Tradition! CVCA brings 'Fiddler on the Roof' to the Heyde Center

CHIPPEWA FALLS — The Chippewa Valley Cultural Association has stuck to “Tradition,” bringing back the classic musical “Fiddler on the Roof.”

“In 2017, the Heyde Center presented ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ and many people felt that the performance was magical,” said Debra Johnson, the executive director for the Heyde Center for the Arts. “It sold out all three days — over 1,280 people, and our auditorium capacity is approximately 430.

“We knew that we wanted to do it again because so many people missed it the last time we did it, but COVID and the nationally touring production prevented us from getting community theater rights until just recently.”

“Fiddler on the Roof” is based on Yiddish stories written by Sholem Aleichem. The musical won nine Tony Awards including best musical and holds the record for being the first musical to have a run surpassing 3,000 performances, and gave audiences such memorable songs as “If I Were a Rich Man,” “To Life,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “Tradition.”

The musical tells the story of a milkman named Tevye who lives in a small Jewish community in the Russian town of Anatevka around the beginning of the 20th century. Tevye strives to maintain his religious and cultural traditions despite outside forces such as his oldest daughters, who wish to marry for love instead of being married via a matchmaker. Things worsen for Tevye’s community as rumors spread of Jews being removed from their communities in other Russian villages.

Johnson pointed out that despite the setting of the musical, the show contains elements that are still relevant today.

“This wonderful story allows us to realize that despite our cultural differences there is more that binds us as humans than separates us. We want our children and families to be happy and healthy; and we want our communities to be peaceful,” she said. “The story of Tevye and other Russian Jews being forced to flee their homes highlights the fact that there are many places in the world experiencing significant movements of refugees due to war and oppression, including Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Palestine/Israel, Myanmar, and Congo, to name a few.”

CVCA’s production is being directed by veteran Nancy Clark Scobie, who has been directing for decades, with music direction by Jerry Way, himself possessing decades of experience.

“Although they’ve directed together for many years before, Nancy and Jerry started collaborating again on a summer community musical at the Heyde Center in 2009 with the production of ‘The Boyfriend,’” said Johnson of the two. “Fifteen years later, they are still producing an annual musical that features the talents of local community members ages 8 to 80+!”

Johnson had nothing but positivity to share for those taking part in the production and who are sharing their talents on stage and behind the scenes, and truly believes that the theatre group unifies as a family, embracing those taking part in bringing a musical that was beloved on the Heyde Center Stage as it has been on Broadway.

“The music in ‘Fiddler’ is so beautiful and the story is so poignant yet uplifting; but overall, I want people to come away having enjoyed an evening or an afternoon with their friends, families, neighbors, and other audience members,” said Johnson. “There is nothing like live theater.”

The show is playing now through Sunday, July 21.