Thursday, September 29, 2016

Fiddler On the Roof


This Tuesday our family, and some other homeschoolers, got to see Fiddler On the Roof (yes, that's right...before it opened!  We got discounted tickets for the dress rehersal.)

So, so fun!   Loved the dancing, and the music is great...but beware, you'll be humming these tunes the rest of the week.  I especially liked Tevya's performance, which I thought was exceptionally done.

My kids did well, though it kept them up late and they were having trouble towards the end, which is a little less up-beat and funny than the beginning.

I've seen Fiddler once in high school (it was one of our high school plays).  I enjoyed it then, but the end bothered me...and my oldest had the same reaction (he HATED the end).  I didn't so much this time.  I saw the hope in it...maybe the acting carried that a little more, or maybe I was able to understand the symbolism of the fiddler a little better as an adult.

“A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn’t easy. You may ask, why do we stay up there if it’s so dangerous? Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: Tradition!”

Other things hit me differently as well.  I thought the "Sunrise, Sunset" song was boring when I heard it as a teen.   This time, with my youngest in my lap and my teenager beside me, it brought tears to my eyes.

Overall, excellent performance.  I highly recommend it!   Fiddler is playing now through Ocober 9 at Baylor University (more info here).    If you are bringing children I suggest going to the earlier times on the weekends. 


8 comments:

  1. I love theater and introducing that love to kiddos!

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    1. You can lead a child to the theater...but...

      My oldest loved it, in spite of the ending. My middle child found it mildly amusing but he would rather stay home.

      My youngest (age 8) said he didn't like it, except the dancing...really, I think it was just too long and too late for him. He was tired when I asked, so that he said he liked anything was something. He tends to forget how he was feeling about something ten minutes ago.

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  2. Replies
    1. I've wanted to go to many of their shows but this is the first I've finally gotten to (in 11 years of being here...EEK). I love Theater but between kids and finance it never seemed to work. So glad to finally get to see one of their plays.

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    2. Have you been to many of theirs?

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  3. Thanks for your review. It's the only review I could find of this production on-line. I'm new to Waco. Are there other reviewers of Baylor productions? I look forward to seeing Fiddler on Friday.

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    1. Wow. I'm surprised I'm the only one. I haven't searched though. You might find something at WacoTrib.com though you may need to pay for a day's subscription to see whatever they might have. I don't know of any other reviewers online out there.

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  4. We love plays! So fun! Thanks for linking up to FTF!

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