Classic Musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Comes to EPAC for the Holidays, Now thru 12/21

Fiddler on the Roof- Ephrata Performing Arts Center's 2013 holiday production-is exotically set in a small Jewish village in Tsarist Russian in 1905, but the Tony Award-winning musical is beloved around the world for its universal appeal.

The economic struggle of Tevye, simple milkman, to provide for his wife and five daughters and to cope with his eldest daughters' choices of suitors he finds unsuitable strike a common chord among parents everywhere.

The intolerance suffered by Tevye, his family, friends, and even some Russians, also resonates strongly today among all minorities.

But, most of all, Fiddler on the Roof excels as an uplifting paean to the family ties and "Tradition" that bind and sustain us all through the most difficult times.

That is what makes Fiddler such an ideal holiday offering.

Tevye will be played by EPAC artistic director Edward R. Fernandez, with Trish Corcoran as his frustrated and frustrating wife, Golde. Their three marriageable daughters will be played by Kathy Becker (Tzeitel), Rebecca Bauer (Hodel) and Sophie Gialloreto (Chava).

Claire Daher portrays Yente, the village's manipulative matchmaker. The three suitors who defy Yente, Tevye, Golde and "Tradition" are played by Darren Wagner (Motel, the tailor), Alex Bannon (Perchik, the scholarly revolutionary), and Sean Deffley (Fyedka, a Russian youth).

The featured cast includes Matt Rush as Lazar Wolfe, Olivia Brown as Shpritze, Olivia Speros as Bielke, John Rohrkemper as Constable, PatRick Reynolds as Rabbi, Don Muston as Modcha, Bruce Weaver as Avram, Wendy Caldwell as Grandma Tzeitel, Sherrill Wesolowski as Fruma Sarah, Gene Ellis as Nachum, Bob Breen as Mendel, Robin Payne as Shandel/Motel's mother, Alex Weaver as Sasha, and Brandon Kegerize as Boris.

Ensemble members include Heidi Carletti, Evan Cooper, Jeff Fisher, Laird Farrington, Steven Gagliano, Bryce Eberly, Jose Mangual, Meredith Stone, Sherrill Wesolowski, Robin Payne, Karen Cooper, Allyssa Miller, Katie Vigunas and Natalie Young.

Pat Kautter directs this heart-tugging, heart-warming tale based on the writings of Sholem Aleichem, with music director J.P. Meyer at the helm of its acclaimed score, including "Sunrise, Sunset," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Tradition," Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and the title tune. The title itself was borrowed by Marc Chagall's surrealist painting, "The Fiddler," a character often used as metaphor for the difficulty of sustaining one's balance in difficult times.

The village set design is by Mike Rhoads, lights are by Jeff Cusano, costumes are by Kate Willman, props are by Alixe Ingoglia, and Amber Nicole is stage manager.

Fiddler on the Roof is being produced under the sponsorships of Salon Art-Tiff, Country Lane Flowers and Philhaven.

Tickets are $15-$27.50. Show times at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; today, Dec. 5-21; with a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday, Dec. 21, which is a pay what you will performance. Any tickets unsold by 1:30 p.m. that day go on sale for a donation. Reserve seats at ephrataperformingartscenter.com or call (717) 733-7966, Ext. 1.

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