Students audition for Fiddler; tough decisions made

White Christmas. Oklahoma. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. For years, North Harford’s drama department has been entertaining the community with its fall productions. This year, North Harford will be producing the classic, Fiddler on the Roof.

Fiddler opens at the beginning of the twentieth century, Jews and Christians abide in the little village of Anatevka in Russia. One of the Hebrew traditions at that time was for the matchmaker to arrange a match for the girls, and for their father to approve. The milkman, Tevye is a poor man who has been married to Golde for 25  years, and they have five daughters, Tzeitel, Hodel, Chava, Bielke and Shprintze. When the three oldest challenge this tradition, Tevye must decide whether to accept this change or stick to his traditions.

On September 2-3, auditions were held in the North Harford auditorium. The first day, 50 girls were lined up waiting anxiously for auditions. This year, director Nancy Green changed up the audition requirements by throwing an essay into the mix.

            “If you don’t write this essay, you will not be considered for any part in this musical,” Green warned her Drama 3 students.

            As everyone waited in line to audition, nerves started to break loose.

            “I just could not stop shaking, I don’t even know whether it was excitement or terror,” stated junior Rachael Griffin.

            Evaluating the auditions was a panel comprised of Green, costumer Stephanie Hildebrand, choreographer Larissa Arist, and former teacher Sandy Petrovich. By the end of auditions, these judges were swamped with all of the paperwork and overwhelmed with the prospect of casting.

            “There were just so many talented people, I don’t even want to imagine breaking any of their hearts if they do not receive the part they had hoped for,” said Green.

          Senior and stage manager Delaney Allen has been organizing paperwork, sending emails, giving pep talks, and preparing for all of the challenging work to come. Overall, Allen aspires to leave quite impression on those in the cast and in the audience.

            “I really want to pull off an amazing show that people will be talking about for weeks,” said Allen. “Though, even more importantly, I want the entire cast to be talking about Fiddler for the rest of their lives.”

            Anticipation will certainly be mounting as opening night looms closer.

“There won’t be a dry eye in the house; this musical has the perfect balance of comedy and heartbreak,” said Green. “People will be laughing through their tears.”