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‘Fiddler on the Roof’ run in New England to ‘remind’ patrons of prejudice

“The story of Tevye and his family humanizes modern headlines and offers a glimpse into what so many are experiencing,” executive producer Anthony Ejarque told JNS.

“Fiddler on the Roof” Statue in Russia
“Fiddler on the Roof” statue in Birobidzhan, Russia. Credit: Amanderson2 via Wikimedia Commons.

“Fiddler on the Roof,” the celebrated 1964 musical depicting Jewish life in the Russian village of Anatevka at the turn of the 20th century, will play at the Rochester Opera House in New Hampshire from July 12 through July 27.

Its producer hopes that the show can illuminate contemporary acts of bigotry.

“Prejudice, hatred, racism and intolerance remain as prevalent today as at any other time in our history,” executive producer Anthony Ejarque told JNS. “I believe it is within our mission to remind our patrons of the needless suffering that these actions bring upon the victims.”

Ejarque said “the story of Tevye and his family humanizes modern headlines and offers a glimpse into what so many are experiencing.”

The Yiddish stories of Shalom Aleichem inspired “Fiddler on the Roof.”

The musical, which was made into an award-winning movie in 1971, depicts the persecution of a Jewish village by Russian authorities and the military, culminating in a pogrom. Notable songs from the show include “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.”

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