FIDDLER ON THE ROOF With Harvey Fierstein Hits Seattle's Paramount Theatre

Broadway World News

Launching a new "tradition" Harvey Fierstein replaces Topol in the North American tour of the TONY award winning musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Chaim Topol, regrettably informed the show's producers he would have to leave the production due to a shoulder injury requiring emergency long term treatment.

Mr. Fierstein starred as the iconic milkman Tevye in the recent critically acclaimed Broadway production. Audiences now have the rare opportunity to see the TONY award winner embrace one of his favorite roles in this Jerome Robbins inspired production. Mr. Fierstein has won four TONY awards including Best Book of a Play and Best Actor in a Play for Torch Song Trilogy. His most recent win was the 2003 TONY for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway production of Hairspray. In addition to his TONY Award winning role in the Torch Song Trilogy, Mr. Fierstein recreated the role in the film adaptation thus winning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination as Best Male Lead. Other film work includes, Mrs. Doubtfire, Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway and Independence Day.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal and timeless message. The North American Tour continues the tradition of the 1964 Jerome Robbins TONY Award winning production. Mr. Robbins won twin TONY awards for his direction and choreography of Broadway's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. In this National Tour, both are faithfully recreated by Director Sammy Dallas Bayes, choreographer of the Broadway Revival.

When FIDDLER ON THE ROOF opened in the United States in 1964, it was a time of change and crumbling traditions in our own country. Perhaps the explanation for its world-wide success in the ‘60's and ‘70's was because the play illustrated the universality of such problems as the "generation gap," youthful dissent, revolutionary doctrine, and the oppression of minorities. Students of the time identified with the rebellious student, Perchik, and strongly related to the breaking of hallowed traditions. Tevye and others of his time struggled with these problems in 1905, and emerged triumphant, offering the hope and promise of reconciliation to a turbulent society. Today, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is as relevant as ever.

Now, in the midst of a new millennia, in a world fraught with anxiety and fear, the one constant humanity can rely on is the strength of family and of its traditions that will ultimately sustain it through its own trials and tribulations. Forty five years and a generation later, new audiences can identify and take heart as they experience the tradition in great musical theatre that is FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be at Seattle's Paramount Theatre for eight performances. The schedule for the Seattle engagement is:

Tuesday, May 25 7:30 pm
Wednesday, May 26 7:30pm
Thursday, May 27 7:30pm
Friday, May 28 8:00pm
Saturday, May 29 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, May 30 1:00pm and 6:30pm

Tickets for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF are available now as part of the Spring 2010 Broadway at The Paramount season package. Single tickets will be available in April on-line at tickets.com, stgpresents.org or BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. Tickets will also available by calling 877-STG-4TIX (4849) or in person at The Paramount Theatre Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm).

Moya Angela, Adrienne Warren Lead Cast of DREAMGIRLS In Seattle

Broadway World

Producer John Breglio and Broadway Across America-Seattle announced casting today for the national tour of DREAMGIRLS, coming to Seattle from April 6 -11. DREAMGIRLS will introduce Moya Angela as Effie White and feature, as The Dreams, Syesha Mercado as Deena Jones, Adrienne Warren as Lorrell Robinson, and Margaret Hoffman as Michelle Morris with Chaz Lamar Shepherd as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Chester Gregory is James "Thunder" Early, Trevon Davis as C.C. White, Milton Craig Nealy as Marty Madison in a cast of 26 that also features Tallia Brinson, Felicia Boswell, Ronald Duncan, Patrice Covington, Talitha Farrow, Brittney Griffin, James Harkness, Robert Hartwell, Eric Jackson, Chauncey Jenkins, Jared Joseph, Nikki Kimbrough, Brittany Lewis, Douglas Lyons, Kimberly Marable, Jarran Muse, Amaker Smith and Marc Spaulding.

Tickets for DREAMGIRLS range from $27 to $75 and are available on-line at tickets.com, stgpresents.org or BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. Tickets are also available by calling 877-STG-4TIX (4849) or in person at The Paramount Theatre Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm). Group orders of 15 or more may be placed by calling 1-888-214-6856.

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, DREAMGIRLS tells the story of an up-and-coming, 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. Hopeful talents Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson and Effie White are performing as The Dreamettes when ambitious agent Curtis Taylor, Jr. discovers them. He lands them a job as backup singers for the soul and rock ‘n' roll sensation James "Thunder" Early and begins to guide their quickly rising career. However, when the beautiful Deena emerges as the star of the group rather than the full-voiced Effie, the girls are brought to personal and professional crossroads.

DREAMGIRLS is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with co-choreography by Shane Sparks, scenic design by Robin Wagner, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, sound deign by Acme Sound Partners, and media design by Howard Werner for Lightswitch. DREAMGIRLS features music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen with additional material by Willie Reale. DREAMGIRLS is produced by John Breglio for Vienna Waits Productions.

The original Broadway production of DREAMGIRLS opened December 20, 1981, at the Imperial Theatre and won six Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards in 1982. It closed on Broadway August 11, 1985, after 1,521 performances. The original Broadway production was directed by Michael Bennett and choreographed by Bennett and Michael Peters. DREAMGIRLS was adapted into a motion picture by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, and opened in December 2006. The film won two Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and two Screen Actor's Guild Awards in 2007 in addition to a Grammy Award for Best Song written for a Motion Picture ("Love You I Do"). The most popular song from the film, "Listen," has been incorporated into the new stage version of DREAMGIRLS as a stirring Act II duet for Deena and Effie. This all-new production of DREAMGIRLS premiered at Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater in New York City on November 22, 2009, before embarking on an international tour.

The performance schedule for the Seattle engagement of DREAMGIRLS at The Paramount Theatre (911 Pine St., Seattle) is:

Tuesday¸ April 6 7:30 pm
Wednesday, April 7 7:30pm
Thursday, April 8 7:30pm
Friday, April 9 8:00pm
Saturday, April 10 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday, April 11 1:00pm and 6:30pm

Tickets for DREAMGIRLS range from $27 to $75 and are available on-line at tickets.com, stgpresents.org or BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. Tickets are also available by calling 877-STG-4TIX (4849) or in person at The Paramount Theatre Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm).