Originally written for the 1971 Fiddler film by Jerry Bock (music) and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), “Any Day Now” is sung by the Perchik in Act Two, replacing “Now I Have Everything.” The song has been orchestrated by music director Brad Haak and is sung by Marrick Smith, who is playing Perchik. It is performed by the 24-piece Muny orchestra.
Director Gary Griffin discovered the song in 2014 when he worked with Harnick on an evening about Fiddler’s creation and history at New York’s 92nd Street Y.
“I just loved this song,” said Griffin, “When Sheldon casually mentioned that he had always wanted to see it put into a stage version, I asked his permission for us to use it for The Muny production. I am so honored he said yes and is coming to St. Louis to see our production.”
While in St. Louis, Harnick will be inducted into the Muny Hall of Fame.
“We are so honored,” said Muny artistic director and executive producer Mike Isaacson. “Not only do we give our audiences a world premiere of a song written by one of Broadway’s greatest writing teams, we also join our colleagues around the country who have been celebrating the incredible contributions of Mr. Harnick.“
The cast is led by Michael McCormick (Tevye), Anne L. Nathan (Golde), Nancy Opel (Yente/Fruma-Sarah), Haley Bond (Tzeitel), Briana Carlson-Goodman (Hodel), Colby Dezelick (Fyedka), Alan Schmuckler (Motel), Carly Blake Sebouhian (Chava), Marrick Smith (Perchik), Peter Van Wagner (Lazar Wolf), Andrew Crowe (The Fiddler), Randall Dodge (Nachum), Elise Edwards (Bielke), Gary Glasgow (Avram), Jeremy Lawrence (Rabbi), Adam J. Levy (Mendel), Michael James Reed (Constable), Emma Resek (Shprintze) and Jerry Vogel (Mordcha) with Michael Biren, Stephanie Bissonnette, Polly Cornelius, Thom Dancy, Brandon Fink, Patrick Garr, Sarah Goldrainer, Lissa deGuzman, Zachary Daniel Jones, Tanner Pflueger, Taylor Pietz, Todd Rhoades, Darren Robinson, April Strelinger and Zoe Vonder Haar. The company is joined by The Muny kid and teen youth ensembles.
The production also has scenic design by Robert Mark Morgan with costume design by Amy Clark, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge and video design by Nathan W. Scheuer. Wig design is by John Metzner, and the production stage manager is Bonnie Panson.
Fiddler on the Roof has a book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; the musical is based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem.
“Set in 1905 in the tradition-steeped village of Anatevka, Russia,” Fiddler on the Roof, according to the Muny, “is a poignant folk-tale that tells the story of Tevye, a poor dairyman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to instill in his daughters their cultural traditions in the face of changing social mores of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, Fiddler on the Roof is a cherished American-musical laden with happiness and tears.”
For more information visit Muny.org.
*The Broadway revival of Fiddler continues at the Broadway Theatre. Watch clips from the Broadway production below:
