REVIEW: Walter Reed's 'Fiddler on the Roof Junior' is Metzuyan!

I turned to my friend Mabel halfway through the production last Thursday and she said "Metzuyan! Metzuyan!" and I said "Gesundheit." But she didn't sneeze.

She was saying that the young people's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" was "Perfect! Perfect!" And I agree.

It's been a few years since I've had a daughter or granddaughter for that matter at Reed but since we live in walking distance, it's a place I always go to for shows (and cheap entertainment). Many times it's good. Sometimes it's Broadway quality like "Thoroughly Modern Millie" a few years back.

This one was perfectly delightful! And I'm going again this weekend!

The show starts off like the great movie of the same name, and all the play versions, with a young fiddler up on the rooftop and a very thin version of Rev Tevye narrating. Although he needs some meat on his bones, that little Church Lieu was just charming and commanding as the grand patriarch and main character of the play. Good job!

Then there is his wife, Golda, played by Polly Pierone. A little loud, she was, screaming at her houseful of girls and just being very loud, but when it came to the singing she held her own. Mazeltov!

Oh, all of the girls were cute and beautiful. Kyle Abrams, Kristina Laue, Paige Befeler, Miranda Hyman and Saige Clay interacted well and sang well and played their characters in non-stereotypic ways. How lucky this school is to have such astounding talent in their midst. What lucky teachers there is to have such a brood to choose from.

Motel was goofy and gangly as he should be. Ayden Kinchla, you did a fine job in that role. But another of my favorites besides Church was the acting done by Chase Puskar as Perchik. What a role, what a talent! Good job, boy, you are a star. He played the part with subtlety and gentleness, but got bold when he needed to, and is the rebel of the pack.

Oy, there are so many good people to mention. Yente the matchmaker by Blake Feldmar was delightful and funny, but my friend Mabel thought she could have been more over-the-top. 

So many good roles, so many good performances! I really thought that lead dancer was really balancing a bottle on his head.  was a great dancer, but then I saw some of the other dancers look down at their feet and their bottles stayed on their heads so I knew it was some sort of trick, like Velcro or something.

I can't believe the music was live. The orchestra was perfect, too!! No wonder this school has an award-winning team of teachers with Mrs. Kueppers and Jessica Johnson-O'Rourke and Stephen McDonough. Brava!! Brava! Don't you get RIF notices this year, stay together!

The Prayer Song for Sabbath was a heart-wrenching beautifully done piece, and I love how the sets turned around and switched so seamlessly. I cried during "Sunrise, Sunset" of course, and really believed that the singers were parents of these little ones. 

The second act is so fast, I wanted more. I didn't want the sad ending where they go their separate ways, I wanted them to stay together and have a big party. Why couldn't it have ended that way? It is billed as "Fiddler on the Roof Junior" so maybe they could have ended on an up note for a change?

I saw it opening night and maybe they have worked out the kinks with the microphones. Some of the people had them on their bodies and you couldn't hear them, they weren't turned and then Oh, there they were, and other times, you could hear them talking off stay "Oh no, I wasn't supposed to be on stage on that scene" and other such nonsense that we could hear going on backstage while we were supposed to be watching something on stage. It was just technical issues, though.

Anyway, this will help you feel good...you don't have to be a rich man to enjoy it. It's good fun, bring the family. It's playing only Friday and Saturday this week, so go see it and sing along with "Tradition!"

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our family caught it on Friday night last week and truly enjoyed it, too. Thanks Miki for giving us an Opening Night review. It's your last chance to see it this weekend!

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