Plum High School students prepare for ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

Plum High School’s upcoming spring musical brings a strong feeling of nostalgia for alum Bethany Loy.

The 2004 grad played trombone in the orchestra her sophomore year for “Fiddler on the Roof.”

A little more than 20 years later, now the pit director, Loy prepares instrumental students to perform those same Jerry Bock classics.

“I just remember it being a tremendous honor to be a part of such a great show,” Loy said during practice March 7. “Honestly, I feel the same (now). I’m truly proud of my roots. I know a lot of people say there’s a stigma with staying where you came from, but I’m proud to be here serving the community the same way I was served.”

This is Loy’s 11th year leading the pit musicians.

“We have a really great group of student musicians, and they are really a pleasure to work with,” she said. “They really dive right in, and they take their preparation seriously. They come in every day ready to go.

“When the whole show comes together, we have students from the (marching) band and the chorus and the orchestra all working together for a common goal, which is really powerful.”

Show synopsis

Bock’s music cleverly accompanies a story by American playwright Joseph Stein of a Jewish milkman named Tevye, his wife, Golde, and their five daughters in the small town of Anatevka in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia around 1905.

Tevye has a strong adherence to Jewish traditions and culture, and wants the same for the rest of the family.

He must cope with the actions of this three eldest daughters as they choose whom they wish to marry, with some decisions breaking tradition. Each potential spouse is successively less pleasing to the patriarch.

That causes Tevye and Golde to reflect on their own marriage and love for each other.

A Russian constable eventually tells all the Jewish villagers they must pack up and leave the town within three days.

Student stars

There are about 100 students in the production, including just shy of 50 in the cast, freshmen through seniors.

The show was announced in November. Auditions took place in December and rehearsals kicked off in January.

Senior Dylan Walters Gallagher plays Tevye and junior Gloria Joy Casey plays Golde. This will be the third musical for both student performers.

“It’s definitely a daunting task, but it’s rewarding,” Dylan said about bringing Tevye to life. “What I want is to see the people that I love come in and be happy leaving (the show). Seeing them congratulate me and having a good time is what I do the musical for.

“I don’t necessarily see myself sharing a lot in common with this character, but he can be interpreted in many different ways. One such way is how to break from tradition and stuff you’ve been told your entire life. I kind of see myself a little bit in that.

“I’m only 17. I don’t have five daughters.”

Dylan also sees this show as a way to pay homage to students like his older brother, Tyler, who graduated in 2020 and saw his senior musical “Beauty and the Beast” canceled because of the pandemic.

“I was just in the ensemble in it,” Dylan said of that show. “I kind of saw the toll that it took on him not being able to do his senior musical. Now that I get to do it, I see why. It’s really rewarding.”

Students the following year, Gloria’s freshman opportunity, were allowed to perform provided they conformed to pandemic protocols such as masks and social distancing. Seating was limited to pretty much family members for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

Gloria echoed Dylan’s thoughts on performing without restrictions and is ready to celebrate a milestone. Golde is her breakout role.

“I was in ensemble for the last two shows that I was in,” she said. “This is my first actual role in a musical. I think it’s a really cool opportunity. I really am trying to put my all into it and make sure this show is the best show it can be.”

Gloria said one of the challenges with the character is working through the emotions Golde experiences.

“For Golde, it’s really difficult to balance her love for her children while also balancing her love for tradition,” Gloria said. “As the show progresses and each daughter is getting married off, it’s hard for her to keep the structure that she wants to keep in the home. She also loves her children so much that she’s willing to make some sacrifices.”

Gloria said she has watched many versions of the musical, as well as YouTube clips, and has done research to embody the character because, like Dylan, she doesn’t have five daughters and such life experiences from which to draw.

Director’s return

Stage manager John DeLuce makes his return as director after spending the past few years as vocal director and stage crew sponsor. The last Plum show he directed was “Shrek the Musical.”

Former director Nick Mitchell is no longer with the district.

DeLuce said he is grateful for another opportunity to lead the cast as well as continue crafting the set with other students behind the scenes. He is assisted by Loy, vocal director Jane Boyle and choreographers Laura DelVecchio and Jenny Festa.

DeLuce noted the ongoing war with Russia and Ukraine had no impact on the show selection.

“We picked the show because we could get a lot of students involved in it,” he said. “After gauging student interest, we figured we could do a show this large. Rehearsals are going well.”

He called the students a “talented group of young people” who are “passionate and doing really good work.”

“There will be some nice new talent on stage, as well as some familiar faces,” the director said.

Sets were still under construction at the early March practices. Staffers and cast members said they are confident everything will come together for opening night.

“I encourage people to get out and come and see it, because you don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t give it a try,” Loy said. “This isn’t just about seeing the show, itself.

“This is about supporting the community, coming together (and) showing our youth that what they do matters. Their work is appreciated, and we’re a family. We’re a community. Come and see us.”

Tickets are available online. No paper tickets will be sold.