John Preece shines as Fiddler’s Tevye

For someone who has seen Fiddler on the Roof many times, the performance that opened at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts last night was pretty close to perfect. While my favorite version is the Academy Award-winning film adaptation from 1971, seeing it live, up close and on stage connects you with the heart of the characters.

John Preece stars as Tevye, the downtrodden milkman whose traditions are bumping up against a changing world. He has played the role for over 32 years, and it shows in his performance. The twinkle in Preece’s eye as he talks with God, the tired resolution of a man married 25 years and the confusion with the new ideas come naturally to the veteran actor. It is difficult to tell where Preece ended and where Tevye began. That is the sign of a good actor.

Blend that natural ease he brings to the role with a strong baritone voice and you have the perfect Tevye. That voice brought authority to Tradition, a warmth and sadness to Sabbath Prayer and Sunrise, Sunset, and a playful tone to the celebratory To Life.

Aside from the perfection that was Tevye, this national touring company had some weak spots. Golde, played by Nancy Evans, is Tevye’s wife. She performed a strong duet with Peece on Sabbath Prayer, but as the night went on her voice broke. Even in the role of a nagging wife, her voice became nails on a chalkboard.

Another weak link was Watertown-native Kevin Stangler. He portrayed the Perchick, the university student from Kiev, who falls in love with Tevye’s second daughter, Hodel. His speaking and chorus performances were fine, but when it came to his solo in Now I Have Everything, a song where he proclaims his love for Hodel, his voice was unable to fill the Marcus Center Uihlein Hall.

Andrew Boza is someone to watch. Boza is on his first national tour as Motel, the tailor who defies tradition by asking for the hand of Tevye’s oldest daughter, Tzeitel. His tall, lanky frame and high-pitched tenor made him the perfect foil for Tevye’s bluster. Boza played Motel with broad physical strokes, eliciting laughs and sympathy for the timid character.

This production of Fiddler, presented by Broadway Across America, revives of Jerome Robbins’ original direction and choreography (including an impressive bottle dance), allowing those of us in the heartland to enjoy the classic version of this play. The stage was stark with simple back-lighting highlighting Tevye’s home, the local tavern, wedding hall and train station. The sets did multiple duty, serving as backdrops and also opening like a child’s dollhouse to provide more detail to advance the story.

And for those of you who claim to not enjoy Fiddler, Preece will warm your heart and bring laughter to the age old story of change vs. tradition. Give it a try and maybe it will become a tradition of your own.

Fiddler on the Roof will be at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts tonight through Sunday. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available though the Marcus Center Box Office in person or at 414-273-7206, online at MarcusCenter.org and at Ticketmaster locations.