There may be spoilers ahead. Just saying.
Let me start this little review by saying again that I’ve never seen any of the Broadway versions, the movie, or read the book.
I have seen a few clips of performances, like when it was at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2015, and of “Miracle of Miracles” and “Now I Have Everything” being sung (outside of the show) at an interview.
For the past five weeks I’ve intermittently been listening to the OBCR with Zero Mostel as Tevye, as well as two more listenings on the drive up to Pittsburgh.
And as mentioned earlier in the thread, we had several understudies, including Danny Arnold in the lead as Tevye.
Despite the new security measures and metal detectors the show started exactly on time and with a nearly sold out audience.
The orchestra, singing, and dance choreography were very, very, very well done.
“Tradition” was very enjoyable and quite powerful to watch, and it turns out to be my second favorite song of the night. “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” started off at about half-tempo from the one I had been listening to on the OBCR, but picked up the pace about halfway through. “Sunrise, Sunset” was so beautifully done I choked up and had tears in my eyes. And the wedding sequence was absolutely wonderful. The backdrop they used could have been a lot better - something that dropped down in front of the gray brick wall - but it is what it is. Not sure why they couldn’t have had something less cheap looking. But it didn’t really spoil this magnificent part of the show.
The dream sequence was also quite well done, and the costumes were fairly wicked looking.
As for the dancing, a lot of it was simply outstanding. There were times the choreography was spot on and gorgeous, and at other times it looked chaotic and random, but it seemed fit the scene it was in at that time: for instance, in part of “To Life” (in the bar) and in “The Wedding” (when they danced) when several of the individual cast would break away for a moment and do their own thing. More like in real life.
And the “Bottle Dance” was breathtaking. It started off with a single man placing the bottle on his head and dancing. One became two, and then slowly a third joined in. It was at this point one of the dancers had the bottle fall off, but I’m not quite sure if that was intended or not by the way the cast reacted - they loudly exclaimed “OHHHHHH!” and clapped. The three danced, then three became four, and five. Then the BIG dance sequence started and it was simply quite impressive how high they could lift and turn their legs from a kneeling position. Overall an amazing display of choreography.
As for the acting, all of it was truly very good. Danny Arnold as Tevye was superb, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with his performance. Carol Beaugard as Yente must have stepped up her game tremendously from earlier posted comments, because she enunciated and used inflections to where she was as good as the one in the OBCR. The only one I really didn’t care for was Jeff Brooks as the Constable. But maybe that had to do more with the sternness of the part he played.
The set design was rather simple, with set pieces being rolled on and off the stage by the actors, or dropped from the overhead. The two different backdrops that dropped down - one for “Sunrise, Sunset” and the other for “Tevye’s Dream” - were not big enough to cover the gray brick wall behind them, so it came off as sort of cheap looking.
The finale sequence of “Anatevka” after they left town and started the journey to their new homes was particularly confusing to me. The gray brick wall backdrop that had been there the entire show was raised to reveal a very bright, white, backlit screen. They basically marched around in a circle several times, a few went into the middle and danced a little bit then rejoined the circling line of people, the Fiddler came out and played a quick tune, Tevye and the Fiddler approached each other from opposite sides of the stage, patted each other on the back, joined the line, and the house lights went down. Maybe someone can explain that one to me.
Overall, I thought this show excellent considering the emphasis so many had put in the non-Equity aspect of it when first announced. As someone mentioned earlier, if I hadn’t known it was a non-Equity tour I would have NEVER guessed that it was.
Lots of really great songs, amazing dancing, and overall an absolutely wonderful show.
I took pictures of the stage at the beginning of Act 1 and then again at Act 2, as well as the souvenir stand, which I’ll post a link to tomorrow.
Updated On: 11/25/18 at 07:47 PM
Any other items of interest at the souvenir stand?
