Who would make a good Tevye?

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Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 4:43pm

Hearing the talk about a good Fanny Brice and the heavy Christian musicals around, I've been thinking about, if Fiddler to revive, who should play Tevye.

I didn't see the recently revival of Fiddler with Al Molina (or Harvey Fierstein), so I can't attest to how well those were cast (I'd assume Molina was a better fit than Fierstein.) I keep thinking that all the powerhouse lead males are very gentile looking. Who would you cast as Tevye?

I'm not proposing another revival.. just curious as to your thoughts.

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 4:53pm

Nathan Lane is the obvious choice, and he'd be marvelous. He was even asked to star in the revival before Molina, but turned it down. Didn't want to be type cast in Zero Mostel's shadow, and I don't blame him one bit. His only two Tonys are from Zero roles.

If we're talking NAMES, I think of Geoffrey Rush and Robin Williams.

But someone who I think would kill in the role? Mark Hamill.

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 4:54pm

I didn't see the recently revival of Fiddler with Al Molina (or Harvey Fierstein), so I can't attest to how well those were cast (I'd assume Molina was a better fit than Fierstein.)

Other way around, actually. Molina wasn't very good as Tevye: strictly goyische, very cold, very dull. Not sure if that was Leveaux's direction, his being miscast, or a combination of both. Fierstein was wonderful--everything that Molina was not. His voice is what it is, but it didn't deter him from giving a moving, deeply felt performance.

Maybe we'll wait a few years before someone mounts another production, though. I don't really see any need.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 4:58pm

Right now?

Robin Williams. He has the potential to be brilliant and make it his own role. The time is right, too. Plus, he'd sell a whole bunch of tickets.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:00pm

While we're on the topic of casting, let's get Jackie Hoffman in there as Yente! :P

''With the number of people I ignore, I'm lucky I work at all in this town'' - Helena Bonham Carter

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:02pm

@ Overkill: If you were seriously on the level I would love to read your opinion on why you feel Mark Hamill would be good in this role. He's an interesting choice.

Updated On: 8/1/11 at 05:02 PM

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:02pm

Robin Williams as Tevye. Cherry Jones as Golde. Jackie Hoffman as Yente.

And you have a sold-out run.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:02pm

She could do Tevye in a non-traditional casting production. Of course, the show would run till 2am with all of her ad-libbing.

In all seriousness, though, I've always wanted to see Judy Gold as either Golde or Yente. No idea if she can sing or not, but she always seemed a wonderful choice in my mind.

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:02pm

I'd love to see Williams in the role, but after Bengal, not only do I see him not coming back to Bway for a while (unfortunately), but he'll probably retire the beard as well.

lol

EDIT: Didn't see the question about Mark.

I'm a huge Mark Hamill fan, so I've seen much more than just Star Wars. lol He's such an underrated actor who can truly give great, thoughtful, moving performances and he never gets the chance. He also has a nice voice! I think he's just at the right age now where he could play the role, and I can just easily see him making Tevye his own. He'd bring not only great humor to the character, but heart and depth. Something I didn't find in Molina's performance at all.

Updated On: 8/1/11 at 05:02 PM

#10

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 5:05pm

Okay ... Williams as Golde, Cherry Jones as Tevye and Hoffman as Yente!

She can wear the beard. And his Golde would be perfection.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#11

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 6:16pm

Three little words, and can't you just already see the marquee?

TVEIT

IS

TEVYE!

Name a hotter young Broadway actor to make better use of a beard!

CHURCH DOOR TOUCAN GAY MARKETING PUPPIES MUSICAL THEATER STAPLES PERIOD OIL BITCHY SNARK HOLES

#12

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 8:17pm

Since Phyllis Rogers Stone hasn't weighed in, I'll do so on his / her behalf:

Denzel Washington

#13

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:03pm

Tiresome. And ignorant. F*CKin' Idiot, you live up to your name!

#14

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:12pm

I'd have the same issue with Williams that I had with Molina: he's too urban in his approach to stuff. I dont know that Williams could do anything with Tevye that wouldnt scream "Hey, I'm Robin Williams, and now I'm gonna sing!"

Sadly, Nathan Lane would present the same issue for me: if this were Fiddler on the Roof of a Three-story Skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, maybe it would work. But Lane as a country peasant? Just not seeing it, and there's nothing in his work that I remember that would make me think he could handle the role.

I dunno, kids. This is one where I think we're not gonna see a revival for some time, so let's just leave it lay fallow for now.

http://docandraider.com

#15

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:20pm

I've only seen clips, but was Zero Mostel less urban than either of those two?

(Not a trick question, btw; I'm genuinely asking because I actually kind of agree about Robins and Lane.)

#16

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:22pm

The thing with Tevye is that it works best when he's played by a larger-than-life personality.

Zero Mostel was no different. They all played themselves, playing Tevye.

The reason Topol worked so well is that (for a time) he WAS Tevye. But he was still playing himself, playing Tevye.

I think you really fall down when you cast someone who tries to "act" the part as if it were Hamlet or something out of reality. It's a larger than life folk character from a larger than life folk musical. The interpretation should be representational, not "authentic," just like the Van Gogh and Chagal sets and costumes of the original design. It's not real life. It's a "fiddler on the roof." It's all about symbolism.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#17

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:22pm

And agreed, Phyllis: the whole "if you're ok with color-blind casting, that means you think Whoopi Goldberg should play Mrs. Anna" nonsense is really tedious.

#18

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:30pm

What kind of sky is scraped by a "Three-story Skyscraper"?

#19

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:31pm

I would cast Whoopi as Tevye.

With Jason Daniely as Golde and Lea Salonga as Yente.

Bring it!!!

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#20

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 9:32pm

LOL, PalJoey!

#21

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 10:08pm

Serious note: Mark Jacoby was inspired as Tevye in the recent Walnut Street Theatre production in Philly. I wish I could see his Tevye again.

#22

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 11:26pm

I thought this said who would make a good Tveit at first glance hahaha

#23

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 11:32pm

>> What kind of sky is scraped by a "Three-story Skyscraper"?

A low hanging one, obviously.

http://docandraider.com

#24

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/1/11 at 11:33pm

Me...

Gypsy - Betty Buckley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUN5XoB5vFs&feature=youtu.be

#25

Who would make a good Tevye?

Posted: 8/2/11 at 4:06am

Mandy Patinkin. Really.

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