FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Comes To PlayhouseSquare 6/15-27

"Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as a FIDDLER ON THE ROOF," announces Tevye, a humble milkman from the Russian village of Anatevka. And so begins a tale of love and laughter, devotion and defiance, and changing traditions.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, the Tony Award® winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, will come to the Palace Theatre at PlayhouseSquare June 15 - 27, as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series. Tickets are on sale now and are available at The PlayhouseSquare ticket office, by calling 216-241-6000 or online at www.playhousesquare.org.

In what is a huge theatrical feat, audiences will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Jerome Robbins' original Broadway direction and choreography, complete with the star of the record breaking Broadway production, Harvey Fierstein.

Audiences now have the rare opportunity to see the TONY award winner embrace one of his favorite roles in this Jerome Robbins inspired production. Taking a revolutionary look at the doting father, Mr. Fierstein appeals to a whole new generation with his reinvention of the character. Having won four TONY awards including Best Book of a Play and Best Actor in a Play for Torch Song Trilogy, Mr. Fierstein recreated the role in the film adaptation thus winning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination as Best Male Lead. His most recent win was the 2003 TONY for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway production of Hairspray. In addition to his stage appearances, Mr. Fierstein can be seen on the upcoming season of Nurse Jackie and How I Met Your Mother.

A perennial hit since it first opened in 1964, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has enjoyed critical acclaim for bringing to the stage a poignant story about the enduring bonds of the family. Now, the national touring production of this timeless musical brings the wit and wisdom of Tevye and his family to audiences throughout the United States with the reproduction of Jerome Robbins' famous masterpiece.

In 1965 Jerome Robbins won matching Tony Award®s for his direction and choreography of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. In this National Tour, both are recreated by Director Sammy Dallas Bayes, choreographer of the Broadway Revival.

Tevye's wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score that weaves the haunting strains of "Sunrise, Sunset" and the rousing "If I Were A Rich Man" with the exuberant "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and triumphant "Tradition." When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own. At the story's close, the villagers of Anatevka are forced to leave their homes and even the sturdy mores that have guided everyday life begin to crumble. Paradoxically, it is the enforced loss of the rigid traditions and home life that Tevye has tried so tenaciously to preserve that leads the family to reconcile and draw closer still.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be at the Palace Theatre at PlayhouseSquare for 16 performances, June 15 - 27. Performances are Tuesday - Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 and 7:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 to $70, and are currently on sale at The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office (1519 Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland), online at www.playhousesquare.org or by calling 216-241-6000. Group orders for 15 or more may be placed by calling 216-664-6050.

The Cleveland engagement of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is part of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. KeyBank is the title sponsor of the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare. For information, visit www.key.com.

This performance engagement is also a part of the Smart Seats program at PlayhouseSquare that offers smart entertainment at a smart price. For more information on Smart Seats, visit www.playhousesquare.org/smartseats.

To enrich the experience of the theatergoers, The PlayhouseSquare Community Engagement & Education Department presents free Broadway Buzz events to complement KeyBank Broadway Series shows. Broadway Buzz Pre-Show Talks will be held in the Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare one hour prior to each performance of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Pre-show talks provide behind-the-scenes insight into Broadway series shows. On Thursday evenings, guests are invited to stay in the theater for a post-show chat with members of the cast. Broadway Buzz events are made possible by the generous donors and sponsors that support PlayhouseSquare's not-for-profit mission.

More information about Broadway Buzz events and activities can be found online at www.playhousesquare.org/broadwaybuzz.

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