October 4-29, Wells Theatre
Join United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Virginia Stage Company as they celebrate their partnership production of Fiddler on The Roof.
This classic musical kicks off Virginia Stage Company’s 45th season and 110th year of the Wells Theatre. Fiddler on the Roof, with its wonderful cast and lavish orchestra, tells the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics Tradition, If I Were a Rich Man, Sunrise, Sunset, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, and To Life, this new production will introduce a new generation to this uplifting tale.
To celebrate what will undoubtedly be an incredible production, UJFT is offering various opportunities for the community to engage with Fiddler on the Roof with a series of events.
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VBGIGs: Globally Inspired Gatherings
Saturday, August 19, 9 am – 12 pm
Free and open to the community
ViBe Farmers Market
Fiddler on the Roof is based on the original stories of Sholem Aleichem, a survivor of the 1890s pogroms in what is now Ukraine. Shop for local produce in the beautiful ViBe District while performers from Virginia Stage Company regale the market with a revue of some of the play’s most popular tunes to celebrate Ukrainian and Eastern European Jewish culture.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles
Wednesday, August 23, 1 pm
Cinema Café Kemps River
Free and open to the community; RSVP required
Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles is a documentary film that explores Fiddler’s creative roots in early 1960s New York, when “tradition” was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations, and religion were evolving.
Discover the untold stories and incredible challenges faced during the making of this iconic musical as it comes to life on the stage and screen, bringing to light the behind-the-scenes struggles and triumphs that made it a true miracle.
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The History Behind Fiddler on the Roof: The Iron Cauldron and Leaving Mother Russia
Tuesday, September 5, and
Thursday, September 7, 11 am – 12:30 pm
Simon Family JCC
Free and open to the community; RSVP required
One of the largest waves in Jewish history of dispersal and migration was the flight of three million Jews from Tsarist and Revolutionary-Era Russia. Why did the Jewish people, so inured to discrimination, collectively decide to leave the Pale of Settlement?
In this two-session course, taught by Rabbi Michael Panitz, attendees will examine, first, the difficult history of the Jews of Russia and the newly-created Soviet Union, 1881-1924, and second, the history of Jewish emigration from that land to far-flung destinations in North America, South America, Western Europe, South Africa, and even Israel.
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Fiddler on the Roof: Backstage and Beyond
Wednesday, September 13, 7:30 pm
Wells Theatre
Free and open to the community
This thought-provoking panel discussion goes beyond the curtains of the upcoming Norfolk production of Fiddler on the Roof. Participants will go on a journey through the historical context of the musical and explore how its timeless music has enriched Jewish culture.
• Gain insights into the creative process, the challenges of staging such an iconic show, and the vision behind this incredible rendition.
• Discover how the musical sheds light on the Jewish community’s struggles, traditions, and resilience during a transformative era.
• Learn about the significance of the music, its cultural impact, and the emotions it evokes in both performers and audiences.
Panelists will include Rabbi Michael Panitz (Temple Israel rabbi), Tom Quaintance (Virginia Stage Company artistic director), Jeff Ryder (Virginia Stage Company managing director), and others.
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These programs are supported by the Helen G. Gifford Foundation, S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co., and The Making Music Happen Community Grant Initiative, which is made possible by a generous grant from the Pertzik Fund for Arts and Culture at JCC Association of North America.
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Tickets to Virginia Stage Company’s production of Fiddler on the Roof go on sale August 14. RSVP for UJFT’s community events and get tickets for the show at JewishVA.org/Fiddler. For more information about the production or to discuss group tickets for the show within the Jewish community, contact Hunter Thomas, director of Arts + Ideas at UJFT, at HThomas@UJFT.org.
-Hunter Thomas