It’s a new year at LHS, and this means a new season for Drama Club. The annual Winter Fantasy just finished its auditions and the cast list is posted. The musical this year is the classic Fiddler on the Roof. This musical has been performed by LHS in the past in 1995 and 2006.

Senior Liam Gay got the leading role of Tevye, the dairyman. The play centers around him, his wife Golde (played by sophomore Kelsey Thomas), and their five daughters (played by sophomore Leah Alder, sophomore Carissa Dawson, senior Maggie Fincher, junior Gracie Kitchell, and senior Lily Walthery). These characters were created by Sholem Aleichem for his short stories about Tevye, including Tevye and His Daughters.

“The casting process is always tricky, and it was difficult since the group is so large this year,” said director Anthony Kinney.

The music of the show has been critically acclaimed by many theatre reviewers. The show has been revived on Broadway 5 times throughout its 57-year span as a show. The show features songs such as “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Tradition,” and “Sabbath Prayer.”

“The songs are beautiful, and there are some comical songs, such as ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ and some more somber songs like ‘Sunrise, Sunset.’ There’s a little bit of something for everyone,” Thomas said.

Plotwise, Fiddler on the Roof has been praised for its storyline and the vast amount of humor and drama.

“The versatility of the show is interesting. Some people play it seriously, and some people play it comedically. I’m excited to do it our way,” Gay said.

The show is set in Russia in 1905, and everything in the musical is tied back to the Russian Revolution and how things were back in 1905.

“It shows many differences between today’s society and the society at the time of Fiddler,” Kinney said.

This musical is considered a classic. The show was one of the top five shows at the time of its release in 1964. According to musicnotes.com, Fiddler on the Roof was the 5th most popular show for high schools in the 1970s and the 10th most popular show for high schools in the 2000s.

“We love it. We love classic American musicals. It’s easy to approach. Once you see it, you’ll know,” vocal director Tim Cahalan said.

The cast of the show is excited for the show.

“I am very excited. It’s my first big role in a musical. I feel really honored to be cast as such a big part, especially as a sophomore,” Thomas said.

She isn’t the only one who is enthusiastic about the show this year.

“I am very excited, more excited to play a role than I have been in quite a while. Tevye is a complicated character, and I think figuring out how I want to portray him is really exciting. His songs are a lot of fun, and he gets to be a funny and very emotional character,” Gay said.

Some of the supporting characters include Motel (played by senior Evan Gay), Perchik (played by sophomore Finley Gay), Lazar Wolf (played by senior Jacob Miller), Yente (played by senior Justyce Rohrabaugh), The Constable (played by senior Ian Snoeberger), and Fyedka (played by sophomore Sam Fultz).

“It’s one of the plays we love. This is one that we’ve been encouraging Mr. Kinney to do. It has a great story and it’s timely,” Cahalan said.

The show dates this year are November 19th, 20th, and 21st.

Cast:

Tevye ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….Liam Gay

Golde………………………………………………………………………………………………..Kelsey Thomas

Tzeitel………………………………………………………………………………………………Maggie Fincher

Hodel………………………………………………………………………………………………..Gracie Kitchell

Chava………………………………………………………………………………………………….Lily Walthery

Shprintze…………………………………………………………………………………………………Leah Alder

Bielke………………………………………………………………………………………………Carissa Dawson

Yente…………………………………………………………………………………………Justyce Rohrabaugh

Motel………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Evan Gay

Perchik……………………………………………………………………………………………………Finley Gay

Lazar Wolf…………………………………………………………………………………………….Jacob Miller

Mordcha, the Innkeeper……………………………………………………………………..Payton Mucker

Rabbi…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Eli Bault

Mendel, the Rabbi’s Son………………………………………………………………….Byron Rentschler

Avram, the Bookseller…………………………………………………………………….Jaden Chin Hong

Nachum, the Beggar……………………………………………………………………………..Caleb Conrad

Grandma Tzeitel……………………………………………………………………………………Jadyn Alford

Fruma-Sarah………………………………………………………………………………………..Sasia Linden

Constable………………………………………………………………………………………….Ian Snoeberger

Fyedka……………………………………………………………………………………………………..Sam Fultz

Sheindal, Motel’s Mother………………………………………………………………………..Jenna Gross

The Fiddler……………………………………………………………………………………………..Emily Cole

Tevye’s Dream Soloists…………….Leah Alder, Caleb Conrad, Jenna Gross, Payton Mucker

The Rumor Soloists…………………………………………………..Maggie Halterman, Layla Powell

Villagers………….Jenna Gross, Jaydn Alford, Sasia Linden, Sam Fultz, Emily Cole, Byron Rentschler, Eli Bault, Jaden Chin Hong, Maggie Halterman, Layla Powell, Caleb Conrad, Payton Mucker, Gabe Espinoza, Erik Chin Hong, Justin Snay, Jacob Hopper, Casen Lake, Cameron Hunnincut, Conner Gellinger, Emily Gellinger, Ivy Padilla, Charles Zimmerman, Gretchan Prifogle, Andy Rojas-Rodriguez, Kiara DeInnocentes, Isabella Lucero, Hannah Gross, Brian Black, Dulce Mendez, Joelene Whiteman, Phoenix Cripe, Ben Favors, Adilynn Brenner, Kailyn Langley, Yuri Servin, Abigail Lupke, Naomi Ruiz-Mendez, Mazzie Schwering, Ava Martin, Emily Flora, Kyra Kumler, Alex Geisler

Russians…………Sam Fultz, Payton Mucker, Caleb Conrad, Jaden Chin Hong, Byron Renschler, Erik Chin Hong, Justin Snay, Jacob Hopper, Casen Lake, Cameron Hunnincut, Connor Gellinger, Ivy Padilla, Charles Zimmerman, Ben Favors, Gabe Espinoza, Alex Geisler