Fiddler on the Roof has entertained audiences everywhere for decades, and now it takes its turn at ASU Gammage. The emotional play is always a sell-out at the box office, and it’s no wonder. Fiddler on the Roof captures the essence of a traditional Jewish family during the early 1900’s. AZFoothills.com got an exclusive interview with cast member John Preece who plays, Tevye, the father of five daughters.
Q: How did you get your start in acting?
A: I started my first show in high school and then went to college to get my degree in acting and musical theater. Shortly after, I moved to New York to start acting there.
Q: Compared to your numerous other roles in Broadway, is there something particularly unique or different about this one?
A: It’s a huge role, it’s a two-hour and forty-five minute long play and I’m on the stage for two-and-a-half hours so it gets to be physically demanding. The timing is very important and there is a large emotional portion to the role. I’ve been playing this role for 20 years, but really got into it in 1990. Since starting, I’ve done 1700 Tevye performances total!
Q: How do you usually prepare for a role?
A: Since I’ve played the role 1700 times, I’ve pretty much got it down. We sometimes do things differently according to the cast.
Q: What three words would you use to describe your character “Tevye” or the play?
A: He’s a father, a strong religious man, and the play is a comedy.
Q: Do you have a favorite song from the Musical? What is it about?
A: I really like the song in the second act where the father has to throw his daughter out of the family because she has married outside the faith. He sings a song about how much he loved her and how sorry he is that all this happened.
Q: In the spirit of tradition, what’s the night before/day of show time like? Are there any pre-show rituals for you and the production?
A: We vocalize and get our bodies ready to get up and perform.
Q: For someone who hasn’t seen “Fiddler on the Roof,” why would you recommend going to see it?
A: The set, the costumes and choreographer is very similar to the original production. The cast is very good, the music is live, and the public should know it’s a family show and there’s something for everybody. This is a piece of history, and not a musical that somebody made up. It’s is a chunk of history and reality of what actually happened to a family. Also, there is great comic timing, the audience laughs a lot and there’s also an emotional element to the show. If you haven’t seen it before, it’s definitely something you should see.
Check out an interview with the cast-members on this Daily 60! Fiddler on the Roof will play at ASU Gammage through April 3. To buy tickets visit: www.asugammage.com .
