Franklin Light Opera was established in 2020 with a simple mission — to “bring light opera, operetta and classic musical theatre to audiences in and around Franklin.”
And during the last six years, this growing arts organization has done just that, presenting beloved works ranging from "The Pirates of Penzance" and "Iolanthe to "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s "Cinderella."
This weekend, FLO returns to the Williamson County Performing Arts Center with another true classic – "Fiddler on the Roof."
“This is such a wonderful show,” said Karen Dumont, who founded FLO with Julie Gilbreath, and continues to serve as the board’s president. “I kind of based the founding of Franklin Light Opera on my own experience of playing Hodel in 'Fiddler on the Roof' when I was very young. This was back in Rochester, New York, and honestly, this is the show that sort of opened my eyes to what community theater could be.”
Director John Schultz agrees, noting that Fiddler marks a big milestone in the organization’s development.
“Karen and I both had a history with Fiddler, and it really is a special show,” said Schultz, a frequent FLO collaborator, who also serves as board secretary. “The music is gorgeous, and the story is universal. It has a nice big cast, and it hadn’t been done locally in a while, which I think appealed to both of us. This marks a huge step for us though, because it’s a much bigger show than we’ve done in the past. But I think audiences are going to be blown away by the performances.”
Schultz credits the considerable talents of his production team, which includes music director Scott Brons (who will be conducting a live orchestra at each performance), plus choreographer Ashley Strella, set designer Nicholas Branson, costume designer Claiomh Hogan and more. Schultz also has assembled a terrific cast of 45 community players, including Joe Leavitt as Tevye and Tara Jackson as Golde, along with Audrey Kidd, Brady Klosterman, Lara Butler, Josh Hunter, Howard Snyder and more.
Tevye’s daughters and their suitors have been double-cast, with the “Sunrise” cast featuring Chelsea Ranelle (Tzeitel), Anthony Ciarla (Motel), Scarlett Christopher (Hodel), Nate Yaras (Perchik), Lilah Edwards (Chava), and Cam McLean (Fyedka). Meanwhile, the “Sunset” cast includes Katherine Light (Tzeitel), Peter Singletary (Motel), Maryn Quimby (Hodel), Simon Dumont (Perchik), Sara Butler (Chava), and Ryan Heinrichs (Fyedka).
“If you look at our cast, we have graduates from Lipscomb and Belmont – young people who are going to go on to become professional singers and actors,” he said. “But we also have people in the chorus who’ve never really done a big musical before. Or maybe they used to be active in theater, but it’s been a few years since they’ve done a show. We’ve got mothers and fathers, playing alongside their own children, which is a lot of fun. And they’ve all gelled together so well. For me, that’s what community theater is supposed to be. It’s not about showcasing a single star — it’s about the community all coming together. That’s what’s most important.”
Schultz said it’s also important to tell the story as authentically as possible. With that in mind, FLO recruited Nashville stage veteran Howard Snyder to serve as the production’s dramaturg.
“Howard is not only playing our Rabbi, he’s our dramaturg,” Schultz said. “So he’s worked with us on how to pronounce certain Yiddish words. Or he’ll explain how the mezuzah on the door-post would work. So we’re working to make everything as authentic as we can, and I feel like that’s not always the case in community theater. Another example is the wedding scene. Normally, you might just see the Rabbi and the couple, with everyone just standing there. But Howard has set it up so that we’re pantomiming the whole Jewish ceremony, with the bride and groom circling each other. So that’s been really exciting.”
Dumont said she is also excited to see how audiences respond to the big bottle dance, which famously takes place as part of the show’s wedding celebration.
“All of the big dance numbers are amazing,” said Dumont, who also plays the formidable Fruma-Sarah in the show. “Our choreographer, Ashley Strella, has done an excellent job. But the wedding scene is really such a treat. Our bottle dancers are all teens, ages 15-17, including my son Simon. And I just couldn’t be more proud of these kids. Having watched them all grow up, to now see them working so hard on this show – it’s been really incredible. So I think I’m especially excited about that scene.
“As the producer, I wear a lot of hats,” she added. “It’s a huge undertaking, but it’s been so rewarding. And I can’t wait for audiences to see it.”
"Fiddler on the Roof" runs Sept. 17-20 at Williamson County Performing Arts Center at Academy Park, 112 Everbright Ave. To learn more, visit https://www.franklinlightopera.com/fiddler-on-the-roof.