THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 26, 1997 TAG: 9701240155
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATRICK BUCHNOWSKI, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 65 lines
No one had to coax Brendan Byrnes and Joanne Tatem to ditch New York City in January for a fair-weather excursion to Virginia Beach. What better way to lift those winter spirits than a pleasant stroll on the Boardwalk. They gladly packed their bags and flew down earlier this month. They're not here on vacation though. It's strictly business.
They have settled comfortably into the roles of Fyedka and Tzeitel in the Commonwealth Musical Stage version of ``Fiddler on the Roof,'' which opened Friday and continues through Feb. 2 at Pavilion.
Based on a collection of stories by Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, ``Fiddler'' was one of the longest running Broadway musicals. It depicts a metaphoric history of the Jews and their struggle to preserve tradition.
Byrnes and Tatem are part of a contingent of five New York performers who left the Big Apple and joined 30 local actors - 16 from Virginia Beach - to make the celebration of Jewish tradition come alive. The group more than welcomed the respite from New York's hectic pace and biting temperatures.
``It's been inconsistently cold in New York,'' said Byrnes, who noted that his parents lived in Norfolk when his father served in the Navy. ``Every day there's a beautiful sunset,'' he said. ``I take a walk on the beach.''
This party of five calls an Oceanfront house their temporary home, courtesy of Commonwealth Musical Stage.
From the kitchen window of her West 73rd Street apartment in New York, Tatem said she's greeted by the stodgy view of the back of another building. In the beach house, she said, she wakes up and has breakfast while looking at the water.
When sizing up life at the Beach there are inevitable comparisons. Movies here are cheaper (in New York they're $8.50). And the sparse population on the Oceanfront this time of year is a stark contrast to reams of cars and pedestrians they find in the city.
``From my apartment, I see Seventh Avenue, which is always congested with traffic for 12 blocks,'' said Byrnes. ``It's nice to be able relax here.''
Byrnes also noted the pool of acting talent in Virginia Beach. There is a level of commitment here not often found in local theater, he said.
One of those local talents is David Springstead playing the role of Tevye, a poor farmer who endures the pain of watching one daughter after another forsake Jewish tradition. Springstead has played the role numerous times in the past but said that each production is unique.
``Each time is a little different,'' said Springstead, a 13-year employee of the Department of Parks and Recreation. ``Each director has different ideas for the character. Each time it grows a little more.''
Love for the theater is what keeps these actors going, whether they're from the big city or local.
``What you get from local theater is a sense of community where people are doing it because they love it,'' said Sean Baldwin, who plays the role of Motel. ``You don't have to move to New York to do theater or to do good theater,'' he said. MEMO: ``Fiddler on the Roof'' by Commonwealth Musical Stage continues at
the Pavilion Theatre. Matinees are at 2 p.m. today, and Feb. 1 and 2,
and evening shows are at 8 on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. Tickets are $15 to
$30, with children $7.50. Groups discounts and military discounts are
available. Call 340-5446. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Top, from left, Jennifer Miller, Joanne Tatem and Kathleen Moore and
bottom, Pamela Denning and David Springstead star in ``Fiddler on
the Roof.''