Fiddler on the Roof at Moriah College

Moriah College, Sydney’s oldest and largest Jewish school, presents the definitive production of the classic Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof from 21 October to 1 November, 2018 – and with an all-singing, all-dancing cast of more than 150. It’s a Tradition!

Fiddler is one of the greatest and most loved musicals of all time, capturing the hearts and imagination of audiences around the world. It centres on village milkman Tevye, husband to Golde and father of five daughters, attempting to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences in turn-of-the-century Russia encroach upon the lives of the family and the entire village. Full of humour, warmth, great characters and spectacular, show-stopping numbers like “Tradition”, “If I Were a Rich Man”, “Matchmaker”, “Sunrise, Sunset” and “To Life!”, its premiere (which featured Zero Mostel, Bette Middler, Julia Migenes and Beatrice Arthur among others!) ran to 3000 shows on Broadway. It won nine Tony Awards and has since been performed in almost every country on earth. The Hollywood adaptation starring Topol won 3 Oscars.

Moriah’s production of Fiddler on the Roof crowns the school’s 75th Anniversary celebrations.

The school last staged the iconic show in 1994. Then, as now, it was helmed by Director of Music and Co-curricular, Roberta Goot OAM.

“Fiddler is the perfect choice,” Goot explains. “It is a beautifully crafted musical. Every song is memorable and it is full of great music and timeless wisdom. It is steeped in ‘traditions’ as we are at Moriah and, more than anything, is a story of family: it speaks to the challenges we all still face in some way – and highlights the need for balance, just like the fiddler!”

Rehearsals have been taking place over many months for this historic production, which features current students as young as 9 as well alumni, current parents, parents of alumni, staff members, even grandparents!

And – like the show itself – the cast is full of wonderful characters with amazing stories: an Australian Olympic silver medallist performing with his son; a mother performing alongside her four children; a father who performed in 1994, acting alongside his son who assumes the role he played back then; two parents with two daughters all onstage together… and many more delightful ‘angles’. It is indeed a village… and a tradition!

Fiddler on the Roof at Moriah College, Queens Park

All tickets $65 | Bookings www.moriah.nsw.edu.au

Photographer: Danny Newhouse