Portland Ovations Presents FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, 1/22

Portland Ovations presents the National Broadway Tour of Fiddler on the Roof on Saturday, January 22nd at Merrill Auditorium for two performances, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. This timeless classic magically weaves music, dance, poignancy and laughter into an unforgettable musical experience.

"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. 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, embarks on its North American Tour. 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, starring veteran actor John Preece as Tevye.

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.

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 in Portland and throughout the United States.

Mr. Preece has performed in Fiddler on the Roof over 3,100 times, 1,500 of which were in the role of Tevye the milkman. This production marks Mr. Preece's 9th national tour of Fiddler on the Roof. 

Portland Ovations' presentation of Fiddler on the Roof is sponsored by Dead River Company, with media support from WGME-TV 13.

Ovations Offstage is offering a free pre-performance lecture before the evening performance of Fiddler on the Roof. Professor Marilyn Reizbaum from Bowdoin College discusses how Sholom Aleichem's story, set in revolutionary Russia, became so wildly popular, and asks the question: who or what is the fiddler? The lecture takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Room 24 of City Hall, located just to the left of the entrance to Merrill Auditorium on Myrtle Street.

Tickets to both performances of Fiddler on the Roof range from $41 to $54 for Ovations' Members, and $45 to $60 for the general public. Tickets are available through PortTix by calling 207.842.0800 or visiting the box office window at Merrill Auditorium located at 20 Myrtle Street in Portland. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.portlandovations.org.

For high resolution photos of Fiddler on the Roof, visit the "press" link at the top of Portland Ovations' homepage: www.portlandovations.org.