“Fiddler on the Roof” premiered on Friday night in the Cabot Theatre, marking the first show of Marquette Theatre’s 2025-2026 season titled “Viewpoints.” Unlike their previous and upcoming theatre productions—which are in the Helfaer Theatre—Marquette Theatre’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” worked in collaboration with Skylight Music Theatre. The show on Friday had a full house and celebrated a sold-out show for their first night of their residency in the Skylight Music Theatre.
Skylight Music Theatre is a professional performing arts center located in the Historic Third Ward District in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The theatre produces a wide repertoire of works, ranging from opera to musical theater. The company produces over 100 shows each season and also has an arts-in-education program that offers free performing arts workshops and performances for students in Milwaukee Public Schools.
For the production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” the cast had a mix of professional actors and Marquette students playing the roles. Characters like Tevye and Golde were played by professional actors, but many Marquette students had leading roles, and some were scattered throughout the ensemble.
The structure of the Cabot Theatre upon arrival was absolutely stunning. The theatre, while compact, didn’t feel cramped; instead, it was like the audience was immersed in the show. I sat on the orchestra’s left, mere inches away from the action, making me feel like I was transported to Anatevka, Ukraine, along with the cast.
Upon the curtain opening, the first thing I noticed was the pit orchestra’s placement on the stage. Having been involved in the pit orchestra for musical productions in high school, I had only ever seen the musicians offstage.
This choice, especially for this show, was particularly smart. It emphasized the musicians, allowing the audience to appreciate them simultaneously with the cast. It added moments for the musicians to be a part of the story, most notably with the consistent character of the Fiddler, who opens the show and occasionally appears in scenes.
Since its Broadway debut in 1964, “Fiddler on the Roof” has established itself as a classic, winning several Tony Awards and consistently returning to the stage in the United States and abroad. The story follows Tevye, a poor milkman living in Czarist Russia, as he navigates upholding traditional Jewish values while raising his five daughters in a changing world.
The show sets the tone by starting with “Tradition,” sung by the entire company. The song encapsulates Anatevka’s culture, priding itself on upholding and continuing tradition. This is the foundation of the community, but it also creates greater conflict.
Tevye—played by Andrew Varela—remained a consistent standout throughout the show, and unsurprisingly so. Varela brought both humor and humanity to the character, with every one of his scenes being a delightful balance of laughter and emotion. He sang each song with such heart, consistently demonstrating the character’s inner conflict between maintaining tradition and caring for his family.
A standout song from Act 1 was “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.”
Sung by three of the five daughters of Tevye, Tzeitel—played by Erin Fricker—Hodel—played by Kynkade McLachlan—and Chava—played by Naomi Kriege— all three seniors in the College of Communication, the song illustrates the imaginative fairytale future the younger daughters believe will come when the matchmaker provides a match. Until Tzeitel, the oldest daughter, informs them that matchmaking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
The blend of the three actresses’ voices was seamless and lively throughout the performance, but each singer also brought talent and a polished tone to each note. McLachlan, in particular, was outstanding in her placement and execution of her singing, showcasing a range of emotions throughout her performance in the show.
Motel—played by Grayson Buesing, a junior in the College of Communication—was perfectly awkward. His performance in “Miracle of Miracles” truly demonstrated the diversity and shift in his character.
He exuberated a childlike sort of excitement by jumping on tables and dancing recklessly after finding out he could marry Tzeitel. Motel was a character I was consistently rooting for, as his sweet, awkward demeanor made him nothing but lovable.
My personal favorite song was “Tevye’s Dream,” as not only did the song incorporate humor with incredible acting and singing, but the staging for the song was the most complex and visually interesting in the show.
Despite the only prop on stage being a bed, the incorporation of lighting, projectors and silly gimmicks made the song dynamic. In the scene, you never knew what to expect next, making it the best part.
The ending left the audience with much to consider. Performances that close with an unanswered question give the audience something to carry with them—a piece of the story that begs for reflection—and to me, those are the most valuable stories of all.
“Fiddler on the Roof” will continue its run through Oct. 26, with tickets available for sale on the Skylight Music Theater website.
This article was written by Elise Emery. She can be reached at [email protected].
