Chicago Stage and Screen
- Highly Recommended
"...So lets talk about director L.Walter Stearns rendering of this once controversial and now canon musical. With choreographer Maria Lampert, musical director Eugene Dizon, cultural consultant Rabbi Rachel Weiss, scenic designer Bob Knuth and lighting designer Andrew Meyers, they offer a visually stunning, musically complex, dynamically danced show that is at once a tribute to a musical that turns 60 and also still absolutely relevant today as our nation rounds up and deports people for being other."
Around The Town Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...Casting a huge show such as this cannot be easy. I know that when I did the show, finding just the right people is not as simple as it sounds. Many people think that doing "Fiddler" is simple- just find a lot of Jews who sing. This is not the case! What you need is a cast of actors ready to learn about traditions and customs as well as some history of what took place at the time. Stearns did a great job. I am always critical when looking at Tevye, as I know the role inside out. I was impressed with the way Sam Nachison interpreted the role and his development of the character. Too many actors try to imitate what they see in either the film or in what Zero Mostel brought to the stage. Tevye is a good man, around 40ish who follows what he was taught and lives how he was told. Nachison was right on."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...Playing in Skokie for only two short weeks, Music Theater Works' exquisite production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will close before you know it. Do yourself a favor and pay a visit to Anatevka while you can. The show features a gorgeous 19-piece pit orchestra, skillfully Conducted by Valerie Gebert; a stunning stage Setting by Andersonville Scenic Studios; and dozens of colorful period Costumes by kClare McKellaston. Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon's charming production gives Chicagoland the opportunity to discover, or rediscover, this warm, wonderful story about family, friends and faith. The show comes at a time when we all need to be reminded of what's important in life. And although lengthy, there's no doubt that every audience member, regardless of age, gender, religion or nationality, will thoroughly enjoy this professional production that tells a tale of both old and new time-honored Traditions."
Buzz Center Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...Sam Nichison perfectly portrayed Tevye's nuance and conflicting motivations, shifting from scene to scene. At times, his bitterness over poverty and hardship bubbled to the surface; at others, he offered moments of genuine warmth and authenticity with his family. Alongside him, Golde, played by Mitzi Smith, was his perfect match - grounded and witty, with tenderness beneath her no-nonsense exterior. Together, they perfectly anchored both their family and the story."
Third Coast Review
- Recommended
"...Based on the city's north side and staged at Skokie's North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Music Theater Works regularly produces a slate of relatively traditional American musicals. Last year, that included Carousel and Little Shop of Horrors; this season features Guys and Dolls, Annie and, on now through August 17, Fiddler on the Roof. Their choices, if not groundbreaking, are welcome opportunities to see some of the best of this uniquely American art form produced with professionalism."
Chicago Theater and Arts
- Highly Recommended
"...Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Fiddler on the Roof is a very enjoyable, humorous and at times melancholy musical play written by Joseph Stein based on a collection of stories by Sholem Aleichem. Music and lyrics are by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick."
Splash Magazine
- Highly Recommended
"...From the first haunting strains of "Tradition" to the final bittersweet farewell, Fiddler on the Roof continues to weave its magic-drawing us into a world of faith, family, and resilience. This richly-staged production by Music Theater Works is now playing at the George Van Dusen Theatre, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, Illinois"
BroadwayWorld
- Highly Recommended
"...In this production, the Fiddler is seen throughout the entire show, not just at the beginning and end. This is very effective. It shows the precariousness of life's situations is ever present. It works beautifully. Scenic designer Bob Knuth kept the setting very simple and down to earth. The costumes designed by kClare McKellaston were authentic. The orchestra under the direction of Valerie Gebert filled the theater with these wonderful songs and melodies. This story is so relevant. How can we not wonder what happened to all these people? This production will give you pause, make you laugh and cry. That's good art and storytelling."
NewCity Chicago
- Highly Recommended
"...What makes director L. Walter Stearns’ production remarkably prescient, though, is how he has bookended the show. It begins and ends in the same sequence. Although much of this incredible story is as relevant as ever, the displacement theme hits a little bit harder right now. As people all over the world are forced out of their homes, including in our very own country, it’s hard not to think about it. Tevye’s quoting Moses by way of Abraham in saying he is a “stranger in a strange land” put a lump in my throat."
