Fiddler on the Roof takes place in what is now Ukraine. Anatevka is based on countless real villages in Ukraine, and Perchik is from Kyiv (Kiev), the capital of Ukraine. In light of current events, the Cruiser Theatre Company is asking that, instead of donating to us, patrons consider donating to Voices of Children, a Ukraine-based aid organization that provides psychological support to children who have witnessed war. It uses art therapy and storytelling to support children’s wellbeing, and provides financial support to families who have suffered as a result of war. Thank you in advance for your kindness and support.

“Tevye's Daughters”, a collection of stories by the great Yiddish author, Sholem Aleichem, inspired the composer, Jerry Bock; the lyricist, Sheldon Harnick; and the librettist, Joseph Stein to create the musical Fiddler on the Roof. In association with director-choreographer Jerome Robbins and producer Harold Prince, they transformed the Tevye stories into one of the most successful, long-running musicals on Broadway and throughout the world.

Told with wit and humor, Fiddler on the Roof is a powerful statement about the evils of prejudice and the importance of maintaining a warm, caring communal and family life in the midst of severe oppression. Although the story of Tevye the Dairyman and his family is concerned specifically with the lives of impoverished Jews in Czarist Russia, it is built around universal themes which audiences of any age, ethnic and cultural background can understand.

The world on stage reveals what life was like in Anatevka, an Eastern European shtetl at the turn of the century. The shtetl was an area where a minority group, Jews, were forced to live and from which they could be evicted at any time. Since many of Anatevka's inhabitants were poor and their futures were uncertain, life often seemed bleak. However, because they were people of tradition, hope, and spirit, there were moments of tenderness and joy.

While the shtetls of Eastern Europe and their populations were largely destroyed by Hitler during World War II, their contemporary equivalents exist around the world and in America today. The plight of the shtetl dwellers lives on wherever prejudice pits one group against another, and wherever minority communities are economically and politically isolated in ghettos, barrios, on reservations, and in pockets of poverty.

Fiddler on the Roof is presented through special arrangements with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Director's Note

Fiddler on the Roof is an incredible story of human resilience in the face of tragedy and oppression. All of us can find at least one character to relate to in this timeless story. I've fallen in love with this musical during our production process, and I couldn't be more grateful that Fiddler on the Roof is our first musical theatre production in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, none of us could have predicted, when we chose this school year's season back in May 2021, that the current situation with Russia and Ukraine would arise. The cast was quick to point out the parallels between this musical and current events, which have made the show more poignant and emotionally impactful than it would have been otherwise. The final scenes of Fiddler on the Roof show people in what is now Ukraine being forced out of their homes by militant Russians - an unfortunate reality for millions of modern Ukrainians.

This show encapsulates everything that it means to be human - from heart-wrenching tragedy to incandescent joy, and everything in between. Our theatre family has mirrored Tevye's family and the circle of Anatevka throughout the production process. We have laughed together, we have grown together, we have cried together. Most importantly, we have worked together to make magic happen and bring Fiddler on the Roof to life on the GMHS stage.

And just as the circle of Anatevka breaks up at the end of the show and its inhabitants go their separate ways, so too will we. For seniors, this is the last show they will perform on this stage. It is the last show this exact group of students will ever perform together. The Cruiser Theatre Company will go on and produce other shows, but we will never be quite like this again.

But in this change and impermanence lies the beauty, and a parallel for all of us who have survived the pandemic and continued to make theatre happen, regardless of the circumstances around us. We will never be the same again, but still we carry on.

Thank you all so much for taking time out of your busy lives to support the Cruiser Theatre Company and spend a few hours in our little town of Anatevka. We hope that you enjoy the show, and that it lingers in your hearts as it has imprinted itself on ours.

Groveport Madison High School offers a wide range of extracurricular opportunities to its students, among which is the Cruiser Theatre Company, Thespian troupe 3323. Our troupe normally produces four theatrical productions each school year, and despite these unprecedented pandemic circumstances, we believe that the show must go on(line). We are committed to continuing to practice our art and produce shows throughout the school year.

We are affiliated with the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts Education and Marquee Awards program this year.