--Aaron McCullough, Columbine Courier, Aug 6, 2003

     Buried in the middle of the second act of Fiddler on the Roof, as Tevye, the main character, sits with his daughter Hodel, a small line is spoken that often is overlooked.
      As Hodel promises that she and her true love, Perchik, will be married under a canopy in the wastelands of Siberia, Tevye shrugs, saying, "I suppose a rabbi or two were arrested also."
      A few people will laugh at the line, but most feel a brief spark of sorrow inside. His one line captures the entire essence of Fiddler on the Roof. Joking in tone, the musical is sorrowful in meaning.
      To undertake a production as large and complicated as Fiddler is daunting for any group. The fact that the Littleton Community Music Association (LCMA) and The Ovation Players chose this play for their summer production signifies the dedication these groups have towards the cultural and performing arts.
      From Aug. 1 to 3, the LCMA put on a production of Fiddler on the Roof at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Directed by Heidi Grazia, the production brought together a cast of more than 60 actors and actresses from all ranges of ages. Each person came together to bring alive the rich tradition that surrounds the story of Fiddler.
     "To see people battling with the safety of their traditions, the comfort of routine, and having the true faith to let go and trust is a journey that we all share," Grazia wrote in her "director's notes" in the program.  
     Most people are familiar with the basic story of Fiddler. Set in a small village called Anatevka in Russia, the musical centers on the village dairyman, Tevye. All around him, the world is changing, as there are whispers of "pogroms" and the values of the younger generation conflict with his own. Through thestory, we find Tevye struggling, as each of his daughters marries against traditional values, and eventually he loses even his home due to the intolerance of Russia at the time.
      Today, this story holds even more relevance. The play takes place in 1905, almost a hundred years ago, during a period of intense change and international tension. For people who lived in the early 1900's, constant tension resided in their minds, as the world threatened to erupt in war. Russia found itself pushing a small revolution down in 1905, a foreshadowing of the revolution in 1917. It was a new century and new values and ideas were pushing hard on entrenched traditions. Struggling in the face of change; this is something almost everyone can understand.
      "(The main point of the story is) the whole idea about a 'fiddler,' having to stay on balance in a very precarious position. Tevye repeatedly wrestles throughout the show, having to balance his traditional values with the changes he is seeing in the world," Wes Munsil, who played Tevye, said.
     Munsil took this strong view on his character and brought to life a full-fledged character that the audience could connect with. His light-hearted comments and views, while edged with a solemn and dark foreboding, brought chuckles from the audience at all the right times. The best part, though, was when he opened his mouth and let his voice fill the theatre. He provided the strong performance that is required from Tevye, creating a character that the audience sympathized and understood. Tevye's signature song, "If I Were a Rich Man," brought enthusiastic applause from the audience.
      Surrounding Munsil were strong performances from the other actors, especially Amber Dashner, who portrayed Tevye's second oldest daughter, Hodel. Amber did more than simply play a role on stage; she brought the character to life with the small, subtlegestures and facial expressions that made Hodel appear more real. Her voice, while moving the audience with "Far From the Home I Love," hung the notes wonderfully in the air.
      While the set was simple, perhaps overly so, the actors onstage worked hard to overcome the simplicity of the set with strong performances and blocking. Under Grazia's direction, the cast moved from scene to scene with minimal problems. However, lighting and space restricted the blocking oftentimes, and the cast would usually find itself crunched inside one section of the stage or weaving through set pieces. The technical aspects of the play were sufficient, though far from crisp. Given the limited time the cast had inside the theatre, though, it was performed well enough.
     Grazia, waiting while her cast members prepared themselves for a rehearsal, stated the underlying principle of the production. "I thought this would be a good way to address the community on tolerance," she said, mentioning the recent instability and uncertainty of the world today. She loved the opportunity to direct the show, saying that "this is definitely the biggest undertaking I have ever committed to."
      Her style of direction paid off well. Brian Bowles, who played Motel, the poor tailor, said, "(The directors) are people who expect so much from the people who are in the play, but at the same time they provide the level of support necessary to help people grow professionally and personally. You can't help but become a better actor, and you can't help but become a better person."
      Standing backstage in the loading dock area, I found myself surrounded by almost all of the main characters of the cast. Watching as they bantered lightly with each other, it became obvious that this was a cast that believed deeply in each other and in the play. Each brought their love for Fiddler to the stage and meshed that love into a good performance.
     "I think Fiddler on the Roof has a very appropriate theme for our time in terms of inclusiveness and celebration of diversity and what happens when we don't embrace different types of people. And that is why I'm passionate about this play," Bowles said.

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