Wellesley’s Temple Beth Elohim is returning to the musical stage after more than a decade, with a new troupe aiming to build a lasting theatre tradition starting with “Fiddler on the Roof” in late April and early May.
A team of about 100 people are part of the TBE Players team bringing “Fiddler” to the synagogue as a celebration of Jewish tradition, resilience, and community. The musical is directed by Rachel Humphrey and Tess Rosen, produced by Jane Brown, and supported by Cantor Shanna Zell, staff liaison. Rehearsals take place a few days a week, and have been happening since February.
After moving to a Boston suburb during the pandemic, Humphrey joined Temple Beth Elohim in 2023 as the world re-opened. She found a community filled with theatre-lovers and experienced cast and crew members.
“Reportedly, there was a meaningful interest in starting some kind of theatre program in the synagogue for years before I came. Then I showed up, by happy coincidence… with experience running a synagogue-based theatre program, and an eagerness to try to start one here,” she says. “I didn’t know about the interest… I just wondered if they wanted my help. The rest is history!”
Humphrey, who outside of TBE Players is a medical oncologist running a biotech firm, participated in theatre in high school and (after spending some time as a lead singer in rock bands) returned to the stage years later at a synagogue-based theatre group in Woodridge, Conn. She directed, produced, and/or acted in Woodridge performances, including “Fiddler,” and the last play she directed there was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in 2008.
It’s taken about a year to pull together the intergenerational TBE Players team, which includes both Temple Beth Elohim members and non-members, experienced cast and crew, as well as newcomers.
“When I first approached the synagogue staff to consider starting a theatre program, we all felt it was important to assemble a solid group of dedicated theatre-lovers to help ensure success,” Humphrey says. “That took time—as we made personal outreaches to folks we thought would be great additions to the team. It expanded from there by word of mouth as more people, including those who were trying theatre out for the first-time, began to join.”
The performances will also feature an assembly of talented musicians, who will be situated in an open pit to one side of the stage at Temple Beth Elohim, which will accommodate 300-plus show goers per performance.
The TBE Players will play “Fiddler on the Roof” straight—”no twists this time…”—sticking to the script, music, and choreography from the original in the 1960s. But Humphrey assures that “Fiddler,” even though it’s set in the early 1900s, will resonate for modern audiences with its themes of community and the importance of tradition and faith in a complex world.
“The themes… are just as relevant now as when the show first came out,” she says.
TBE Players’ “Fiddler on the Roof” at Temple Beth Elohim at 10 Bethel Rd., Wellesley
- Thursday, April 30 | 7:00 pm
- Saturday, May 2 | 7:00 pm
- Sunday, May 3 | 4:00 pm
Tickets ($18) are available online and will be available at the door as well.
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