16 A&E

BEHIND ANATEVKAIt’s been a busy couple of weeks for the cast of

Fiddler on the Roof. If one were to view an aver-age rehearsal, they’d see people rushing around asking for keys to the dance shoe hoard; small clusters in seats and corners running lines; and some rushing through backstage with a myriad of props and costume pieces. Pulleys whirl as the tech crew flies in houses and ceiling beams. It can’t be easy, with some rehearsals running till 9 p.m., but it’s all part of the experience for those in production. Despite a few hiccups here and there, the crew has shown determination and commit-ment to the phrase “The show must go on.”

“The setbacks we’ve had so far have been most-ly outside of our control,” director Jeremy Stoll said. “And a lot of it has been related to the set and the props. We’re about two weeks behind in that regard, but we will pull it together and put on an incredible show because we have talented, dedicated, good people working on it.”

Fiddler itself is the classic tale of an early 1900s village of Jews struggling with the hardships of life and the keeping of their traditions. Despite many musical options, Fiddler was ultimately used as this year’s showcase performance due to it’s many advantages.

“Fiddler has a great balance of male and female roles, and lots of opportunity for solo songs and a large ensemble,” Stoll said. “It also is a classic musical, which we haven’t done in a few years and shows the value and relevance of some of the more ‘iconic’ older productions. It also provided an op-portunity for the cast and crew to learn about the Jewish culture and faith, and for us to promote a culture that’s also part of our own Westside com-munity.”

Rehearsal generally begins with some vocal warm-ups (and occasionally some dance) before taking it from the top of the show, with that obvi-ous occasional workshop sessions. Although now that the show is in its final days, every piece of the production must be put together. “It’s stress-ful because we start to add technical elements, box office and ticketing elements and promotion ramps up so my job becomes two, or three or four jobs,” Stoll said. “That aspect is stressful, and I don’t have as much time to devote to the cast, which also creates some anxiety. We always pull it together, and this show will be no different.”

As a light show-tune is sung on the illuminated stage this practice night, back in the green room characters crowd around an opened script, flip-ping through cues. Groups in the same number rehearse steps together in ripped ponchos. The constant travel of cast members backstage and in

transitions is accompanied by reminders to “walk on your toes!” with the girls sporting rather loud character heels, which they practice in to avoid tripping. The hustle and bustle of community is in every corner of the theater.

“Every show I do, one of my favorite things is watching a group of people that didn’t know each other, and many of whom didn’t really know what theatre was all about, grow into a cast that knows, creates and depends on one another,” Stoll said.

The practice wraps up with the slow, somber march, “Anatevka,” and the second act is through. A tired cast takes five and goes to grab drinks and rerun tricky steps in the hall. With an intercession opening, securing attendees has been a concern, but the majority of the cast, including long-time veterans, is certain they can pull it off.

“This show has been around for decades, and is still one of the most produced musicals in the country,” Stoll said. “They’re reviving it on Broad-way next year. And, it has brought an understand-ing of Jewish culture into the mainstream. Seeing this show, you will become a part of a select group of people that shared in that experience. With this being a return to larger musicals for the school, the cast eagerly waits for the exciting adrenaline of the final days, and those rare moments where the opening chords mark the start of something truly special.

EMMA K O R E N G E LSTAFF WRITER

Staff goes “behind the scenes” of recent playBelow: Seniors Jacob Thomas and Natalie Day warm up their vocal cords be-fore their run through of The Fiddler on the Roof, Wednesday, Oct. 7. Far Below: Juniors Audrey Mc-Mullen and Emma Chvala take part in pre rehearsal games along with the rest of the cast. Photos by Madigan Brodsky

Theater director Jeremy Stoll (left) sits down to watch the first com-plete run through of The Fiddler on the Roof at their 4 p.m. practice Wednesday, Oct. 7. Photo by Madigan Brodsky

Above: Junior Luke Esola looks on while back stage of rehearsal. Esola is part of the backstage crew for The Fiddler on the Roof. Right: Seniors Jacob Thomas and Ben-jamin Battafarano rehearse “Tradition” from one of the opening scenes of The Fiddler on the Roof. Photos by Mitch Francis and Madigan Brodsky