Review: Jason Alexander Astonishes as Tevye in La Mirada Theatre’s ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

In a development two-and-a-half years in the making, and after a year of anticipation, the verdict is in: Seinfeld icon Jason Alexander sizzles as the grey-bearded Tevye in McCoy Rigby Entertainment and La Mirada Theatre’s immensely entertaining Fiddler on the Roof. If there’s any show Southern Californians should prioritize in the next month, it should be this one as it has incontrovertible star power, a cast who rises to the occasion of the moment, non-stop laughs, and a poignancy that will persist long after the final bows.

In its 60th anniversary, Fiddler on the Roof continues to resonate, empowered by a relevancy that has not only avoided attenuation, but has been revitalized by current events. With Joseph Stein’s charming yet deep script (based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem) combined with the catchiness of Jerry Bock’s music and Sheldon Harnick’s earworm lyrics, this incarnation, which is electrifying the La Mirada Theatre stage through December 1st, is a rendering you thought you’d never see — and not all because of its headliner, Alexander. There are new layers of meaning, echoing the plight of Jews throughout history (along with displaced groups) and asking questions about heritage, identity, and cultural evolution — universal themes discussed in real and virtual realms. Such talking points are encapsulated in the musical’s turn-of-the-20th century setting, Anatevka, a small Jewish village in present-day Ukraine.

Directed with a keen perspective by Lonny Price, this Fiddler dialectically pits tradition against progress, weaving these motifs with remarkable finesse. Choreographer Lee Martino pays homage to Jerome Robbins’s original movements, accentuating them with an exhilarating, modern energy. Dance captain Michael James leads numbers characterized by deep lunges, spins, kicks, and claps — especially in “To Life,” “Tevye’s Dream,” and “The Wedding,” which joyfully culminates with a breathtaking bottle-balancing sequence featuring Gavin Leahy, Marc C. Reis, Michalis Schinas, and Michael Wells. What is communicated is a tireless vitality and hard-earned contentment in Anatevka, notably when there’s a celebration to be had. With not a dull moment in the show over three hours, the audience remains ceaselessly engaged.

The heart of the timeless story remains unchanged, focusing on the struggles of Tevye (Jason Alexander), a humble milkman, his spirited wife Golde (the brilliant Valerie Perri), and their five daughters. That said, it’s the insistence of an independent agency in the pursuit of romantic fulfillment by the three eldest daughters — Tzeitel (the commanding Rachel Ravel), Hodel (the mellifluous Alanna J. Smith), and Chava (the endearing Emerson Glick) — which underscores the stark difference between duty and change. The daughters’ husbands-to-be, choices fueled by love rather than being the decision of Yente, a rumor-starting matchmaker (portrayed by the naturally funny Eileen T’Kaye), challenges the expectations of the conventionally minded Tevye who ironically couldn’t tell you how certain traditions began. In the background of all this is the palpable threat by the intolerant Constable (a formidable Gregory North) and his men who attempt to force the protagonist’s Jewish community into exile.

What sets this production apart is its nuanced portrayal of Tevye’s internal struggles, where, on one hand, he is faithful to his family’s wishes but, on the other hand, he feels bound to “Tradition,” reinforced through references to the “good book” and via his pleadings to God. His devotion to his loved ones, higher power, and community is noble, albeit marked by the fallibility of humanhood, and his journey of self-discovery is both consequential and inspirational.

Like a true artist taking his time with imperfectly perfect strokes, Alexander’s portrait of Tevye is nothing short of transformative. With every glance and gesture, the Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor uncovers a new coat of emotional depth to this beloved character, capturing Tevye’s lilting voice, intensity, exasperation, humor, and, most of all, a tenderness that reveals itself when push comes to shove. It is a performance that balances the weight of Tevye’s vehement convictions with moments of genuine vulnerability, making him a figure symbolizing both pathos and comedy. The key here is that Alexander prioritizes a tangible realness as a man in search of his role as the “head of the house” even if the scope of his leadership changes as he pounds his chest and unrestrainedly shouts when his onstage children go over his head.

Opposite Tevye, Perri’s Golde is a disarming force to be reckoned with. Golde is Tevye’s equal in every way: traditional, resilient, and family-oriented. Her performance anchors the show, grounding the emotional turbulence of Tevye’s journey with a clearcut sense of reality, particularly manifested by uproarious barbs in “Do You Love Me?” Ravel, Smith, and Glick are stellar as the determined daughters, imbuing their characters with a defiantly youthful energy — satirizing the concept of an arranged marriage in “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” — and capturing the essence of women striving to carve out their own destinies in a world that demands conformity or, worse, the rolling back of previously won rights.

The respective men who aren’t supposed to win over Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava include the bona fide Cameron Mabie as Motel the tailor, the emphatic Remy Laifer as the enlightened student/teacher Perchik, and the underrated Sawyer Patterson as the gentle gentile, Fyedka. Each of these suitors and their moments of confrontation with Tevye are charged with vigor, giving the production a sense of urgency and order.

Ron Orbach is a revelation as Lazar Wolf, the butcher who is initially promised Tzeitel. There is something uncompromisingly authentic about Orbach whose effortless reactions contribute to a memorably comical scene founded on a misunderstanding, vis-à-vis Alexander’s Tevye, inside a bar. As Lazar Wolf’s first (and deceased) wife Fruma-Sarah, a towering apparition who comes to Tevye in a convenient “dream” worthy of persuading Golde, Gwen Hollander is delightfully hair-raising. As Golde’s long-dead grandmother, Jean Kauffman also does her part to turn the same fantastical scene into an all-out romp.

The ensemble, a vibrant mix of talented performers, fills out a production that would otherwise feel incomplete. From the amusingly oblivious but well-intentioned Rabbi (Marc Moritz) to the majestic Fiddler (David Prottas), the company brings forth an exuberance whose collective strength underlies a tight-knit community unwilling but ultimately ready to withstand another pogrom.

The scenic design by Anna Luizos masterfully captures the modesty of Anatevka, with a single shack in the midst of a backdrop of other homes and a projection screen depicting clouds, sunrises, and sunsets. Japhy Weideman’s gorgeous lighting envelops this epic, which is, above all, renowned for its soul-stimulating music. The unforgettable score comes alive under the musical direction of Alby Potts, and the orchestra conveys a lightheartedness while still allowing the gravitas of certain songs to shine through. For instance, “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sabbath Prayer,” “Far From the Home I Love,” and “Anatevka” convey a greater import here, transcending time and place to speak to the suffering and courage of those who have fought to preserve their faith in the face of oppression and displacement.

Overall, La Mirada Theatre and McCoy Rigby Entertainment’s Fiddler on the Roof is as powerful now, viewed through a contemporary lens, as it was in 1964. The story’s subject matter — be it stubborn tradition, eventual adaptation, or disenfranchisement — is forever germane as we’re unfortunately again reminded of an unyielding bigotry seeding the senseless targeting of social or racial groups. And with a superstar in Jason Alexander who refuses to rest on his laurels, adamant about proving a point (or two), La Mirada Theatre’s profile is not only raised, but its Fiddler is yet another candidate for best musical of the year. This is exponentially impressive given this comes on the heels of La Mirada’s previous show, the universally lauded Waitress.

Cover image caption: Jason Alexander in the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts/McCoy Rigby Entertainment production of Fiddler on the Roof at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada, CA. Photo by Jason Niedle/TETHOS

McCoy Rigby Entertainment and La Mirada Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof runs through Sunday, Dec. 1st. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit lamiradatheatre.com.