22nd May 1999, 24th May to 29th May 1999
Eve - 7.30pm
Mat 29th May - 2.30pm
Music by Jerry Bock Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Joseph Stein
Based on Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl
Original New York stage production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Background
Set in Anatevka, a small Jewish village in Tsarist Russia at the turn of the century, the story focuses on Tevye, the dairyman and his family - a wife and no fewer than five daughters. Yente the matchmajer had a match for Tevye's eldest daughter Tzeitel to marry Lazar Wolf a rich butcher, but Tzeitel and her poor tailor Motel had made each other a pledge that they would marry. They win Tevye round to give his consent, but how does he tell Golde, his wife, that the wedding to Lazar Wolf is off? He convinces her that he had a dream abaout Lazar's first wife Fruma-Sarah and the terrible things that will happen to Tzeitel if she dare to marry Lazar Wolf. Tzeitel and Motel marry. Hodel, Tevye's second eldest also breaks with tradition and falls in love with Perchik, a revolutionary who is sent to Siberia. She follows him because she cannot live without him, but only after promising her Papa that she will marry under a canopy.
Chava is not as lucky as her two elder sisters - she falls in love with Fyedka, a Russian soldier, and marries out of her faith - her father will not give them his blessing as this would have broken too much with tradition. In Tevye's eyes he now only has four daughters.
As the play draws to its conclusion, the villagers are forced to leave Anatevka. Tevye, and what is left of his family leave to begin a new life in America. Tevye's struggle as head of a poor Jewish family is to maintain the tradition of his race against all odds. As the Father says, with everybody knowing their own place in the order of life, they are allowed to scratch out a living, balancing like a fiddler on the roof.
'Fiddler on the Roof' was born in 1964 with its first stage production at the Imperial Theatre, New York on September 22nd of that year. It was presented by Harold Prince, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins and the cast included Zero Mostel as 'Tevye' and Marie Karnilova as 'Golde'
Following it's success on Broadway, the show arrived in London at Her Majesty's Theatre, opening on February 16th 1967, with TOPOL as 'Tevye', Miriam Karling as 'Golde' - and it ran for 2,030 performances.
'Fiddler on the Roof' was the longest running Broadway production and the ninth longest running London musical. It concerned the persecution and problems and parenthood with its people vainly trying to preserve Jewish tradition in a hostile and changing world.
The Cast
Tevye, the Dairyman
Howard
Stapleton
Golde, his wife
Barbara
Baker
Tzeitel, their daughter
Judith
Lovely
Hodel, their daughter
Elizabeth
Brookes
Chava, their daughter
Laura
Sicurello
Shprintze, their daugher
Katie Lowe
Bielke, their daughter
Louise Fenner
Yente, the Matchmaker
Brenda
Richardson
Motel, the Tailor
Mike
Simpson
Perchik, the Student
Jason
Lazard
Lazar Wolf, the Butcher
Michael
Grabowski
Constable
Nick Kennedy
Fyedka
Tim
Childs
Mordcha, the Innkeeper
Nathan Thomas
Rabbi
Geoff Platt
Mendel, his Son
Clive Dancey
Avrahm, the Bookseller
Aidan Lawrence
Grandma Tzeitel
Karen Emmerson
Fruma Sarah
Rachel Dobell
Shandel, Motel's Mother
Maren Geffert
Nacham, the Beggar
Anton Perusko
Mirala
Linzi Cottrell
The Fiddler
Philip Pandya
Motel & Tzeitel's baby
Edward Croft
Villagers & Russians
Gemma Baker Natalie Baker Barry Bates Melanie Best Alison Boss Kerry Brinklow Sue Brinklow Gavin Brookes Julie Bull Chris Buttenshaw Ken Butternshaw Susie Childs Linzi Cottrell Michelle Croft Andy Day Sophie Dewar Alice Dobel Rachel Dobell Zoe Dobell Barbara Eastaff Jacqueline Edmonds Karen Emerson Beaula Fish Alice Hall Ben Hall Jackie Hall Jodie Hall Jessica Hamish-Wilson Kate Hartley Clare Hodges Sandra Jefferys David John Danielle Leedale Jessica Lowe Grace McIntosh Alastair McKinnell Julie Newman Katie Payne Anton Perusko Christina Pilla Geoff Platt Rebecca Rich Francesca Sammells Joelle Sammells Helen Simmonds Robert Skears Naina Soloff Mitchell Stasiuk Natalie Stasiuk Stephanie Stasiuk Alison Statham Chris Stewart Katy Stewart Nicole Stewart Jackie Thompson Andy Truscott
The Band
Flute/Piccolo
Sue Taylor Joe Perridge (Tuesday)
Oboe/Cor Anglais
Robert Clarke
Clarinets
Christopher Gawkowski Mike James
Trumpets
Nick Bunker Richard Douglas
Trombone
Paul Coveney
Keyboard
Helen Rouse
Accordian
Dianna Moylan
Violins
Karen Garkowski Pat Plumstead Lesley Newing
Viola
Richard Handel
Cello
Sally Horton
Bass
Nick Dytham
Percussion
Tina Kenney
Production Team
Director
David
Eden
Musical Director
Malcolm
Crane
Original chroeography reproduced by
Alison
Coyne
Stage Manager
Ken Branchette
Set Designer
Ken Branchette
Lighting Designer
Martin Putman
Producer
Vera Lowe
The Crew
Set Constuction
Neil Barnett Malcolm Boss Sam Martin James Mason Paul Mason
Painting
Ken Branchette Barbara Mason
Stage Crew
The MKAOS Stage Crew
Lighting
Martin Putman
assisted by
Mark Hammond James Mason
Prompt
Beryl Argles/Angela Lovell
Rehearsal Pianist
Helen Rouse
Continuity
Alison Stewart
Properties
Pauline Wright
Wardrobe Mistress
Joan Pennington
Costumes
John Hill(Hinkley) Ltd. Eden Theatre Company (Coventry) MKAOS Wardrobe & MKAOS Members
Wigs
Showbiz! (Southampton)
Printing
City Print (Milton Keynes) Ltd.
Booking Office
Gill Coyne
Front of House Manager
Jean Ashby
Front of House Staff
Members and Friends of the Society
Company Photographer
Robert Skears
Performance Photographer
Norman Kent
Acknowledgements
The Society are very grateful for the assistance given by:
Bletchley Community Centre The Management and Staff of Stantonbury Campus Theatre Eden Theatre Company for Props and Costumes Kenning Van Hire Ltd. Alan Downing and Michael Ward for lending the milk churns Borneo Martell Solicitors Fur & Pur (Stony Stratford) for donating most of the sacks T. J. Lodge Opticians
