident conservative, a meek adulterer, a love triangle, numerous verdant communists, several glamorous movie stars, a couple mimes and a hair dresser.

When I was selected to direct PWLT’s production of Red Scare on Sunset, I was terrified, overwhelmed, and tickled PINK. Along the path to opening night, the vision changed, grew, shrank, and jelled into the show we present to you. The cast and production team, more commonly known as the Dream Team, are some of the finest actors and designers working in community theatre in the Washington, DC area. I am as humbled today as I was at the inspired production meetings and the raucous rehearsals.

The talent, professionalism, creativity and artistry of this wonderful company made working on Red Scare on Sunset a hysterical, laugh-a-minute joy and one of the most fulfilling artistic periods of my life. I am merely the conductor, while these amazing artists make the music. And oh, how sweet it is.

Cast

• Ralph Barnes: Katherine Bisulca
• Jerry Simmons: Josh Bartosch
• Pat Pilford: Ellen Young
• Drama/Comedy: Kirsten Burt
• Comedy/Drama: Chaz D. Pando
• Frank Taggart: Ian Wade
• Mary Dale: Mary-Anne Sullivan
• Malcolm: Andrew Buning
• Marta Towers: Annie Ermlick
• Sales Girl: Katherine Bisulca
• Mitchell Drake: Gary F. Parsons
• Bertram Barker: Ken Clayton
• R.G. Benson: Katherine Bisulca
• Lady Prudwen: Annie Ermlick
• Arnolph: Gary F. Parsons
• Baldric: Ken Clayton
• Leofric: Ian Wade
• Thomas: Andrew Buning
• Granny Lou: Holly Martin Czuchna
• Yetta Felson: Holly Martin Czuchna

The Production Team

• Producer: Chaz D. Pando
• Director: Leslie Anne Ross
• Dance Choreographer: Chaz D. Pando
• Stage Manager: Katherine Blondin
• Running Crew: Sallie Willows, Samantha Reau
• Stage Combat choreographer: Kevin Robertson
• Scenic Designer: Jarret Baker
• Set Construction: Jarret Baker, Jim Newman, Gyde Lund, Chaz D. Pando
• Set Painting: Jarret Baker, Bob Baker
• Properties Designer: Sarah Barlow
• Lighting Designer: Jarret Baker
• Sound Designer: Lynn Lacey
• Composer: Bruce Farquharson
• Costume Designer: Leslie Anne Ross
• Costume Mistress: Susy Moorstein
• Seamstress: Grace R. Byers
• Make-up Designer: Sheila Hyman
• Graphic Designer: Rodrigo Pool
• Program Designer: Chaz D. Pando
• Photographers: Leland Shook, Cana Wade
• PWLT Board Liaison: Scott Olson

Disclaimer: Prince William Little Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review. PWLT also purchased advertising on the ShowBizRadio.net web site, which did not influence this review. And the reviewer was approached by the director to be a part of the show’s creative team.

Bubbies….Let us start from the end of this show. It really is not all that sad an ending. Our Anatevkaner refugees have three doors through which to move into new lives after expulsion from their homes. The ones who go through Door #1 will end up in Palestine working like pack animals for the Tsar’s cousin. Those who go through Door #2 and move elsewhere into Eastern Europe will live uncertainly until they emigrate to the New World or else die in the monster pogroms to come. The ones who accompany Tevye, wife Golde and the two little girls, Shprintze and Bielke, to the United States will live happily ever after and invent the all you can eat Chinese Buffet. Ding, ding, ding, ding!!!!

Fiddler on the Roof is based on the Tevye stories of Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, a Galicianer Jew, writing as Sholem Aleichem. He elevated the Yiddish language from “jargon” to a near classical language with influence over contemporary American English. Though Galicianers were considered not as scholarly and literate as the Litvaks, it was Sholem Aleichem, a Galicianer, who was known in Europe as The Jewish Mark Twain. The ever ecumenical Samuel Langhorne Clemens cast himself, in return, as The American Sholem Aleichem.

The Tevye stories were combined with the story of Joel Russ and his Russ and Daughters delicatessen on the lower east side of New York, where all of the principals of the original production shopped and ate…and…they had a show!

Fiddler on the Roof takes place in 1905. It is in 1905 that Sholem Aleichem moves to the United States. Nicholas II, Tsar and Autocrat of All The Russias, abdicates absolute power and becomes a constitutional monarch after the 1905 Revolution establishes the first Russian House of Representatives known as the Duma. In 1905 Albert Einstein, another member of the tribe, with the assistance of his equally brilliant wife, Mileva Maric, not a member of the tribe, proposes the special theory of relativity. Alfred Dreyfus is living in Paris with a pardon for conviction of and waiting for exoneration of the false treason charges brought against him in France because he was Jewish. Moshe Mabovich of Milwaukee, Wisconsin sends to Russia and Poland for his wife and daughters; one of whom is named Golda. And, you guessed it, 1905 is the year that Joel Russ and his daughters arrive in New York and Joel starts selling noshes on the street. Our Anatevkaners don’t live in a vacuum.

Let’s get the difficult part over with and say that Castaways Repertory Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof is not an umglik…but maybe a bit of a balagon. First of all, this is no Fiddler on the Roof. It is Fiddler…no roof; Fiddler…no fiddling; bow syncing to some occasionally off-key playing in the orchestra. Fiddler…no dance. Oy gevalt! Whelchn mir machn? Maybe Prince William County prohibits playing a violin from a roof. I can believe that. Fiddler on the Roof is a very large show. Large sets, large cast, large dancing and large orchestra. The Prince William County municipal theatre is just too small to stage this show properly and Director Zina Bleck was burdened with staging a behemoth in a small venue that is used concurrently by every local organization, thus requiring the striking of the set after almost every performance. The book, by Joseph Stein, is mildly imperfect to begin with, so the story, without music and dance to cover up the flaws, is not wholly plausible. Although this fact doesn’t have to be fatal this show requires context and state. It has none here because the venue doesn’t afford it. Musically, Fiddler is a mashup of Klezmer music and banal mid 20th century Tin Pan Alley. Klezmer music is an emotional, eternal and lyrical score bolstering the music that is the Yiddish language. Recognizable Klezmer dates from at least the 15th century and Klezmer partially underpins Spanish Flamenco music with its origins in 15th century Spain. (And we all know what happened to the Jews in 15th century Spain.) Klezmerim strike even your cynical and nasty Reviewer in her cold heart, but the performance here was a waltz tempo suitable for a restricted country club Saturday night dance. The non Klezmer show music, as composed, really is a last gasp; because, at the same time Fiddler on the Roof is being composed and arranged, two other members of the tribe, Bob Dylan and Brian Epstein are changing popular music forever. The dancing here isn’t quite a shanda, but, on the good side, there isn’t much of it to begin with. The stage is just too small for such a large cast to all dance together without poking an eye out. The Cossack dance was an explicit acknowledgement of two twains (please pardon the pun) being so close and never meeting….until …we’ll get to that in a little bit. That choreography was pretty good even if the execution lacked polish

Do me a favor:ignore that last paragraph and go see this show. The Castaways Repertory Theatre and its actors and crew are so lovely and sincere and nobody’s perfect anyway. Bleck took care to enlist a proper dramaturg and dialect coach (Harry Kantrovich, sounds like a member of the tribe) because otherwise such a show can easily descend into minstrelsy. The cast was so obviously proud to be in this show and they all looked so happy as they were performing. Going to this show is not a mitzvah, just a step in acknowledging dear people trying to do well by doing good. The cast is very large and the production crew could staff a battalion. A lot of care and love went into bringing this show to that pokey stage. So…your reviewer has decided that the usual thesis in reviewing a show should be rejected here and a separate not quite Talmudic question be posed.

How is the show supported and does that support carry the show? Fiddler on the Roof is sustained by three pillars: Tevye, Golde and Yente. Have our Tevye, Golde and Yente held up this show? Lakhlutn. Ding, ding, ding, ding!!! Jim Mitchell (Tevye) is a baritone of such splendid tone, he can be forgiven for speaking like Tony Soprano. On second thought, speaking like Jackie Mason is shtick and Mitchell can choose any kind of Tevye he wants to be. Belying his bearing and his work, Tevye is an educated man. Tevye is a lay philologist and Talmudist who engages in his study as he daydreams and laments his sorry condition to God…who isn’t listening. The real skeleton in the Ark of this show is that Tevye is observant, but he is not religious. He lives in the midst of a cult of Rabbis, yet he pursues another path and that path is the story played out here. His faith is in himself.

Golde (Rachel Harrington), Tevye’s tart wife is caught in a life she doesn’t know she can change. In her middle age she is wearing the proverbial pants in that household, steadfastly dominating over Tevye’s bluster. A very sweet moment in the show is when Tevye and Golde sing “Do You Love Me?” Tevye’s life of pondering leads to this question. Golde can’t conceive of this because it never occurred to her that she could think such a thought or have this kind of a question. And, she is a superstitious interpreter of dreams; but why is she is the object of japery when another member of the tribe, albeit in Vienna, smoking cigars and eating bacon, is publishing his own “The Interpretation of Dreams” and he is seen as a groundbreaking scholar? Golde is not so stupid. Harrington has a clear and strong voice and is charming as a 19th century woman being dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century.

Yente the Matchmaker (Meganne Johnson) is a bit more ambiguous. Johnson eschews Yiddische shtick completely, for some sort of titter as she carries on bravely portraying a stock Yiddish character. But she’s okay at this. Yente may be a pain in the tuches, but Johnson is endearing and her performance supports the physical narrative of the show well. A minor Mishnaic query: once it becomes clear that no young girl will marry the hoary butcher, Lazar Wolf, why doesn’t Yente just match herself to him and save the young maidels of Anatevka from the overriding fear that some Tati will actually sell his daughter to that old goat for a bunch of free chickens? Lazar will still pay her her commission. Right? Of course…

Our young lovers are sweet. They are not cast badly, considering the amount of young people in this show and the possibilities of role assignments. They could have made a Yiddische Grease or Hairspray with this group. Maybe even True Blood. Motl (Jonathan Blank) is a sweet young man who missed his upsherin. He’s more of a mensch than he seems at first because he does get the girl. He sings his big Motl song “Miracle of Miracles”, but he doesn’t dance. He moves a little bit while Tzeitel (Jennifer Rubio) makes goo goo eyes at him and then the stage becomes spacious. Rubio is very cute; she looks like Barbie, also a member of the tribe. The same with Hodel (Rebecca King) and Perchik (Brian Johnson). King is probably the best singer in the younger group. Johnson tries for the dramatic high notes of his big Perchik song “Now I Have Everything”, but has some tsuris reaching them. Also, there’s no happy Jewish dancing going on here either. Nevertheless, we’re glad for the two of them. They are a match made in heaven by way of a Siberian gulag. Hodel gets to sing her big Hodel song “Far From the Home I Love” but this is not a good time to be sitting down, no matter what the Rabbi says.

Now, on to the twains. Chava (Hannah Sachs) takes up with Fyedka, not a member of the tribe, and marries him in a church. Oy vey ist mir! This is one matzo ball that Tevye is not swallowing and Chavaleh is declared dead…but not for long. Her mother embraces her and her father acknowledges her and they all leave town. But poor Chava and Fyedka don’t get their own song. The ensemble cast is a conglomeration of young people all dressed up like Fidel Castro, amazingly, also a member of the tribe. They are all lovely and doing their best to present a very complex musical. The rabbi (Gavin Tameris) is very smart…like Judge Judy (a member of the tribe); we should all sit down. Poor Tameris gave up trying to sound Yiddish. Whereas Mitchell really believed in his Tevyeness, Tameris’ Rabbiness was a bit tenuous and he looked like he needed some alone time in the men’s mikva.

Perchik and Tevye drag the Anatevkaners into the new century and a new world by dancing with their women in public. This is how we know God is not paying attention….she’s very busy with other stuff. Social ritual commanded that men and women associating in public together would send the men into such paroxysms of lust that that Tzeitel’s wedding to Motl would collapse into some depraved (is there any other kind?) orgy of beards and funny hats with women screaming in erotic desire for cake and copies of “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Well… they all danced together anyway; no orgy, no God yelling at them to stop the unholiness and no Sodom and Gomorrah inferno. That was maybe a little disappointing. However, on the dark side, there is one mildly hairy pogrom which doesn’t result in too much of a mess; which is good because no one there has a maid to clean it up.

Director Bleck is to be congratulated for her non traditional casting. By casting young African-American Jonathan Faircloth as a real yenta, Avram, she elevates the ambitions of the arts and offers opportunities to actors that haven’t been acknowledged before. Maybe some day he will play Tevye. I particularly enjoyed the obvious enjoyment and comfortableness that Faircloth took in being dressed up like he was and fitting well into that group. He looked beautiful. Fruma Sarah (Amy Treat), on the other hand, has been watching too many “Real Housewives” programs, but she had a good time doing this…so as far as this reviewer is concerned….Treat succeeded in her effort because she can shout like Judge Judy.

The costumes were a highlight of the show and Sabrina Chandler and Claudia Tameris put in herculean effort to fringing (tsit tsit) and bearding (Katy Chmura, Rachel Harrington et al) their men…and some of their women. The women were simpler. Slap some schmattes on them and send them out on stage. The large female ensemble swirled and twirled in their long skirts and head schmattes and genuinely looked happy to be there. There was no laziness in this production and the dedication of everyone involved is so appreciable. Bleck took command of an army and won the battle. (Cue Yehoshua blowing his horn).

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then this reviewer saw a sweet and warmhearted production of a classic Broadway favorite with fine adult talent and beautiful children singing and dancing their hearts out. We live in a state of such loving diversity that we can all walk in one another’s shoes. There is no more upbeat thing one can do but go out and see Castaways’ Fiddler on the Roof. Go early and stop by the kosher counter at Wegman’s and have a nosh; then go see the show and have a snack at intermission…then go out afterward and eat Chinese buffet. After that, stop at someone’s house for coffee and cake. Mame, not a member of the tribe, said that life is banquet. Let’s not starve ourselves.

Rivke Gittel bat Izio vay Manya Baskir

Director’s Notes

Fiddler on the Roof is set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and His Daughters (or Tevye the Milkman and Other Tales) by Sholem Aleichem that he wrote in Yiddish and published in 1894. Fiddler on the Roof was originally titled Tevye. The story centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his family and traditions while outside influences impact their lives. The musical’s title stems from the painting “The Fiddler” by Marc Chagall, one of the many surreal paintings he created of Eastern European Jewish life, often including a fiddler. The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival, through traditions and joyfulness, in a life of uncertainty and imbalance.

The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. Fiddler held the record for the longest- running Broadway musical for almost ten years until Grease surpassed its run. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical score, book, direction and choreography.

Working on a show that takes place in the past is always a challenge bor everyone involved. One of the biggest challenges for the actors was to understand and portray characters that are full of life and hope for the future, but fear for the loss of their traditions and their very existence ina country that is making it harder every day for them to remain there. The cast took this task to heart and have worked very hard to bring to life this these wonderful people and this historic show. I cannot thank tham all enough for their hard work and dedication. I hope that you all take away a little of the magic of the Fiddler, which is needed as much now as it was then….

L’Chaim….To Life!

Cast

• Tevye: Jim Mitchell
• Golde: Rachel Harrington
• Tzeitel: Jennifer Rubio
• Hodel: Rebecca King
• Chava: Hannah Sachs
• Motl: Jonathan Blank
• Perchik: Brian Johnson
• Fyedka: Justin Janke
• Lazar Wolf: Chuck Leonard
• Yente: Meganne Johnson
• Constable: Eric Raterman
• Rabbi: Gavin Tameris
• Mendel: Miguel Lopez
• Rabbi’s Wife: Lorraine Crump
• Shaindel: Tricia Delavante
• Avram: Jonathan Faircloth
• Fruma-Sarah: Amy Treat
• Mordcha: Scott Morgan
• Mordcha’s wife: Katy Chmura
• Mordcha’s son: Thomas Bicknell
• Sasha: AlexBedont
• Nahum: Burke Romans-Murray
• Yussel: Barry Stout
• Grandma Tzeitel: Denise Mattingly
• Fiddler: Loren Stout
• Ensemble: Colin Chandler, Mackenzie Chandler, Jen Hood, Pat Jannell, Tammy Janke, Jennifer Lange, Masha Osborn, Ashley Stewart, Nora Zanger

Crew

• Director/Producer: Zina Bleck
• Assistant Director: Joe Philipoom
• Stage Manager: Stcy King
• Choreography: Marji Jepperson, Amy Tret
• Dance Captain: Katy Chmura
• Music Direction: Rachel Harrington, Charlie, Manship, Ken Farley
• Choral Direction: Lorraine Crump, Rachel Harrington
• Vocal Coach: Charlie Manship
• Dialect Coach, Dramaturg: Harry Kantrovich
• Fight Choreography: Zina Bleck
• Set Design: Jules Philipoom, Gavin Tameris, Zina Bleck
• Scenic Artist: Julie Philipoom
• Properties: Pat Jannell, Arwen Bicknell, Dora Osborn
• Lighting Design: Nancy Owens
• Sound Design: “K” Goins-Williams
• Costume Design: Sabrina Chandler, Claudia Tameris
• Hair/ Makeup: Katy Chmura, Rachel Harrington, et al

Disclaimer: Castaways Repertory Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Willy Wonka is a 2005 musical based on the classic Roald Dahl novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and its subsequent 1971 and 2005 film adaptations starring Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, respectively. The musical features songs, written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, from the 1971 film, as well as additional songs written specifically for the stage adaptation. Willy Wonka tells the story of Charlie Bucket (Josh Carias), a young boy from a poor family who gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to tour Willy Wonka’s world famous chocolate factory with four other young children. Upon meeting the eccentric Wonka (Larson Gore) and entering the factory, Charlie begins the journey of a lifetime.

The cast and crew of Pope John Paul the Great’s production put an impressive amount of effort into creating the fantastic world of the Wonka factory. From the simple yet vibrant costumes (Angelica Barbauta, Kirsten O’Sullivan, Ruth Long, Nora Ogunleye) to the colorful lighting design (Ian Platt, Sean McGabe), the whole stage shone. Despite the occasional struggle to be heard, the cast was remarkable in their strong energy throughout the show. Almost every cast member was brimming with life, and it showed in the smiles on their faces in numbers such as “The Candy Man” and “I’ve got a Golden Ticket!”

Faced with the daunting task of playing a character once played by both Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, Larson Gore took on the role of Willy Wonka with aplomb. His soft voice and comforting air showed a gentler side to Wonka, and he had one of the stronger singing voices in the cast. As Charlie Bucket, Josh Carias had a boundless energy and a commitment to character that was occasionally missing from other areas of the show. With every shout and leap of joy, Carias certainly seemed to be “flying” high!

One standout performance of the show was that of Michael Maggio, who played the fat and ungrateful August Gloop. Maggio’s unabashed love for all things edible and his highly stereotypical German accent provided for some of the funniest moments in the show. Another strong performance was that of Kathryn von Tersch, who played Mrs. Bucket. She had one of the strongest singing voices of the evening, and she gave a realistic portrayal of Charlie’s stressed but loving mother.

Every ticket to Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School’s production of Willy Wonka felt “golden” as the cast and crew gave new life to a timeless classic.

by Mitchell Buckley of Westfield High School

Photo Gallery

(Charlie Bucket) Josh Carias, (Mr. Bucket) Jonathan Madorma	(Candy Man) Chris Afcha
(Ms. Teevee) Nora Ogunleye; (Willy Wonka) Larson Gore; (Veruca Salt) Kirsten O’Sullivan	(Willy Wonka) Larson Gore

Photos by Jen Cole

Baby is a musical with book by Sybille Pearson, music by David shire, and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. Three couples are in different stages of life’s journey. Two of the couples find they are pregnant while a third couple is having problems getting pregnant. This is a touching look at one of life’s most natural processes.

Arlene and Alan (Annie Ermlick and Darren Marquardt) are recent empty nesters who have just sent their last daughter off to college. They are looking forward to getting to know each other again when Arlene discovers she is pregnant. Both Ermlick and Marquardt show a wide range of believable emotions on their roller coaster including shock, happiness, and despair as they await baby #4. Ermlick and Marquardt also had strong vocal skills that could be heard well when singing or talking.

The second couple Pam and Nick have been married for a time and are ready to start a family. Played by Meredith Ford and Joshua Wilson, the two run into initial joy followed by the sorrow. Ford and Wilson were probably the funniest of all the couple’s as at times their sense of humor was the only thing keeping them going. The two showed strength in their relationship, and created a nice couple that the audience could identify with.

The last couple were two college kids who moved in together off-campus and then found out they were going to have a new roommate. Lizzie and Danny were the youngest couple, but also the most hopeful. Played by Becca Harney and Jason Frye, the couple faced their share of ups and downs, yet through it all they had love to get them through. Although the hardest to hear at times, they too exhibited strong emotions and Harney performed all of her songs with passion.

The ensemble portrayed a wide range of characters, including softball players, a realtor, a doctor, and well intentioned nosy women, and made for good balance as they carried on and off set pieces smoothly with little noise. However, when the ensemble sang with the three couples, it was quite difficult to discern who was singing the brief solo lines, leading to a few songs that were more confusing than advancing the story.

The orchestra, conducted by Milton Rodgers, kept up the pace and allowed the scenes to move along. Director Susy Moorstein also designed the costumes, which were well chosen for each of the couples. Arlene and Alan were more upscale as befit a settled family. Pam and Nick were conservative and comfortable while Lizzie and Danny were the most free-thinking and had the fewest resources, resulting in a grab bag look to their costumes. Danny’s dark look was a nice contrast to Lizzie’s colorful shoes. The set was four separate playing areas, a room in each couple’s home and a large space downstage that served as many other places.

The only negative of this production would be some serious sound issues. There were times when the mics were left on and you could hear actors talking back stage, while other times heavy breathing could be heard from someone’s microphone positioned too closely to their mouth. Finally the ever popular mic going out altogether happened a few times, forcing the actors to work a bit harder so they could be heard in the large performing space. This was an unfortunate distraction, but this is also live theater. Stuff happens.

With only mic issues to mar it, Prince William Little Theatre’s presentation of the rarely-produced Baby is well worth the price of admission.

Photo Gallery

Cast	Cast
Orchestra	‘I Chose Right’ Becca Harney as Lizzie, Jason Frye as Danny
‘I Want it All’ Becca Harney as Lizzie, Anne Ermlick as Arlene, Meredith Ford as Pam

Photos by Cana Wade/Dave Warner

Cast

• Arlene: Annie Ermlick
• Alan: Darren Mrquadt
• Pam: Meredith Ford
• Nick: Joshua Wilson
• Lizzie: Becca Harney
• Danny: Jason Frye
• Ensemble: Ken Adams, Dan Bellotte, Chrissy Janoski, Larry Keeling, Tina Mullins, Caelan Ryberg, Cana Wade

Crew

• Director: Susy Moorstein
• Producer: Susy Moorstein
• Musical Director: Milton Rogers
• Choreographer: Chrissy Janowski
• Production Assistant: Mary-Anne Sullivan & Dave Warner
• Stage Manager: Becca Jackson
• Set Design: Susy Moorstein
• Set Construction: Dave Warner
• Lighting Design: Stacey King
• Light Board Operator: Lisa Johnston
• Sound Design: Dave Warner & Tom Nichols
• Costume Design: Susy Moorstein
• Hair and Make-Up: Mary-Anne Sullivan
• Properties Coordinator: Candi Baker & Cast
• Running Crew: Ashley Stewert & Megan Stewart
• Publicity: Don Wilson, Sandra Schillinger, Cana Wade & Dave Warner

The Orchestra

• Musical Conductor: Milton Rodgers
• Piano/Keyboard: Lynn Jost
• Guitar: Bill Schillinger
• Drums: Marie Juliano
• Violins: Carolyn Farley and Gail Sander
• Cello: Dee Notto
• Bass: Herb Tax
• Flute: Jessie Scalph
• Wind Instuments: Ken Farley
• French Horns: Wendy Martin-Shuma & Al Badrow
• Trumpet: Dave Shuma

Disclaimer: Prince William Little Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review. Laura and Mike have each worked with many of the cast and crew of this production over the past few years.