For Marymount’s Annual Spring Musical, the Marymount Players put on an astounding performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a beloved classic among thespians and theatre patrons alike. The story takes place in the small, traditional, Jewish community of Anatevka and follows a poor family with a stubborn milkman, Tevye, as their patriarch. The Players were able to take every emotion that came with the script, joyous or heartbreaking, and beautifully amplify it through the power of their acting, singing, dancing, and stage producing. Isabelle Perez, the talented senior who starred as Tevye, recalls, “I think it’s safe to say that working on [Fiddler on the Roof] was the highlight of my senior year. Taking on the role of Tevye was a huge challenge and took a lot of work, but it was so rewarding to see everything come together piece by piece.” As Isabelle testifies to, the process was an unforgettable experience and a highlight for all involved. 

The Players turned out to be incredibly blessed for having such a bonding, memorable rehearsal process, as things took an unexpected turn the day before opening night: due to the COVID-19 threat, the cast and crew were forced to hang their hats up early and could not go on with the following days’ scheduled performances. The day proved intensely emotional for all involved, and no one could quite grasp the reality of not being able to give the performance, which had taken up months of time and energy to put together, to their friends and family. However, the Players were given the opportunity to proceed with the evening’s scheduled Faculty and Staff dress rehearsal, making it their first, and last, performance of Fiddler on the Roof for a live audience. And, unsurprisingly, the Marymount Players delivered. Everyone wore their heart on their sleeves that night and put on one of the best shows anyone at Marymount had ever seen. The attendees were simply blown away and provided endless praise to everyone involved for making them laugh, cry, and everything in between with their soulful performances. While only a handful of senior parents were able to attend the show, the entire Marymount community luckily had the opportunity to witness the Players’ hard work, thanks to the decision to film the show and release it for everyone to enjoy at home in quarantine. 

The strong members of the Marymount Players are living proof of the old adage, “What you lose in the fire, you will find amongst the ashes”, because the women of Fiddler on the Roof took an otherwise tragic and discouraging situation and made something remarkable. Not only did they put on an incredibly moving show, the Players also bonded from the pain of it all, fueling a deeper connection than nearly any other past group. Senior Piper Ackerman, who had been involved in every Marymount production since her freshman year, said in a heartfelt statement, “Even though the process was cut short, I’m glad that my last memory of being on the Marymount campus as a senior was with the Players, doing what we love.” Each member was able to gather strength from each other, especially from the production’s brilliant director, Mrs. Corey Wexler, who guided the girls through the difficulties with strength, while still lending a shoulder to cry on. The show would not have been possible without her guidance and that of other mentors throughout the process: Ms. Carson, Mr. Conley, Ms. Constantine, and Mr. Paratta. 

The Marymount Players have a lot to be proud of, and they were able to recapture the best aspects of being part of this small yet mighty community: a love for the process, a love for performance, and a love for each other.