Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Skylight Music Theatre

It is a joy to witness theater—this joy is only compounded when it includes the brilliant young adults who call your workplace their home for learning, if only just for a few years. As a Marquette University employee, I was delighted to find that Skylight Music Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof is as warm and deeply moving as I expected, but with the inclusion of a

few familiar faces. If I've learned one thing from students, it’s that they can’t fake their unbridled passion (or lack thereof), and in the Cabot Theatre’s intimate setting, it was obvious that everyone in staged Anatevka was giving their heart and soul, willingly and relentlessly.  

Andrew Varela gives a standout performance as Tevye, bringing the heart, humor, and the right amount of comedically timed stubbornness to the role. Janet Metz matches him beautifully as Golde, and together they strike that perfect balance between exasperation and deep, familiar love. Jackey Boelkow is a revelation as Fruma-Sarah, her voice hauntingly beautiful and perfectly suited to the character’s chilling presence, leaving a lasting impression on every scene she touches. The full ensemble, which features Marquette students, brings an exuberance to the big musical numbers and an innocence to the children’s lives as they navigate their own fates, oftentimes sealed prematurely. The choreography kept the show on its feet, featuring both high energy bouts of impressive physicality in the form of somersaults and toe-touches, and more intimate numbers where the viewer might have to lean in a bit and quiet their breath, lest it blow out a ceremonial ember-glowing candle.

A highlight of this Fiddler is Skylight’s commitment to live music — not only heard, but also seen prominently on the roof, an unmovable fixture amid numerous set changes throughout the show. At a time when some local arts organizations have had to cut live music due to funding challenges, Skylight’s choice to feature its musicians so prominently feels especially important and worth celebrating. Similarly, the production’s themes of displacement, tradition, and resilience resonate far beyond Anatevka, echoing the experiences of communities around the world who have faced forced migration and oppression, from Palestine to Syria, Afghanistan, and beyond. Combined with the energy brought by Marquette University’s Theatre Department, this Fiddler on the Roof stands as a moving, timely reminder of the endurance of culture, family, and hope.

Fiddler on the Roof plays through October 26 at the Cabot Theatre — a performance not to be missed.

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