The national touring production of "Fiddler on the Roof" arrived 11 months late to Little Rock's Robinson Center (originally set for January but postponed after an outbreak of covid-19 in the cast), but it was certainly worth the wait.
The show (music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein) remains as powerful as ever, and Friday's opening night absolutely raised the Robinson Center roof.
Jonathan Hashmonay gives a forceful and mulitlayered performance as Tevye, a poor dairyman in the little Russian shtetl of Anatevka who faces existential challenges from without (increasing violence against and dislocation of Jews) and within -- the three eldest of his five daughters taking marriage into their own hands, violating the tradition of paternal control.
The eldest, Tzeitel (Randa Meierhenry), rejects her father's choice of an older husband (Andrew Hendrick as Lazar Wolf the butcher) to wed mousy tailor Motel (Daniel Kushner). Hodel (Graceann Kontak) falls for Perchik (Austin J. Gresham), a penniless scholar and revolutionary. Chava (Yarden Barr), commits what in her community's eyes is the unforgivable sin of falling in love with a non-Jew (Carson Robinette as Fyedka).
All of these folks, as well as Maite Uzal as Tevye's wife, Golde, are superb; the youthful supporting cast (a young, dark-bearded rabbi!) as well. The production, directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, develops new dimensions, in part by tinkering with the tempo on some songs to heighten their already intense poignancy. Choreographer Hofesh Shechter augments Jerome Robbins' original staging in the monster dance numbers.
The show continues, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Sunday at Robinson, 426 W. Markham St. at Broadway. Ticket information is available by calling (501) 244-8800 or online at CelebrityAttractions.com or Ticketmaster.com.