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Fiddler On The Roof - 1999

Arts Theatre, UNE - June 1999

Stage Direction by Neil Horton
Musical Direction by Phillip Oxley
Produced by Mike Gibson

Based on the Solomom Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl. Book by Joseph Stein. Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. By arrangement with Warner Chappell Music exclusive representative of Music Theatre International, New York.

SYNOPSIS

The setting for this memorable musical is Anatevka, a small peasant village in Czarist Russia in 1905. Tevye, a dairyman, his wife Golde and their five daughters are one of the hard working families of the Jewish community living as their forefathers did, observing the ways handed down to them, following the dictates of "Tradition".

Tevye, a pious man, tries to raise his five daughters according to the ways of the good book. However the old ways no longer suffice and Tevye and his friends have to become part of the changing world around them.

After a pogrom takes place at the wedding of one of his daughters, the community realises that their old way of life is changed forever and set out to find new lives in new lands, taking with them their few meagre possessions and their abiding faith in God.

SCENES AND MUSICAL NUMBERS

Act 1

Prologue
'Tradition' - The company

Scene 1 - Tevye's kitchen
'Matchmaker' - Tzeitel, Hodel, Chava

Scene 2 - Tevye's yard
'If I were a rich man' - Tevye

Scene 3 - Tevye's kitchen
'Sabbath prayer' - Tevye, Golde and family

Scene 4 - The inn
'To life' - Tevye, Lazar Wolf and villagers

Scene 5 - Outside the inn immediately following

Scene 6 - Tevye's yard
'Tevye's monologue' - Tevye
'Miracle of miracles' - Motel

Scene 7 - Tevye's bedroom
'Teyve's dream' - Tevye, Golde, Grandma Tzeitel, Fruma Sarah and villagers

Scene 8 - Motel's shop

Scene 9 - Tevye's yard
'Sunrise sunset' - Tevye, Golde and villagers
'Wedding dance' - The company

Act two

Prologue

Scene 1 - Tevye's yard
'Now I have everything' - Perchik and Hodel
'Tevye's rebuttal' - Tevye
'Do you love me?' - Tevye and Golde

Scene 2 - The village street
'The rumour' - Yente and the villagers

Scene 3 - Railway station
'Far from the home I love' - Hodel

Scene 4 - Motel's shop

Scene 5 - The outskirts of the village
'Chava sequence' - Tevye, Young Chava, Chava, Tzeitel, Hodel, Golde, Motel, Perchik and Fyedka

Scene 6 - Teyve's yard
'Anatevka' - Golde, Yente, Lazar, Mendel, Avrahm, Tevye and villagers

Scene 7 - Tevye's yard

Epilogue

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

Ever since I saw my first production of "Fiddler" as a teenager it has been one of my favourite musicals. Having first directed this show in Glen Innes in 1994 and having such fond memories of it I was somewhat reluctant to have another go at it. The committee agonised for weeks as to which show would be suitable to present in 1999. After another read of the script I knew that its humour, drama and wonderful music just couldn't be ignored. I believe Armidale last attempted "Fiddler" in 1979 with Rhonda Burchmore in the role of Hodel so a generation of Armidalians haven't had a chance to see it.

Well, here it is. Fourteen weeks of rehearsal from a dedicated cast has resulted in what, I hope you will agree, is a wonderful night's entertainment.

Shows like this do not get put on by the efforts of any one person. The many "behind the scenes" people are vital to any success and I thank them all for their efforts. I would particularly like to thank Betty Hall for her assistance at all levels of production. Mike Gibson and the committee of the Armidale Musical Society for their unwavering support. Gordon Cope for his set building skills and enthusiasm for the project and Dorothy Pollard for her intuition for when the director needed a cup of tea to calm his nerves.

I hope you enjoy our performance of "Fiddler on the Roof".

CAST

Tevye the Dairyman: Gordon Cope, Golde his Wife: Penny Taber, Tzeitel his 1st Daughter: Leonore McElhorne, Hodel his 2nd Daughter: Amber Charlesworth, Chava his 3rd Daughter: Tamara Cody,Shprintze his 4th Daughter: Ellonye Jansens, Bielke his 5th Daughter: Rachel Menzies/Emma Horton, Yente the Matchmaker: Sharyn Holmes, Motel the Tailor: Kahn Quinlan, Perchik the Student: Robert Clendinen,Lazar Wolf the Butcher: Michael Gibson, The Rabbi: John Hamel, Mendel the Rabbi's Son: Cameron Bruce,Mordcha the Innkeeper: David Young, Avrahm the Bookseller: Brian Thomas, Nachum the Beggar: Bradley Scott, Fyedka a Russian: Steven Woolf, The Fiddler: Jenny Hutchins, Grandma Tzeitel: Beryl Hamel, Fruma Sarah: Christine Leger, Constable: Waiter Sprinkle, Shaindel Motel's Mother: Marney Tilley

Bottle Dancers: Yussel: Bryce Little, Chaim: Warren Flood, Yakov: Andrew Wark, Duvidel: Bradley Scot

Villagers: Rivka: Peta Bale, Sima: Ros Brady, Shloime: Greg Cooper, Anya: Robyn Slocombe, Mirala: Rachael Bale, Berille: Aline Christenson, Zelda: Corina Clancy, Yankel: Doug Rumble, Rebekah: Claire Horton, Reiza: Diana Drews, Benzoin: Robert Tumeth, Ruth: Carol Elder, Miriam: Gabrielle Sinclair, Esther: Debbie Towner, Tsippa: Barbara Colledge, Bluma: Emma White, Leah: Marianne Enoch, Hagar: Kristen Evans, Nissel: Kate Sprinkle, Kreindl: Ellen Fitzgerald, Hannah: Sandra Frid, Moishe: Sam Hammond,Zeresh: Susan Hammond, Etele: Emma Horton, Ismael: Dianne Murphy, Ruchel: Nadia Ozanne, Surcha: Frances Rodger, Etke: Mallory Schwartz, Little Chava: Claire Horton

Yershiva Students: Label: David Sprinkle, Herschel: Alex Schwartz

Russians: Boris: Ben Boland, Victor: Andrew Swann, Ivan the Tenor: Neil Horton, Sasha: Jim Harrop

ORCHESTRA

Conductor: Phil Oxley, Piano: Lesley Green, Violin: Janelle Gulliver, Adele Brown, Sarah Jones, Emma Chapman, Alana Blackburn, Kate Chapman, Elizabeth Scott, Viola: Olivia Gossip, Cello: Christoph BlicIding, Claire Chapman, Angela Farrell, Clarinet: Michael Gregg, Rebekkah O'Hare, Emily Davis, Ben Godwin, Anthony Birkett, Flute: Addy Watson, Sharon Davidge, Bassoon: Alexander Bell, French Horn: Will Arnold, Kerri Stuart, Bruce Menzies, Trumpet: David Arnold, Tony Jones, Trombone: Belinda Fenwicke, Margaret Sharpe, Keletso Magano, Bass: Wayne Elliott, Peter Nichous, Guitar/Mandolin: Steve Thornycroft,Percussion: Tomoyo Ueda, Bronwyn Gould

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director: Neil Horton
Assistant Director: Betty Hall
Musical Director: Phillip Oxley
Repetiteur: Lesley Green
Choreographer: Midge Valames
Producer: Michael Gibson
Finances: Robert Tumeth
Designer: Neil Horton (based on a design by Jack Ritchie)
Stage Manager: Margaret Kennedy
Properties: Betty Hall, Sally Burrows, Nicola Young, Cassie Cornish
Lighting Design: Bryce Little
Sound: Krzyszkowiak
Lighting: Lachlan Ashley
Costume Design: Kristen Evans
Programme Design: Neil Horton, Jane Horton
Production Assistant: Dorothy Pollard
Prompt: Diana Helmrich
Front Of House: Donna Wainohu and her dedicated team
Set Construction: Barbara Colledge, Betty Hall, Bryce Little, Claire Horton, David Sprinkle, Donna Wainohu, Emma Horton, Gordon Cope, Kate Sprinkle, Mark Cody, Nadia Ozanne, Neil Horton, Penny Taber, Ryan Cope, Tamara Cody, Walter Sprinkle
Make Up: Di Amold, Donna Wainohu, Lesley Bruce, Ngaire Lewis
Backstage Crew: Allan Bruce, Beverly Jenkins, Robert Crossle, Stephen Watt, Wolfgang Meixner
Autumn Festival Float: Barbara Colledge, Lolly Krzyszkowiak

THANKS

Armidale High School for rehearsal venue, Armidale Playhouse for loan of properties and grounds, Clyde and Maryanne Sisson, CWA Hall committee for rehearsal venue, Glen Innes Arts Council, Ian Moffatt, Imperial Hotel for displaying our banner, Jack Ritchie for permission to use his set design, Legacy Hall committee for rehearsal venue, Lorraine and Ian Hills, Macsound for lighting, sound and special effects, Moore Park Inn, Prime television for sponsorship, Ruth Batty and the Tamworth Musical Society, The Uniting Church for loan of benches, The Woodwork group at Autumn Lodge, Tim Clark and staff on the UNE Arts Theatre, Wayne McFayden Produce Merchants for loan of truck for Autumn festival.

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