HCT mixes TRADITION with new ideas for "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF"

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (Feb. 2, 2010) — Hale Centre Theatre (HCT), Utah’s premier family theatre, will present “Fiddler on the Roof” Feb. 16 through April 10. With memorable music and a compelling storyline about family, faith and tradition, HCT’s production will introduce an innovative set design, a live award-winning fiddler and a fantastical dream sequence.

The staging includes a two-story set of the family’s house, which will fly from the theatre’s ceiling and be visible from every vantage point. The house is an innovative approach to adapt the production to theatre-in-the-round while setting the scene of the family home. The look and feel of the famous dream sequence will veer from traditional “Fiddler” portrayals with a more frivolous approach. Costumes will be Mardi Gras-esque featuring large-headed versions of the characters, black lights and four children dressed as Jewish Rabbis in black robes with long beards.

“The dream sequence showcases the crazy things people think of when asleep, while not distracting from the mood and themes of the show,” said HCT Director John Sweeney. “When people see the show they’ll feel the comfort of a familiar favorite, but with extra musical and staging touches to introduce a new experience.”

The HCT production is enhancing the traditional musical with a live award-winning fiddler, Aaron Ashton, who is professional studio musician and performs with recording artist, William Joseph. HCT’s production incorporates the fiddler in additional scenes and also features him entertaining audiences in the lobby during intermission. On alternate nights, Julie Beistline will play the role of fiddler. Also an accomplished musician, she was recently accepted to Julliard.

“Fiddler” centers on Tevye, a dairyman in 1905 Russia who is in search of husbands for his three eldest daughters – Tzeital, Hodel and Chava. In a break from tradition and their strict Jewish faith, his daughters refuse to accept the wishes of their father and matchmaker Yente, and choose husbands based on love. Tevye must reconcile his strong faith with his desire to keep his family together while enduring the unrest in his town of Anatevka, where life is as precarious as playing fiddle on the perch of roof.

Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s “Fiddler on the Roof” has earned 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Revival (1990). The original Broadway production, which opened in 1964, was the first run of a musical in history to surpass the 3,000 performance mark. Spawning four Broadway revivals, the musical also had a successful 1971 film adaptation, which won three Academy Awards.

HCT’s “Fiddler on the Roof” is directed by Sweeney and stars Bruce Bredeson and David Stensrud as Tevye; Jennifer Parker Hohl and Marcie Jacobsen as his wife Golde; Lindsey Rhodes and Brittany Worley as Tzeitel; Ariana Escalante and Lauren Noll as Hodel; and Ali Bennett and Deborah Moss as Chava. Yente the Matchmaker is played by Sallie Cooper and Chris Brown. The choreographer is Marilyn May Montgomery; music director is Kelly DeHaan; head costume designer is Tamara Clayton; technical director, prop master and set designer is Kacey Udy; lighting designer is Spencer Brown; and the sound designer is Dan Morgan.

Performances are Monday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with matinées each Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. and occasional weekdays at 4 p.m. Ticket prices are Monday through Thursday evenings and matinées, adult $22, child (5-11 years) $15; Friday and Saturday evening shows, adult $26, child (5-11 years) $16. Tickets may be purchased online at http://www.halecentretheatre.org, via telephone at (801) 984-9000 or at the Hale Centre Theatre box office, 3333 South Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City, Utah.

Photo attached: Bruce Bredeson as Tevye and Jennifer Parker Hohl as Golde in Hale Centre Theatre’s “Fiddler on the Roof”

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