Topol In 'Fiddler On The Roof' Kicks Off Ft. Lauderdale Broadway Across America Season

By: Sep. 16, 2009
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FT. LAUDERDALE--- Revisiting one of the great performances in the history of modern American musical theater, local theater devotees will have the opportunity to once again experience the brilliant TOPOL as he performs his Oscar-nominated  role of Tevye in his farewell tour of the multi Tony Award-winning Broadway

(Photo By Joan Marcus

musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Playing Tuesday, October 6 through Sunday, October 18, FIDDLER marks the opening show of the Broadway Across America-Ft. Lauderdale 2009-2010 season which will present six-major musical productions presented by Florida Theatrical Association at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.  

Directed by Samuel Dallas Bayes recreating the original choreography by Jerome Robbins, the book is by Joseph Stein based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, with  music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick  

A theater classic since its groundbreaking debut in 1964, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF early on captured the hearts of theater-goers throughout the world with its moving story of the humble milkman of the Russian village of Anatevka and an extraordinary score featuring such evergreen standards as "Tradition," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Do You Love Me," "If I Were a Rich Man," and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker."  Unforgettable as well was the exuberant choreography generated by the brilliant Robbins  whose legendary "The Bottle Dance" remains among the most inventive and treasured dance creations ever designed in the history of Broadway musical theater.

Among the world's most beloved artists, for the Tel-Aviv-born Chaim Topol, the role of Tevye was clearly destined for a future that began as a youth in a kibbutz, proceeded to three and a half years of military service with the Israeli Army, then a return to the kibbutz where he launched a traveling satirical theatre group, "The Spring Onions." It was soon after that he founded unicipal Theatre.  Moving on to films where he produced and appeared in more than ten Israeli film, it was in 1964 that he starred in "Shallah," the film that would be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and bestowing on TOPOL his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.  It was also "Shallah" that was to lead to the invitation to open in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in London's West End in 1967 paving the way to star in Norman Jewison's 1971 film adaptation, a second Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination.  

Alternating with his more than 2500 performances throughout the world,  TOPOL appeared  in more than 30  films, a score of stage appearances in London, and in 1990, a return to the Broadway stage in the revival of FIDDLER which was to reward him with a Tony nomination as Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Currently, TOPOL is involved with the creation of the Jordan River Village (www.jordanvillage.org) in Israel's lower Galilee for children suffering from incurable and life threatening diseases. His mentor on this project was Paul Newman  

Principals include Susan Celia as Golde, Mary Stout as Yente, and David Brummel as Lazar Wolf. Rounding out the cast are Jamie Davis Colby Foytik, Erik Liberman (Miami alumnus New World School of the Arts), Rena Strober, and Eric Van Tielen. Sets are by Steve Gilliam; costumes by Tony Ray Hicks; lighting by Ken Billington and Jason Katrowitz; sound by Duncan Robert Edwards, music direction by David Andrews Rogers.  

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the first production of the 2009-2010 season which will also bring to the Broward Center the smash musicals "Legally Blonde The Musical," November 10-22;"In The Heights" March 16-28; "The Color Purple" April 6-18, and "Mary Poppins" June 10-27. Broadway's currently running comedy hit, Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps" rounds out the season playing February 10-28 at the Parker Playhouse.  

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be presented October 6-18 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts,  201 S.W. Fifth Avenue.  Performances are Tuesday thru Saturday at 8 P.M., Sundays at 7:30 P.M., matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 P.M and Wed 10/14 at 2P.M. Tickets prices range from $67 to $23 and are available at the Broward Center Box Office Monday through Friday 10A.M-5 P.M., Saturday and Sunday 12 Noon- -5 P.M and 1 ½ hours prior to show times; online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com; www.browardcenter.org; via phones (954) 462-0222 or 800-982-2787. Groups of 15 or more are invited to call 800-647-6877 or (954) 462-0222. Season Subscriptions remain on sale through the run of "Fiddler on the Roof."  

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