Sometimes when an audience walks out of a theater, they feel like they did not get their money’s worth, almost like they have been played like a fiddle. Luckily for those who attended the fall play Fiddler on the Roof, theater instructor Jeremy Stoll gave his audience a show worthy of a tsar.

The Fiddler on the Roof takes place in a shtetl called Anatevka, a small Russian town divided by a large Jewish Orthodox population and Russian Orthodox Christians. The year is 1905 and Russia is in the dawn of a brave new world.

Tevye is the protagonist of the musical, played by senior Benjamin Battafarano. Tevye is a milkman with five daughters in the town and has a strong relationship with God. He lives his life by adhering to the traditions of his Jewish ancestors.

Tradition is what allows the metaphorical fiddler on the roof to be balanced. However, tradition has been allowed to break through Tevye and his daughters’ actions.

In the end, all of the characters go their own way and although tradition has been broken at times, overall it has been kept by ever-faithful Tevye.

Some of the musical’s greatest hits include major theater stunts such as the Russian bottle dance and the butcher’s wife’s scene.

Personally, I was disappointed towards the audience’s reaction to the bottle dance. It seemed like most of them thought the bottles were Velcro and attached to the dancers’ hats. Well, believe it or not, they weren’t and the night I went, not a single bottle fell. It was a feat that few could pull off.

I also enjoyed the chemistry between Tevye and his daughters. I felt shivers down my spine as he sang about his daughters’ love for their respective partners, weighing in their love with the traditions of Orthodox Judaism.

The scenery and the design of the stage were realistic, but they didn’t distract my attention from the main focus, which of course were the characters. The dances and movement around the stage gave the audience plenty of eye candy for them to feast on with the pleasant background of the music.

If there were anything that could use some work, singing would play a part. Some characters were indisputably amazing to watch and listen to; others didn’t seem to be singing in just the right range.

Director Jeremy Stoll showed us The Fiddler on the Roof is an amazing work of art that would be appreciated for many generations to come. His choreography, with the help of Michelle Carrity of Omaha Community Playhouse, goes to show just how much work he and his fantastic cast and crew have put in an effort for a timeless production.