Footlight makes a match with Broadway classic

Opening to Geelong audiences tonight (Friday, January 13), Fiddler on the Roof is an inspiring and uplifting musical that celebrates tradition, faith and family at a time when “life is as precarious as the perch of a fiddler on a roof”.

Set in the fictional village of Anatevka, audiences will journey with Tevye, his family and all the villagers who are grappling with times of change and unrest.

Fiddler On The Roof takes place in the early 20th century. Tevye, a poor dairy farmer, has raised his five daughters with his wife, Golde, according to Jewish tradition.

As is custom, the matchmaker arranges the match and the father approves it. But one by one, Tevye’s three oldest daughters resist tradition by marrying the men they choose rather than those designated by a matchmaker.

At the same time, Tevye and the citizens of Anatevka grapple with the prospect of being forced to leave their village.

Producer Peter Wills said Fiddler on the Roof was a Broadway classic that Footlight Productions had always wanted to stage for the Geelong community, and that it had renewed relevance for audiences today.

“When it first opened in 1964, no one thought a show about a struggling Jewish community would become ingrained in theatre history and emerge as one of the world’s most beloved musicals. But, decades on, audiences still embrace the timeless tale about family, faith, displacement, refugee resettlement and most of all, hope.

“It is a powerful story, and an important reminder of how far we have come, but – more importantly – how far we still have to go.

“The other thing that makes this musical so special is its timeless soundtrack, with a sublime score featuring well-known songs including ‘Tradition’, ‘Sunrise Sunset’, ‘Matchmaker Matchmaker’ and ‘If I Were A Rich Man’.”

Fiddler On The Roof stars a cast of 36 performers from Geelong and surrounding suburbs, led by Jamie McGuane (playing Tevye), Hayley Wood, Cassie Chappell, Rose Chambers, Molly Jones, Molly Gleeson, Abbey Jones, David Mackay and Geelong theatre veteran, Howard Dandy.

The production is directed by multi-Green Room nominee Alister Smith.

Footlight Productions’ January shows have become a fixture in Geelong’s calendar, with previous hits including Chicago, Mamma Mia, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins and Wicked. This will be the company’s first production at the Sacred Heart Performing Arts Centre, following the temporary closure of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre.

Fiddler on the Roof will be performed at the Sacred Heart Performing Arts Centre until January 28.

For tickets, head to trybooking.com/events/landing/969103