Valley Light Opera stages Fiddler on the Roof in Northampton in November
The Amherst-based company marks its first production of the musical with a partnership featuring the Yiddish Book Center.
Valley Light Opera will present Fiddler on the Roof at Northampton's Academy of Music on November 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m., and November 7 and 8 at 2:00 p.m. The production marks the company's first staging of the acclaimed musical and features a partnership with the Yiddish Book Center, which is providing dance instruction and historical context about shtetl communities.
The Amherst-based company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, had 102 auditions for this production, a record for Valley Light Opera. The role of Tevye went to Joe Vincent, an experienced Shakespearean actor who has performed in more than 50 musicals and has played Tevye on four previous occasions. Valley Light Opera President Sally Greenebaum said the company is excited about the casting and the depth of talent in the production across all roles.
Stage Director Rose Schwietz Malla, who holds an MFA in directing from UMass Amherst and spent a decade teaching theater in Nepal, said the musical's celebration of how people pursue life's joys in the face of hardship resonated with her. Music Director Matt Bertuzzi, new to Valley Light Opera but active across the Pioneer Valley music scene, called the score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick one of the most essential works in musical theater. The production will feature a traditional full orchestra augmented by instruments that capture the distinctive sound of the shtetl.
Choreography is by Marybeth Mizula Vargas, a Western Massachusetts native who runs Inspiration Dance Station in Ashfield. Cast member Asya Schulman, an expert in Yiddish folk dance, is serving as dance captain and dance consultant, and has choreographed a large portion of the Wedding Dance scene.
For the two matinee performances, a pre-show talk will be held at 1:00 p.m. with Sebastian Schulman, Director of Special Projects and Partnerships at the Yiddish Book Center. His topic will be Sholem Aleichem, the writer behind Fiddler on the Roof and the adaptations that preceded it. General patrons can enter at 1:30 p.m. Valley Light Opera recommends purchasing tickets only through the Academy of Music website to avoid scammers.