ST AUGUSTINE’S PRODUCTION RAISES THE ROOF
By Jack Miller, Year 11, St Augustine’s College
IF I were a rich man … The joint St Augustine’s and St Monica’s production of the Jerry Bock/ Sheldon Harnick classic Fiddler on the Roof, performed at Cairns Performing Arts Centre on May 2-3, enriched the sellout crowds with its sensitive, confident and heartfelt performances and its emotive and mesmerising music.
Beginning production early in term one, the cast, crew and musicians had been practising diligently for the opening night performance.
Before leaving St Augustine’s College, Dr Malcolm Cole chose a muchloved professionally scored musical.
The student band had to work hard to comprehend the emotion and culture behind the music. The cast strived to portray accurately the characters and the Imperial Russian setting.
Although challenging, things came together.
Two weeks before the performance, the cast had learnt their lines and the dress rehearsals mirrored the final rendition.
Various hardworking staff and students from both schools skilfully transformed the CPAC stage into a bustling shtetl, inviting the audience to imagine themselves in the midst of the small, traditionbound village of Anatevka.
Audience members found not only drama in the musical, but comedy through Ethan Andrejic’s unforgettable voice and Mike Christensen’s hilarious performance.
Especially convincing were the accordionist Mr Burcin and lead Harrison Will as the irrepressible dairyman Tevye.
Notable solos included Alexis Barrioga’s opening violin, Jack Gooden’s Now I Have Everything, Richard Huelin’s Miracles of Miracles (witnessed only by the fortunate Thursday audience) and Harrison’s numerous musical monologues.
The audiences were captivated by a raft of catchy songs and famous bendykneed Russian dancing.
Constantly misquoting scripture, the charming Tevye found a soft spot in many of the theatregoers’ hearts.
Many of us could relate to his humorous asides and quizzical questions to the Almighty.
Charlie O’Kane, Poppy Derrington and Melinda Steele were scintillating as Tzeitel, Hodel and Chava, and their romantic choices confirm Fiddler as a treasured snapshot of a world on the precipice of great change.
Several audience members said the performances were as good as any professional ones they’d seen.
Mrs Cherie Spannenburg’s and Ms Loredana Citraro’s contributions to the production cannot be overstated. Without them or the other teachers in the production team, the show would not go on.
“To life, to life, L’chaim”.