For the 2012 Spring Musical, Nazareth Academy is putting on Fiddler on the Roof, which marks the second time that Nazareth has done the musical! Fiddler is all about a tiny, poor Jewish town in Russia in the early twentieth century and a father who must cope with the way his three eldest daughters are breaking away from the traditions of their faith.
Naz started production on Fiddler in January, with auditions and Mrs. White’s decision to double-cast the show.
Mrs. White stated that, “Auditions and casting are never easy because there’s always an overflow of talent. I double-cast because it gives more opportunities to people for roles, but I will not double-cast if the talent is not there.”
Mrs. White also made the big decision to bring back two important alumni, Brendan Greene, who is currently a guidance counselor here at Naz, and Carolyn Brady-Riley. They are reprising the lead roles that they had when they went to Naz, with Greene playing the lead, Tevye, and Brady-Riley playing his wife, Golde.
“I asked the alumni to be in the show because Fiddler on the Roof is all about tradition and blending present to past and that is what I had in mind when bringing back the two leads,” noted Mrs. White. “I had picked Brendan because he embodies the very nature of Tevye. Moreover he works as a guidance counselor and is very active in the kids’ lives.
“I picked Carolyn because she also an alumni, graduated a year before I came to Nazareth. She also has an extensive vocal background so it’s easy for the kids to look up to her.”
Rehearsals are every weeknight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with no rehearsal Friday or Saturday, and 1-5 rehearsal Sunday. One or two nights out of the week, it is typically all about the music, and making sure that the cast has all of the lyrics and melodies down, which they practice in the music room. The other nights they are usually in Mrs. White’s room, the cafeteria, or the auditorium, and the cast blocks all of the musical numbers that they have been practicing.
Junior Aileen O’Carroll plays Tzeitel, Tevye’s eldest daughter and one of the leads of the show.
“This is my second time being a lead and it is still very exciting for a junior,” she said. “I love the theater program at Naz because we all get to bond with each other and become a tight-knit family that’s always open to new members!
“With my role it was hard to relate with Tzeitel because she is a couple years older, but now it’s getting easier and easier with the help of Mrs. White and the other Tzeitel.”
Fiddler on the Roof will premiere the week after spring break, on Apr. 20, 2012. Be sure to go see Nazareth’s wonderful version of the timeless musical, with loads of talent and Mrs. White’s wonderful directing!