By Isabel Costian
Junior Dylan Kirk sat backstage, waiting for his fake mustache to stick to his face. Surrounding students, male and female, patted their various patches of facial hair to guarantee that they wouldn’t fall off onstage.
They were preparing to perform the beloved classic “Fiddler on the Roof” as Russians and Jews in the early 20th century in the fictional town of Anatevka.
“Fiddler transports people to Anatevka where you can forget your troubles by watching theirs,” sophomore Bethany Jelinek (Fruma Sarah) said.
The musical involved many students, mostly upperclassmen, in the cast, crew, and orchestra. However, some freshmen participated, like Nathan May, who played the tailor, Motel.
“The music was top notch and the story was touching,” May said. “It’s a delightful show.”
The actors have been rehearsing the show since October. Sophomore Abigail Horne, who played the Innkeeper Miriam, practiced her arm movements almost every day leading up to the performances.
“We’ve worked hard to prepare a classic musical that holds a deeper meaning,” Horne said.
There were many positive reviews of the musical, and many said it was the best musical they had seen in a long time.
“We have so much talent,” senior Chloe Clark-Soles (Golde) said. “I really think that everyone’s at their best in this show.”
During one rehearsal, the professor of Jewish Studies at SMU, Serge Frolov, came to speak to the cast about why they were performing these ceremonies in the play.
“I thought it was really amazing, because he told us the meaning of all of these rituals,” senior Griffin Camacho, (Tevye) said. “It makes the musical more powerful.”
The set was designed to be reminiscent of the painting by Chagall, titled “The Fiddler,” which inspired the title of the musical.
“I’m proud of myself for coming this far,” sophomore set designer Chasyn Andrews-Philbin said. “I love how well everything seems to have come together.”
The actors had to research the time period and their characters and even write an autobiography for their character to really get into the mindset.
“I love experiencing his transformation from a shy and quiet tailor to a confident and happy person,” May said.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the classic show’s first performance on Broadway.
“It’s not just a glittery musical, it’s more of a traditional musical,” Camacho said. “It makes you think about how you can make your life better.”
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