Fairfield Warde High School students are performing Fiddler on the Roof this weekend. Performances are scheduled Friday & Saturday evenings at 8 o'clock and Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The following article was written by Meg Barone and published in the Connecticut Post.The acting skills of Fairfield Warde High School students led Mark Frattaroli to select an award-winning Broadway classic about the lives of Jewish villagers in early 20th century Russia as this year's spring musical. The students' production of "Fiddler on the Roof" concludes with a matinee performance this Sunday at 2 o'clock.
Frattaroli, an English and drama teacher at the school and director of "Fiddler on the Roof," said the musical production requires students to act and sing well. "I knew I had strong actors and you need strong actors," he said. The story line also calls on students to tackle both comedy and drama.
"It's really heartbreaking at the end, but not in a depressing way, and there's lots of comedy along the way," Frattaroli said.
"You get to do funny stuff but there are also dramatic scenes at the end of the show," said senior Andrew Pane, 18, who plays the lead role of Tevye the milkman. Tevye must deal with raising five daughters and the break with long-held religious traditions amid the turmoil of displacement.
Pane said he took the task so seriously he found himself inhabiting the character even when he was not rehearsing. "It was really interesting to get into Tevye's head, and there were points I was in my car talking in the character's voice about his childhood past "¦ He's a lot more realistic than other characters I've played and yet he is a little whimsical," he said. The role is a demanding one.
Although there is a large cast and crew of about 40 students, Tevye is the main character and is in all but three brief scenes, so Pane is on stage for almost the entire show.
Junior Erica Intilangelo, 16 (seen in photo at left), said she had a difficult time at first identifying with her character, Hodel, Tevye's second daughter who is witty and outgoing and yet mysterious. The three-month rehearsal process helped her explore the role.
Johnny Shea, a 14-year-old freshman who plays Motel the tailor, an untraditional suitor for one of the daughters, said his character is nervous and afraid of everything. "It was hard to portray that kind of emotion, but I've learned a lot," he said, and not just about acting. "It's been cool to learn about the culture and the traditions of the time period and the Jewish faith," Shea said.
Frattaroli said "Fiddler on the Roof" is a great show for the chorus, too. "They don't just sing and go away until the next scene or stand around and watch the principals. They are engaged in the story so it's fun for the kids in the chorus," he said.
They also get to sing some great music, including, "Sunrise, Sunset," "If I Were a Rich Man" and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker." The Matchmaker, whose name is Yente, is played by Katie Langham, 15, a sophomore.
"I'm having fun with it. It's my favorite role," Katie said. "There's so much artistic freedom. You can play her any number of ways and they're all right," She chose to portray Yente in a loud and obnoxious way.
Performances of "Fiddler on the Roof" are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Fairfield Warde High School auditorium, 755 Melville Ave. All tickets cost $10 and are available at the door. No reservations will be taken before the performances.
Please sign the AWHS Guest Book.
Visit the Andrew Warde High School Gift Shop.
Watch the AWHS 1976 vintage "film".
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