With a rich 90-year history of 650 shows with high-level production values, the Haddonfield Plays & Players is eager to welcome audiences to its shows.
The Players produce five regular shows throughout the season: a mix of musicals, comedies, dramas, mysteries, and family shows.
The recent production of “Rent” was presented to appreciative audiences from Friday, Sept. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 4, and is being followed by a heartfelt and timely production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” from Dec. 5 to Dec. 20.
Haddonfield 08033 caught up with the production of “Rent” as it was casted in early June, and rehearsals began a week or so after. The production’s director Jenna Kuerzi, an accomplished Philadelphia-based actor and director, filled in for the original director, who was on maternity leave.
Since Kuerzi was already performing in a new musical adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Shakespeare in Clark Park in West Philadelphia, she had the top-notch performers focus on the music in July, and “hardcore rehearsals” began in August.
Kuerzi, who has an impressive resume as a regional theater actor, received a Barrymore nomination (the region’s Tony Award) for her role in Camp Siegfried at Theater Exile about “two teenagers falling in love in the setting of a Nazi indoctrination summer camp,” and another this year for her part as Rizzo in Grease at the Media Theater.
In addition to her numerous regional stage productions, Kuerzi had a leading role in Delco: The Movie, a full-length feature also starring Brian O’Halloran (Clerks). The movie is awaiting distribution, streaming, and touring at film festivals.
“It was a super educational experience and a joy to film,” she said, “and everyone involved has high hopes for it.”
What did Kuerzi appreciate about directing at the Plays & Players?
“Being back in the creative chair,” she shared, “taking this familiar story, and helping our performers to add their own spin to a show that people already love has been truly gratifying.”
And after putting the final touches and rehearsals, everyone involved was eager for opening night.
“We had standing ovations for ‘Rent,’ night after night,” shared Chris Miller, the theater’s managing artistic director. “We were sold out a few nights and near capacity for most of the rest of the run. They loved it.
“All of the audiences were engaged and entertained, and gave us extremely positive feedback.”
So, what did Kuerzi appreciate about directing at the Plays & Players?
“Being back in the creative chair, taking this familiar story, and helping our performers to add their own spin to a show that people already love has been truly gratifying,” she explained.
Next up is the timeless musical “Fiddler on the Roof” with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Joseph Stein. It is set in the little village of Anatevka, a settlement of Imperial Russia, around 1905, and based on the original Shalom Aleichem stories.
Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, is faced with the challenge of marrying off his five daughters amid the growing tension in his shtetl. He faces poverty, pogroms, weddings, loss, and love with great dignity and emotion.
For “Fiddler on the Roof” lyricist Harnick, the original stories were the perfect material to turn into a musical. “They are remarkable stories because they make you laugh, and then they make you cry,” he said during a 2015 interview. “They are so human. You truly feel like you know these characters.”
It is difficult to imagine watching the show and listening to the songs, including “Tradition, If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Far from the Home I Love,” and not being moved by the emotion that the melody and lyrics evoke.
It is also so easy to understand why so many of the songs continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. Sunrise, Sunset, the focus of the wedding scene, has been there for countless brides and grooms, especially those standing under a chuppah (canopy) at their weddings.
Regardless of where the musical is produced, from New Jersey and Broadway to India and China, Harnick said that family members see themselves reflected in the memorable characters.
“The wide appeal shouldn’t have surprised us [the show’s creators],” Harnick added, “because the show is about family, and about young people breaking away from the traditions and values of their parents.”
Why Come to See Fiddler on the Roof?
“I’m excited to bring this classic musical theater piece back to our patrons,” Miller said. “It had some recent revival and a Yiddish tour, which [previously] made it off limits for us to produce. We are excited to be able to do this piece now. “
He said that not only does the time-honored show have beautiful and memorable music, “it’s also very significant with the current geopolitical situations in both the Middle East and Ukraine, which makes this show as relevant now as ever.”
He encourages everyone to see this production of Fiddler, regardless of how many times they have seen it before.
“To honor not only seeing a great and entertaining live production, but to immerse yourselves in the culture and tradition that Fiddler on the Roof provides.”
About Haddonfield Plays & Players
Haddonfield Plays & Players is a group of committed individuals who come together to provide quality theater at an affordable price, as well as to provide a creative outlet for non-professionals, all in an atmosphere of personal and social enrichment that is open to everyone who has a commitment to non-profit theater.
The Haddonfield Plays & Players is also dedicated to community education, including a number of quality programs geared toward children in pre-K through age 18. Among the enduring innovative programs is Number the Stars, a Holocaust awareness program that has welcomed many school groups to annual performances for more than 20 years.
Not only are these top-notch productions in our backyard, but the venue is the only BYOB theater in South Jersey, Miller said.
“So, bring your favorite drink and enjoy a great night of entertainment.”
Haddonfield Plays & Players will present “Fiddler on the Roof,” from Dec. 5 to Dec. 20, followed by a full 2026 production schedule:
- Jan. 16-31: “Shrek the Musical”
- Feb. 20 to March 7: “Noises Off”
- May 8-23: Alanis Morissett’s “Jagged Little Pill” The Musical
- Sept. 25 to Oct. 10: “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
The non-profit also hosts many special programs each year, including themed cabaret nights, staged readings, and one-act showcases.
For Tickets and More Information: Haddonfield Plays & Players
Address: 957 East Atlantic Ave.
Haddonfield, New Jersey, 08033
Phone: 856-429-8139
Website: www.haddonfieldplayers.com
