Under the artistic direction of Maureen West, head of the
arts department, George School will present Fiddler on the Roof on Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. The performance will be held in Walton Center and is free and open to the public.

Fiddler on the Roof, the 1964 musical written by Joseph Stein with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, follows Tevye and his five daughters living in Russia in 1905.

“When I look at Fiddler on the Roof, I think, what does the Fiddler represent,” said Maureen, “As I’ve worked on the production, I’ve come to think the Fiddler represents
Tevye’s faith. It’s not just his faith as a Jew but his faith in people—in relationships—that’s represented by the Fiddler.”

Throughout the play, Tevye struggles to maintain Jewish
tradition within his family while holding off the threat of outside influences.  The play centers on the marriages of each of his three oldest daughters. As each daughter is promised to—or chooses—a husband, his growth and understanding of love and relationships blossoms.  

“There are some moments in the show that I’ve really tried
to craft,” said Maureen. “I love the number [“Do You Love Me”] between Golde and Tevye because it tells the story of a tradition, a tradition where men and women didn’t choose each other, the marriages were arranged. And now, twenty-five years later, he wants to know [from Golde] do you love me.”

The musical is the second in George School’s  theater season. The first, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, received rave reviews from all who saw it. Fiddler on the Roof promises more of the same.

“Working on Fiddler has been very different from productions I’ve worked on in the past,” said Zack
Wolfenson ’16, who plays Sasha in the show. “We get more accomplished in less time and I can see all the hard work is really paying off.”

“I love musicals because I love to sing,” said Isabelle
Phillips ’14, who plays Hodel. “Maureen gave us the opportunity to really interpret the songs the way we think they should be interpreted and having that artistic freedom has been amazing.”

“Fiddler on the Roof is iconic. It’s gorgeous, just gorgeous,” said Maureen.  “Musical theater is what this country contributes to the worldwide theatrical stage. There are musicals like Fiddler that are just universal, and
that’s what makes them classics. Each time we do them, we learn something new from them.”

In addition to Maureen, Jackie Coren, George School’s vocal music teacher, is the musical director and Scott Hoskins, video and stagecraft teacher, has designed an amazing set along with his stagecraft students. David
Abers is the choreographer and the costumer is Linda Bee.

Founded in 1893 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), George School, a rigorous coed boarding and day school for grades nine through twelve, educates students from more than twenty-two states,
forty-five foreign countries, and a variety of ethnic, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds. Through its commitment to diversity and the Quaker values
of equality, integrity, and peacemaking, George School inspires students to be led by their own truths while respecting and appreciating opinions and beliefs
different from their own. George School was one of the first schools in the United States to implement an International Baccalaureate diploma program.