With ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre Puts on Biggest Show Since Pandemic

Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre will be bringing one of the most beloved Jewish musicals to its stage with its upcoming production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

For three days at the end of August, actors in the Pikesville community theater troupe will be performing the classic story of protagonist Tevye trying to maintain his family’s Jewish lifestyle in the Russian village of Anatevka.

The performance will mark the end of a long journey for BTCT, as the group has been trying to get the rights to perform “Fiddler on the Roof” for the past five years. The rights are currently managed by Music Theater International, and “Fiddler” is unique in that it requires its performers to follow a staging and choreography guide created by director Jerome Robbins.

Auditions for the musical were held in June, with actors currently rehearsing.

“We had a great turnout for auditions, and ticket sales have been going well so far,” said Evan Margolis, BTCT’s associate artistic director. “The last few years have been kind of touch and go with audiences because of the [COVID-19] pandemic, but I think it’s going to be a really wonderful production.”

BTCT has been putting on plays for the past 15 years, with the first held in 2009. Its mission was to bring performing arts opportunities to the local community in a way that was inclusive of the local Jewish community. One of BTCT’s most unique features is the fact that they do not perform or rehearse on Shabbat, which makes it easier for Jewish actors to participate.

“For someone like me, who is Orthodox and Shabbat-observant, there is no other place for me to perform,” said Gabriel Lewin, who plays Tevye in BTCT’s “Fiddler on the Roof” production. “Fiddler” is his third time participating in a BTCT play.

Margolis added that BTCT keeps tickets affordable so that more people are able to experience the theater in their local community. Some of the shows BTCT has performed in the past include more secular experiences like “Newsies” and “The Drowsy Chaperone,” along with musicals that have explicitly Jewish themes such as “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

“We want the audience to be familiar with the work, to be humming and singing on our way out. It’s generally for a Jewish audience, since we’re based in Beth Tfiloh, but we invite everyone to come see our wonderful shows,” Margolis said.

BTCT, and community theater in general, has faced several challenges over the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic heavily restricted the availability of live theater, with Margolis describing it as “the first thing to go, and the last thing to fully come back.” In order to accommodate with social distancing rules, BTCT built a stage in the parking lot and held its 2020 production outdoors. The group has been putting on more modest productions in the years since. “Fiddler” will be their biggest musical since the pandemic.

For Lewin, whose children attend Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, playing Tevye is a dream role. He recalled that he has seen many “Fiddler” productions throughout his life, including one performed entirely in Yiddish.

“It’s been one of my dream roles since I was a little kid. It’s a musical that I love, it’s among my favorites of all time. I’ve resonated with [Tevye] a lot over different periods of my life,” he said. “I knew that when BTCT decided to do it, that it was my only shot at playing the part, so I wanted to go for it.”

He added that BTCT is very good at getting talented actors for its different productions, and that the collaborative aspects of theater are what keeps him coming back.

While BTCT has been facing many challenges over the past few years, its actors still hope to put on an enjoyable performance and to inspire others to develop an interest in theater.

“Diane Smith, [the director of creative arts at Beth Tfiloh Congregation and School], was the primary inspiration for working in the arts for me and a lot of other people in the community,” Margolis said. “So to be able to continuously give back in an artistic way and provide opportunities for people to continue to be connected to the arts has been extremely fulfilling and rewarding for me.”

BTCT’s “Fiddler on the Roof” performances will be held on Aug. 20 and 27 at 2 p.m. and August 23 at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit bethtfiloh.com/fiddler.