Happy New Year!

Today we are celebrating the festival of Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of the Jewish year.   It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and a time to proclaim mankind's dependence upon our Heavenly Father as our Creator and the Sustainer of all life.

Central to the observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram's horn, which is the trumpet to announce the crowning of a king.  This is a symbolic crowning, an acceptance of God as King.  It is also a call for repentance.

In keeping with the season, whether by accident or design, the Whittier Community Theatre (WCT) is currently presenting the beloved musical, Fiddler on the Roof.

As a season ticket holder, I attended on Saturday night with a small group of friends.  To my delight, the theater was packed!  I understand their Sunday matinee was completely sold out.  That's always good news for a community theatre group.

You never know what you're going to get with a community theatre production, but the WCT , now in its 91st year of continuous operation, has been providing consistently good entertainment for as many years as I've been attending (and sometimes performing).  And that's a LOT of years!  This is a group that is close to my heart, and Saturday night they made me proud.

Richard DeVacariis as Tevye

The musical, Fiddler on the Roof, is a winner of 9 Tony Awards. It is based on Yiddish tales by Sholem Aleichem published in 1894.  It was originally titled Tevye, and is based on the story of Tevye the milkman and his daughters.

This show, as directed by Karen Jacobson, has a lot of heart.  Having seen this musical and sung its songs so many times I've lost count, I was not expecting to be moved the way I was, but I was brought to tears several times.  That is a tribute to Mr. DeVacariis and the whole, highly competent cast.

"Matchmaker" is always a great number

I knew it was a winner the moment my friend - a friend who flies to New York City a couple of times a year just to see the Broadway shows - leaned over and said, "This is good show."  From him it was high praise indeed. I heartily agreed.

I'm a big community theatre enthusiast. Community Theatre provides opportunities for people to develop skills and talents of all kinds.  

The WCT presents a four-show season in the Center Theatre on Washington Avenue in uptown Whittier.  Season tickets are still available, and are a real bargain.  Just call (562) 696-0600.  Honestly, they are very nice.  Call.

While I would heartily recommend going to see this show, getting a ticket for the final performances next weekend will be difficult!

L'Chaim!  To life!

So, happy Rosh Hashanah to all my Jewish friends out there!

“Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim!” (May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year!)