Tecumseh Youth Theatre cast finds meaning in 'Fiddler on the Roof,' opening this weekend

TECUMSEH — On stage this weekend at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts is a musical set in 1905 that still resonates today, all the more because of current events.

"Fiddler on the Roof" takes place in Anatevka, a fictional Ukrainian village whose Jewish residents are trying to make a living against the oppression of the Russian government. The Tecumseh Youth Theatre cast, which is mostly high school students, came in to the production with a base knowledge of the region's culture and how its people have been treated historically, said Oden Berthelsen, who plays the main character, Tevye.

"We definitely gained throughout the process a much more empathetic understanding of the show," Berthelsen said, "just due to the fact we're constantly in these characters, doing research, watching other productions, watching documentaries and what's all happening."

The production opens at 7 p.m. Friday, March 8, with additional shows at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the TCA box office, 400 N. Maumee St., or online at thetca.org.

The characters are played by 32 high school students, two eighth graders and six fifth graders from the Tecumseh, Madison and Blissfield schools and the JC/LISD Academy as well as homeschool students.

The director is Donna Andre, Kristin Clark is the vocal coach, Sierra Tennyson did the choreography, Tina Cousineau is the producer, and set design was by Neal Garrison and Sue Berthelsen.

Tevye, the dairyman with five daughters, is one of musical theater's great characters, immortalized first by Zero Mostel on Broadway then Topol on film. Mostel and Topol took different approaches to the character, Andre said. She's heard that where the actor is from can influence the portrayal, with a Ukrainian taking a "why me?" approach to the things that happen to him, while an actor from elsewhere might give a more angry depiction.

Berthelsen said he not only watched or listened to recordings of other productions of the musical but he also watched documentaries about Jewish culture.

"I took more of that humanistic point of view of 'why me?' instead of being angry," he said. "At the end of the day, he's just a person that a lot of stuff happens to, a lot of unfortunate circumstances that he has to make very quick-fire decisions on, and he's doing his best."

"And he lives with his decisions," Andre said.

"Yep, he lives with every consequence that comes at him," Berthelsen said.

Another notable character is Yente the matchmaker. She is played by Zara Garrison.

"I love Yente as a person because she just has so many layers," Garrison said. "She's very crazy, very over the top, very fun, and then she has a more serious side of her. During 'Anatevka,' she takes it with stride."

Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news, and high school and college sports content.

The song "Anatevka" is performed toward the end of the play when the villagers are being forced to leave by the Russians.

"It's interesting at the end — it is all about hope," Andre said. "It's like beginning again."

That attitude of a new beginning resonates with the 12th-graders in the cast who will be graduating from high school, Garrison said.

"It's that next adventure," she said.

"This show will specifically be one that I not only remember but use as inspiration for everything else I do specifically because of how grounded and connected we are to this show," Berthelsen said. "This show forces that. This show begs to be connected with, from an audience standpoint and a character standpoint."

For Andre, this is a bookend of sorts for her directorial career. She directed TYT's production of "Fiddler" in 1998, and after this production she'll be retiring from directing musicals, though she would like to direct a straight play.

"I wanted to do this show one more time," Andre said. "… The story hasn't changed. The kids are surprised: This is really funny, but it's really said, but it's about hope, but it's about change. And nothing has changed, like Ukraine? They're like, Kyiv? Yeah, that Kyiv. Anatevka, right outside Kyiv. It's the same thing"

— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

Cast list

Tevye, a dairyman: Oden Berthelsen

Golde, his wife: Abby Molaro

Tzeitel, Tevye’s oldest daughter: Abi Van Camp

Hodel, a daughter: Kaylee Hicks

Chava, a daughter: Claire Cousineau

Shprintze, a younger daughter: Grace Carr

Bielke, Tevye’s youngest daughter: Emily Anderson

Yente, the matchmaker: Zara Garrison

Motel, the tailor: Jonah Hiatt

Perchik, a student: Jonathan Dahn

Fyedka, a Russian soldier: Alex Goetz

Lazar Wolf, the butcher: Andrew McInchak

Rabbi: Wesley Miner

Mendel, Rabbi’s son: Dean Sumner

Mirala, Rabbi’s wife: Marielena Lucrecio

Beriller, Rabbi’s daughter: Anna Wotring

Grandma Tzeitel, the ghost of Golde’s grandmother: Marielena Lucrecio

Fruma-Sarah, the ghost of Lazar’s first wife: Mercie LaPointe

Shaindel, Motel’s mother: Julia Jones

Nachum, the beggar: Jonathan Dahn

Avram, the bookseller: Charis Frost

Mordcha, the Innkeeper: Dominic Doty

Yussel, a merchant: Jae Felger

Surcha, a mama, Mordcha’s wife: Piper Holtz

Fredel, a mama, Yussel’s wife: Jennifer Baker

Bluma, a daughter: Alyson Miller

Anya, a daughter: Samantha Baker

Sima, a daughter: Hailey Kennedy

Yitzuk, a son and bottle dancer: Anna McCarty

Shloime, a son and bottle dancer: Camryn Nowak

Hershel, a son and bottle dancer: Macy Schmidt

Yakov, a son, merchant and bottle dancer: Mercie LaPointe

Label, a son: Alex Goetz

Russian priest: Jae Felger

Constable: Jackson Johnson

Sasha, Russian: Lane Dittman

Boris, Russian: Ella Flumignan

Dmitri, Russian: Ebey Book

The Fiddler: Maximos Reh

Village Children

Moishe, young son: Tino Mandelka

Ruchel, young daughter: Gwendalyn Cousineau

Nadiia, young daughter: Chloe Smith

Schmiril, young son: Jesse Gutierrez

Ivan, young son: Isaiah Boils

Ami, young daughter: Brooklyn Palmer

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh Youth Theatre performs 'Fiddler on the Roof' March 8-10