L’Chaim! To Life! Tony Award Winner Shuler Hensley Directs Season Opener Fiddler on the Roof
Wednesday, September 20th, 2023
This October, City Springs Theatre Company kicks off its highly anticipated sixth season of shows at the Byers Theatre as its Artistic Director (and Tony Award®-winner) Shuler Hensley directs the Broadway classic, Fiddler on the Roof, presented by PNC Bank. The original 1964 Broadway production broke box office records, earning nine Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, and in 1972 became the longest-running show in Broadway history. City Springs Theatre Company’s production will be performed October 6-22, 2023, in the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center (1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs). Following each of Fiddler on the Roof’s Saturday matinees, select members of the cast and creative team will take part in audience talkbacks. The talkback is included in the ticket purchase.
Fiddler on the Roof stars Broadway’s Jacob Fishel in the ground-breaking role of Tevye, the milkman. Fishel appeared with Harvey Fierstein in the 2004 Broadway revival of Fiddler. Broadway and Atlanta’s own Courtenay Collins will play Yente, the matchmaker, alongside Liza Jaine as Tevye’s wife Golde, Thomas J. Cannon as Lazar Wolf, Carly Ann Lovell as Tzeitel, Brian Wittenberg as Motel, Leigh Ellen Jones as Hodel, Haden Rider as Perchik, Aliya Kraar as Chava, Roberto Méndez as Fyedka, Mila Yehya as Shprintze, Kayla Furie as Bielke, Blake Fountain as The Constable, and Brian Kurlander as The Rabbi. Also featured are Zac W. Phelps as Mordcha, Brant Adams as Mendel, Evan Hussey as Avram, Meaghan Paetkau as Grandma Tzeitel/Shaindel, Galen Crawley as Fruma-Sarah, Rob Millerick as Nachum/Yussel, Zac Pritts as Sasha, and Cameron Scofield as Rivka. The Ensemble includes Erin Fallis, Daniel Fobes, Arielle Geller, Nick Walker Jones, Hamilton Moore, Hannah Morrison, Ben Ohnemus, and Zachary Shanks.
The City Springs Theatre Company production will be directed by its Artistic Director and Tony Award®- winner Shuler Hensley. Most recently, Hensley appeared in the acclaimed Broadway revival of The Music Man with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. This year is the 25th anniversary of the filmed version of his Olivier Award®-winning performance as Judd Fry in the West End revival of Oklahoma!, which also starred Jackman. Hensley appeared in the Broadway transfer, where his performance was awarded a Tony®.
“It’s exciting to be working with a company primarily comprised of amazing local talent to bring this music theatre classic to LIFE,” said Artistic Director Shuler Hensley. “Fiddler on the Roof is an amazing story of the strength and perseverance of a Jewish community, the power of the father/ daughter relationship, and the challenges of navigating through the differences between generations brought about by long standing tradition. While its Broadway debut was almost sixty years ago, Fiddler on the Roof’s story of the importance of family, adapting to a changing world, and the value of tradition resonates with today’s audiences.”
City Springs Theatre Company’s production will rely heavily on an original conceptual design by theatre artist Jacob Olson, who regularly presents original 3-D rendered scenic ideas and concepts via his TikTok account. Olson’s scenic design will offer audiences a colorful, new visual interpretation of the world of Fiddler, and it will be the first set that is constructed at City Springs Theatre Company’s 10,000 square foot production shop in Marietta.
“We’re thrilled to have Shuler in the director’s chair once again, sharing his considerable talents with the cast and production staff,” said CSTC’s Executive Director Natalie DeLancey. “Fiddler on the Roof is tracking to be our fastest-selling show to date, and that excitement, coupled by the exciting visual concept for the show, are helping make this a memorable kick off to our sixth season of Broadway in Sandy Springs.”
All performances are held at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Byers Theatre at 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs.
Fiddler on the Roof Performance Schedule
Friday, Oct. 6 | 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 7 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday, Oct. 8 | 8:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 12| 8:00pm
Friday, Oct. 13 | 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 14 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday, Oct. 15 | 2:00pm
Thursday, Oct. 19 | 8:00pm
Friday, Oct. 20 | 8:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 21 | 2:00pm & 8:00pm
Sunday, Oct. 22 | 2:00pm
There are also still tickets available for the student matinees, which take place at 10 a.m. on Oct. 11, 12, 18 and 19. Prices are $5 for public schools and $3 for Title I schools.