'Fiddler on the Roof' arrives at Brundage Park

A story about a poor milkman living in a tiny Jewish community in Tsarist Russia around 1905 seems like a tale that would have limited appeal.

Why, then, is "Fiddler on the Roof" one of the most popular musicals of all time?

The evidence is undeniable. The show opened in 1964 and ran for more than 3,000 performances; it held the record as longest-running Broadway show for a decade.

The show spawned several songs – such as "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" – that have become standards. The 1971 film also enjoyed considerable success, and the musical is frequently revived.

Mark Carovale thinks that the key to the near-universal appeal of "Fiddler on the Roof" may be summed up in the title of another song from the show: "Tradition."

"This is a show about a community coming together," says Carovale, a Wharton resident. "You have the mothers, the fathers, the kids. To use a line from 'The Lion King,' it's about the circle of life."

That lesson resonates with audiences regardless of their age or creed, according to Carovale. "A lot of times, the kids don't care about the 'poppas' and the 'mommas.' I think this show makes people understand family dynamics."

Carovale directs and stars as Tevye the milkman in "Fiddler on the Roof," which runs at Brundage Park Playhouse in Randolph tonight through Feb. 22.

In the course of the show, Tevye's views of the world are shaken. His community of Anatevka is being threatened by the pogroms that the Czar has instituted. Closer to home, his five daughters are increasingly independent in their choices for husbands.

For Tevye, the greatest crisis comes when his middle child, Chava (played by Alicia Vega of Randolph) falls in love with a non-Jewish Russia soldier, Fyedka (Sid Ceballos of Hackettstown).

"Tevye starts out relying on tradition, saying this is how things have to be," Carovale says. "His heart eventually warms as his first two daughters make choices he doesn't agree with. But with Chava, even he can't bend without losing his faith."

As an actor, Carovale appreciates the character's arc and the opportunity to deliver a song like "If I Were a Rich Man." He admits that he has wanted to play the role, but he had not intended to star and direct in the Brundage Park production.

"I was planning only to direct this," he says. "But when we held auditions, we didn't see a Tevye. So I was stuck with this."

Carovale says he has been relying heavily on assistant director Larry Turner during rehearsals. "Larry is my eyes," he says. He also credits the contributions of music director Nancy James and choreographer Colleen McArdle.

Their help is particularly appreciated. "This is one of the biggest casts we've had," says Carovale. "There are 35 people on stage of all ages."

For all the work involved, however, Carovale says he has been relishing the chance to play Tevye. He especially enjoys his scenes with Nola Young of Roxbury, who plays Tevye's long-suffering wife, Golde.

"I've known Nola for years, and playing opposite her is wonderful," he says. "Sure, 'If I Were a Rich Man' is a great number. But my favorite song may be 'Do You Love Me?' when it's just the two of us on stage singing to each other."

Carovale says that this production of "Fiddler on the Roof" is also putting him in mind of another friend. The show opens on the one-year anniversary of the death of Frank Burns, an actor and director who had collaborated with Carovale numerous times.

"That's one thing I think about," says Carovale. "Where did the year go? I think the lesson that I'm taking from 'Fiddler' is that we need to take time to love each other, because we never know when it will end."

"FIDDLER ON THE ROOF"

WHAT: The musical adaptation of stories by Sholem Aleichem focuses on Tevye, a poor milkman living in a tiny village in Czarist Russia in the early 1900s. Tevye tries to cling to tradition, even as the world changes around him. The Tony-winning score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick includes such songs as "Sunrise, Sunset," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," and "Tradition."

WHEN: Through Feb. 22, 8 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

WHERE: Brundage Park Playhouse, 2 Bungalow Lane (off Carrell Road), Randolph.

TICKETS: $15 ($12 for children under age 12 and seniors over 62).

INFORMATION: 973-989-7092 or www.brundageparkplayhouse.org.