Little Jews On The Prairie

By Roland Finger
Theatre Editor

Fiddler On the Roof is one of the great musicals, and I was a little skeptical when I heard that Fiddler on The Roof Junior would be staged at Moorhead High School. But Director Kelly DuBois-Gerchak’s Musical Theatre Camp has allayed my reservations. I’ve been converted. The Junior version is a little shorter and less involved than the full Broadway play, but it still has the major songs, the key heartbreaking action, and the great tension between characters.

The dances rattle the stage. The pogrom still occurs in full force. Tevye, the patriarch, is just as charismatic, goofy, and clever as true lovers of the play demand. Golde, the matriarch, still has control and anger issues, and she could probably benefit from therapy. In fact, I even imagine some audiences might prefer this trimmed down version, which contains no dialogue fat. Think of the Junior version as a lean, mean, and ultra-athletic Fiddler, and you will be running on the right track. The musical pulls the audience in, moving with a rhythmic Jewish lilt and great pacing that builds tension. You will want to dance in your seat, and you will want to cry because of the injustice of anti-Semitism.

If we take big, mainstream musicals seriously, Fiddler takes one of the prizes. During a repressive era, young women find their voices and break away from corpse-cold tradition, symbolized by Tevye’s dream. But the tradition of performing mitzvot (positive and generous deeds) are well worth hanging on to and revitalizing. Tevye and Golde’s daughters each forge unique identities and assert independence. The matchmaker is a funny character, but she will be less important in the lives of future generations. The play has a strong feminist message—one that is in no way forced but quite natural.

But the main dilemma arises from anti-Semitic intolerance. The Gentiles threaten the Jews, causing their flight. Many of the Jews leave Russia and seek the American Dream, which is why this play that focuses on Jewish life in Russia feels so American. It’s about aspirations, generational tensions, and creating oneself. Old World problems must be handled through change and New World ideas.

Patrick Kasper choreographed the show working closely with students, trying to get Midwestern youngsters to loosen up and dance with Eastern European passion. Patrick does a great job motivating students to find the beat that drives the characters’ dances. Susan Knorr and Kathy Ferreira brought us the show’s catchy music. The cast found their inner Jew, their opinions, their love for argument, their heated sides. Many of Lutheran cast members received a healthy dose of open and opinionated Jewishness. May it last in them. May the cast maintain open vocalism and expressiveness all their days.

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IF YOU GO:
What: Fiddler On The Roof Jr.
Where: Moorhead High School Theatre
When: June 28 at 7 p.m. & June 29 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Cost: $8 for adults, $5 for students