Sounds Crazy? Yeah, it was crazy!
Just want to say or word or two about this production and why it was so important to myself and Mira and Debbie to do it in the way we did it.
The number one goal for us was to build community. From the beginning (back in October when we hatched this idea), we kept asking, ‘How can we involve the maximum number of people? What are ways to keep expanding the circle from the ‘usual suspects’ to people who might never consider getting involved saying, “Sure, I can do this”?
It led us to many fun ideas, like asking for photos for the two montages, inviting Noa Cutler to create these playful and clever watercolors, or seeking out Jackie Faiman, a classically trained pianist to underscore a number of the scenes, to filming our Beit Midrash (and executive committee!)lip-syncing along, to Mira, Dori and Adina and crew playing full string arrangements on two of the tracks, to seeing some of our more seasoned married couples ham it up and crack us up every time we re-watched the video. Plus the wonderful singers (all recorded separately and yet harmonizing!) and actors (all ad-libs were left in!).
We had so many people participate who in a non-Covid world would never have been able to commit the time to weekly rehearsals, etc., but who said yes to this project because it would be shared in this way.
And: We had a nice crowd to watch live: 198 screens, well over 400 people in attendance, plus “Knish and a Show” kept us well fed, and raised a nice sum for the shul. We needed a village and we had a village!
Back in the fall I needed a diversion. We all needed a diversion. The world seemed to be teetering towards some horrible black hole (are there good black holes?) and I realized we were not going to be in person for a long time. I put out this idea and Mira and Debbie were right there to say, “Yes!”. It was a blast to work on, especially with these two amazing human beings who among other things have full time jobs and families to raise and tend to. Still, we laughed a lot, and truly it really never felt like work.
The three of us believed (okay, we really, really hoped!) that even before one video was sent back, that BAI would respond with humor, spirit and love- and it came across in every scene. Here is the link to watch it again and again!
ps: Stay tuned for the Director’s Cut, a 3 hour full color restoration, with 17 more songs!
Here is the full cast list:
Scene 1
Fiddlers – Dori Olson, Mira Olson
Tevye Milkman – Bruce Kothmann, Ilan Vogl, Jason Switzer, Rob Jacobson, Nate Promer
Yente – Naomi Shapiro
Danny Gold – As himself
Beloved Rabbi -Rabbi David Ackerman
Yeshiva student – Elijah Ackerman
Team Tesla – Mira Olson, Kes Messinger, Joe Finkelstein, Sarah Lefkowitz, Denise Gotsdiner
Team Prius – Deb Aronson, Laila Fuhrman, Sara Finkelstein, Andy Clibanoff
Scene 2
Golde Milkman – Lettie Switzer, Debbie Sasson, Margie Kasner
Tzidel Milkman – Amari Switzer, Lealah Switzer, Margo Sasson, Sophia Kasner
Hodel Milkman – Talia Kasner, Julia Sasson
Chava Milkman – Julia Sasson
Motel, the coder – Eric Sasson, Scott Kasner
Scene 3
Tevye – Bruce Kothmann, Russell Stone, Jason Switzer, Leo Furhman
Golde – Andrea Kahn-Kothmann, Deborah Baer Mozes
Scene 4
Golde – Ilene Wasserman, Julia Sobel
Tevye – Mark Taylor, Ed Sobel
Motel – Josh Sultanik
Tzidel – Sophia Kasner
Scene 5
Tevye – David Cohen, “Red” the Puppet
Solomonov – Alan Promer
Scene 6
Narrators – Belinda Birnbaum, Dan Vogl, Johanna Werbach, Kevin Werbach
Tevye – lan Vogl
Bottle Dancers – Zahavy Family
Watercolors Paintings – Noa Cutler
Scene 7
Golde – Robyn Topkin, Ilene Wasserman, Jackie Needleman
Tevye – Neal Benjamin, Mark Taylor, David Cohen
Tzidel – Shoshana Promer
Motel – Josh Sultanik
Chava – Dori Olson
Hodel – Adina Olson
Fiddlers – Dori Olson, Mira Olson
MUSICAL PERFORMERS
“Tradition” – Beit Midrash ensemble, Phyllis Blumberg, Leslie Lieberman, Marian Levine, Judy Wortman
“If I Were Jeff Bezos” – Bruce Kothmann, Leo Fuhrman, Jason Switzer
“Do You Love Me?” – Irene Glickman, Joel Glickman
SINGERS
Match.com, Match.com – Jamie Bassman, Jennie Katz
Sunrise, Sunset – Jamie Bassman, Lettie Switzer, Ilan Vogl
Sabbath Prayer – Jason Switzer, Jennie Katz, Lettie Switzer, Jamie Bassman
COVID Prayer – Teresa Glennon, Hazzan Harold
MUSICIANS
Piano – Jackie Faiman
Violin – Dori Olson, Mira Olson
Cello – Adina Olson
ARTISTS
Watercolors (“Tevye’s Dream”) Noa Cutler
LYRICISTS
If I Were Jeff Bezos – Noah Charlson Sunrise
Netflix – Belinda Birnbaum Match.com
Match.com -Harold Messinger
SCREENWRITER/EDITOR
Harold Messinger
PRODUCTION TEAM
Harold Messinger, Mira Olson, Debbie Sasson
CRAFT SERVICES:
Lazar Wolf
Knishes by: Yonah Schimmel Delivery By: Donald Erlichman, Nick Fiekowsky.
Filmed on location in Lower Merion.
