Published: 13 April 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE attended the online screening and singalong of Fiddler - A Miracle of Miracles on Sunday, hosted by The Jewish Independent and Emanuel Synagogue. The screening is the first in a series of online film events to be held this year, following a successful series ‘Israel, Jews & The Middle East through Film' held at Sydney Emanuel Synagogue last year.
The movie, which premiered at the Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) last year, is a 2019 documentary about the creation and significance of one of Broadway's most beloved musicals, Fiddler on The Roof. The film examines the creative roots of the play in early 1960s New York, when "tradition" was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations and religion were evolving.
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Directed by Max Lewkowicz, the documentary features interviews with Fiddler creators including Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, Joseph Stein, and Harold Prince.
The film was followed by an online singalong led by Geoff Sirmai and Joanna Weinberg, including standards such as L'chaim and If I Were a Rich Man.
Sirmai, a well-known variety entertainer, has played many comic and serious roles on stage and screen, including Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Weinberg is a prominent actor, writer and composer, who has created 14 original one-woman shows.
Main image: Scene from the documentary (left) and Geoff Sirmai, leading the post-screening singalong
