PHOTO CALL: Harvey Fierstein Has Already Departed for Anatevka, New Fiddler Star Gets Dressed Up- Page 2

[Plum]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 11:25am

Oh, Distinctive Baritone, you crack me up. You think that casting actors with bad singing voices is some kind of new-fangled trend? Listen to the OBC of The King and I some time, for a start. Or anything that Rex Harrison talk-sings.

[Mimi Imfurst]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 1:28pm

IF you want perfect singing, buy a CD. This is live theatre. Its about the experience.

[Kevin Kringle]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 2:07pm

I performed in a regional production of Fiddler; however, I kept tripping everywhere.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 2:37pm

For all those concerned about Fierstein's singing, here's an account of what happened when he sang the score for the composers (from Riedel's column today):


"Fierstein clinched the part Tuesday afternoon by singing every one of Tevye's songs for the guys who wrote "Fiddler" — Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joe Stein.

"It was not an 'audition,' " says the four-time Tony Award winner, treating the word as something distasteful.

"The producers have a lot more confidence in me than I do, and I said I would not accept the role until the creators heard me sing it. I'm not exactly Leontyne Price here."

Audition or not, the, ah, tryout went very well.

"I sang 'If I Were a Rich Man,' and they laughed," Fierstein says.

"They've been listening to this stuff for 40 years, and they laughed. I sang 'Chavaleh,' and Jerry Bock cried. I started to cry, too.

"Michael, if I never open in the role, it was enough to sing that score for these guys. Dayenu. It was enough."


Riedel from The Post

[midtowngym]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 2:50pm

Being a gay, jewish, (pre!)middle-aged theater lover from Queens, I know EXACTLY what Harvey is feeling. Fiddler IS sacred, our lives on stage. And he finally gets a break from his gay activism to express his jewish side. What a treat for him and us!

Updated On: 11/12/04 at 02:50 PM

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 3:03pm

Think of the comic genius he'll put in the Nightmare/Frumisara sequence... I saw it with Molina, I have to return for Fierstein...

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:25pm

Wait, Tevey isn't a gay role? News to me.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:29pm

now that's a bitchy comment

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:38pm

bitchy? oh, c'mon... Tevey is like the gayest character ever... you know that wasn't actually writen to be gay... sorry, I'm just having fun. I didn't mean to be bitchy...

[Blonde]

Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:40pm

wow he does look fantastic doesn't he? and i'll miss his opening by 4 days.... =/

[Doc]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 2:02pm

"Wow. He looks great. He'll bring so much to the role. I'll bet his performance will be talked about for years."

He may look great, but all the 'talk' I heard last night as I left the theatre was how he was wrong for the role.

I saw Fiddler last night for the fifth time for this revival. I was very disappointed in Harvey Fierstein's rendition. Not only is unable to sing, excuse me, this is a Musical, but the humor is somehow off base. Instead of the comic relief for the pathos of the situation one is almost embarrassed to hear the laughter.

To me the times that I saw Alfred Molina, the show was pure theatre at its best. His energy was dynamic. The one time I saw Mark Lotito was also a joy.

Updated On: 1/13/05 at 02:02 PM

[Doc]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 2:03pm

Message duplicated...

So just to add, he is a wonderful actor, dynamic presence, just not, in my opinion, right for this role.

Updated On: 1/13/05 at 02:03 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 2:06pm

I think he will be good in the role. We know he can act up a storm.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 1/13/05 at 2:08pm

What a great pic! I swear, that man absolutely glows. I'd love to see him play Tevye......

remember how much discussion there was about whether he could do it or not? Seems funny now.