Adamant Music School Faculty Concert of July 16, 2006 Review

QuarryWorks does a fine 'Fiddler'
Times Argus, July 21, 2006

TIMES ARGUS STAFF
CALAIS - QuarryWorks' production of "Fiddler on the Roof" has all the color of a Marc Chagall painting - and a bit of local color as well.
     The Adamant Music School's QuarryWorks community theater is in its second week of presenting the ever-popular musical evoking the plight of the Jewish people on the eve of the Russian Revolution. With book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, this is much more than musical comedy - it successfully combines a humorous look at the world's changing ways and the tragedy of those times.
     What makes the QuarryWorks production unusual is that director Michael John Suchomel and set designer Julie Mueller have turned the stage of the Adamant Music School's Phillips Experimental Theater, a most successful black box, into a Chagall-style paint¨ing. That's because the set and costumes - as well as the dream masks - are based on designs by the great Russian painter.
     "Fiddler on the Roof," of course, is the story of the milkman Tevye, his wife Golde, and his five daughters, who must be married off. Since Tevye cannot provide dowries, the daughters are expected to take what they can get. Of course, the three elder daughters have minds -and choices - of their own.
     It all begins going downhill for Tevye when Tzeitel refuses the wealthy middle-aged butcher Lazar Wolf, and begs her father's permission to marry the penniless tailor Motel. When Tevye cannot stand his daughter's tears anymore, he relents and gives his permission. And, if that isn't bad enough, Hodel wants to marry the political radical Perchik and, even worse, Chava is in love with the Cossack Fyedka.
     While Tevye is facing what he sees as the destruction of tradition and his family, he is confronting the darker menace of the anti-Semitic Russian Revolution. What makes this all bearable for Tevye - and the audience - is his unique and witty perspective on life. This story is told with delightful and memorable music.
     At Thursday's performance, QuarryWorks' production was colorful and charming. The casting was largely excellent, though there was some of the usual community theater overacting. The singing was largely good, and there was an excellent pit band led by the music director, Mark Violette. Owen Kevra-Lenz, a member of the Vermont Youth Orchestra, was the fine fiddler.
     The most important character is certainly Tevye, and Jonathan Herz's performance was stellar. Although his singing wasn't charismatic, it was fine, and Herz really became Tevye.
An outstanding singer, withstrong voice and a charismatic delivery, was Bricked Bailey as the tailor Motel. He was well-matched by Marguerite McNeil's Tzeitel, who had little to sing. The sisters, Ellen Jaworski Hodel and Sarah Venooker, also proved to be good singers and sympathetic characters.
     Most of the characters were fun, and Thursday's performance proved a good time had by all.