The Milwaukee Post

May 9, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 Flesch leads the way in 'Fiddler on the Roof ' By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE – Although Ed Flesch said he was doing his swan song in his role as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Fireside Theatre seven years ago, he decid- ed to change his mind in honor of the din- ner theater's 15th anniversary. I'm glad he did. Without a charming, humorous, pas- sionate, engrossing Tevye, this show would be dead on arrival. Not to worry. Flesch has all the necessary ingredients to make this long-lived show come to life again. He's a perfect fit. Since its inception in 1964, this collabo- rative venture, launched by Jerry Bock, Joseph Stein and Sheldon Harnick, contin- ues to resonate with audiences for many reasons. There will always be power moves upon a given ethnic or religious population, there will always be refugees who must flee to survive, there will always be xenophobic reactions against those that a given group perceives as unacceptable. The story certainly has a sobering side, but accompanying the political and reli- gious aspects of the narrative, the musical is also a family story about tradition and community. It is very accessible to all of us. It deals with trying to make ends meet, with marital challenges, with the parame- ters of parental/children relations. The fid- dler on roof is a metaphor for the precari- ous nature of human existence and the need to find the joy in life even under dire conditions. (The fiddler, Jonathan Schriock, is awesome, by the way.) Beyond the thought-provoking story, the show is rich with unforgettable tunes. The opener, "Tradition," immediately grabs us with a strong solo by Ed Flesch as Tevye, accompanied by a hefty ensemble of voices. We're already hooked before Flesch follows this impressive number with "If I Were a Rich Man." Tevye spends a lot of time bemoaning his fate and talking to God as though he were a close friend, even though he doesn't always understand God's moves. Several other numbers that move us with their beauty and poignancy are "The Sabbath Prayer," "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Do You Love Me." The latter two explore the nature of marital love and the bitter- sweet role of parenting. Most of us have struggled with those challenges. The marriages of Tevye and Golde's three daughters, Tzeitel's, to a poor tailor; Hodel's, to a radical student working for change in the Russian czarist regime; and Chava's to a non-Jew, all throw poor Tevye into a tizzy, but he learns that he must let go or lose them. Parental expectations and children's life choices are often at odds. Golde, the mother/wife character, is nicely played by Eadie Scott, who captures her strong, practical no-nonsense approach to life. She shows her love by action, not words. Tevye's more romantic side is some- times squelched by her stridency, but Golde is someone he can depend on in the best and worst of times. Other notable contributions are made by Lazar Wolf, the butcher, well-rendered by Jeffrey Arnold Wolf; Chava, the youngest daughter ((Meredith Miller Higgins); and Joshua Phan-Gruber, who played Perchik, the radical student. The scene between Hodel (Patti-Lee Meringo) and Tevye is also very well done as she departs for a very dangerous and unpredictable life to join Perchik in Siberia. The choreography (Ann Nieman), the lighting (Jason Fassl), the set design (Rick Rasmussen), the musical and overall direc- tion (Mary Ehlinger and Ed Flesch, respec- tively) all make a beautiful difference. If you've never seen this show, see it. If you've seen this show, see it again. It's a show that keeps on giving. Submitted photo Ed Flesch performs his role as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof" at the Fireside Theatre. By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic ELM GROVE – When most people hear the name Shakespeare, they have some sort of reaction. Some continue to be awed by his tal- ent and prodigious output, some hate him because they think it takes too much work to understand him and others vow to never encounter him again on purpose. They remember with dread the struggle they had when they studied him in high school English class. "I Hate Hamlet" by Paul Rudnick, now playing at the Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove, embodies several diverse attitudes toward the great Bard. Andrew Rally, an actor who just completed a successful TV series, decides to leave Los Angeles and go to New York and try his hand at stage acting. To his surprise and chagrin, he auditions for the role of Hamlet and is cho- sen for the part. Though he is flattered by beating out the competition, he is also unhap- py. He hates the role and feels inadequate for this challenging task. Other characters in the ensemble include his somewhat flaky romantic girlfriend Deirdre; several pushy agents, Lillian Troy and Gary Lefkowitz, who are trying to control Andrew's life, partially for their own profits; Felicia, a real estate agent, and the ghost of John Barrymore, who tries to mentor Andrew on his journey. Though there are several subplots going on here, the chief thrust of the play is the dichotomy that often exists between following one's dream or choosing to compromise one- self in order to make money. Occasionally, these two realities exist together, but often a person has to give up one to attain the other. Barrymore, who experienced the glory of per- forming Shakespeare well (no easy achieve- ment) also compromised himself by going to Hollywood and making a lot of money by agreeing to take roles in second-rate movies. His personal life was also something he was less than proud of. His return from the other side was inspired by his need to counsel Andrew into taking on the role of Hamlet and to learn from some of the mistakes that he, Barrymore, had made. All the actors play their roles in a rather broad, exaggerated style, which fits the script. Ruth Arnell as the ditzy Deirdre, Michael Chobanoff as the grandiose Barrymore, Tom Flanagan as the greedy agent Gary, Lori Nappe as the ambitious, sexy realtor, and Antoinette Stikl as the agent who once had an affair with Barrymore – all are histrionic. The standouts in the cast are Chobanoff and Arnell, though Stikl made her cameo role memorable, as well. But the main character, Rally, played by Mitch Weindorf, plays his part pretty straight, and that weakened his effect in this context. There were times when he rose to the intensity level that the role required, but he was somewhat disappointing overall. The play is definitely a comedy with some substance. Though the question of whether "to be or not to be" a Shakespearian actor never gets fully answered, the one about whether to live one's life with dignity and integrity or strictly for profit, does. The apartment formerly occupied by Barrymore was nicely created by set designer Christopher Kurtz. Directorial duties were shared by Diana Alioto and Jan Nehring- Szczepanski. Sunset's 'Hamlet' shows Shakespearean diversity At a glance "I Hate Hamlet" runs through May 18 at the Sunset Playhouse, 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove. Call 782-4430 or visit www.sunsetplay- house.com for show times and tickets. At a glance "Fiddler on the Roof" runs through June 8 at the Fireside Theatre, 1131 Janesville Road, Fort Atkinson. Call 800-477-9505 or visit www.firesidetheatre.com for show times and tickets. 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