culture
L’Shanah Tovah from my family to yours
Birmingham-Southern presents “Fiddler” by Lee J. Green The classic musical about a family seeking acceptance and a place to call home will highlight homecoming festivities later this month at Birmingham-Southern College. In a joint collaboration between the University’s theatre and music departments, Birmingham Southern College presents “Fiddler on the Roof ” Oct. 19 to 29, with six shows at 7:30 p.m. and one 2:30 p.m. matinee. “We’re always looking for something valuable to say on the stage,” said “Fiddler” director and BSC Theatre Professor Michael Flowers. “’Fiddler’ is still very relevant today. It’s about refugees trying to find a home; family roles and tough life decisions. In recent years we have done several pop and rock modern musicals. This time we wanted to get our hands on something traditional.” BSC Opera and Voice Professor Jeff Kensmore, also an equity actor, will play Tevye. BSC alumna Hannah Ellington will play Golda and professional actress Kristin Stakowski will play Yenta. Carl Peoples plays Lazar Wolfe and the production also features talented local theatre actor and BSC alumnus Nathan Merritt. The other roles and much of the crew are current BSC students. In all, there are 57 cast and crew members. “Jeff Kensmore’s wife, Natalie, was in the classic traveling Broadway ‘Fiddler’ production and is helping us to learn the original staging and choreography so we can do something that honors the 1964 original,” said Flowers. “Lester Seigel has also helped us out a lot to learn more about the significance of the show and making community connections.” There will be a Provost Forum on Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. in the BSC Theatre. It is free and open to the public. “People can learn more about our production and what it entails,” said Flowers. “This is a story we are proud to tell and invite everyone to experience the show.” For more information and tickets go to www.bsc.edu.
From a 1931 Belzoni Banner newspaper in Belzoni, Miss., “the catfish capital of the world.” In 1937 there were fewer than 40 Jews in the small Delta town, though they were a huge presence in the town’s retail. With proximity to Greenwood there never was a congregation in Belzoni, and today, only Goldberg’s still operates.
VOTE NOVEMBER 8, 2016 TO KEEP JUDGE SHERA GRANT
Pd for by Committee to Elect Shera Grant; PO Box 2802; Bham, AL 35202
October 2016 • Southern Jewish Life 59