2026 CAST LIST
To those who auditioned,
Before you scroll to the names below… take a breath…
Read this first.
A cast list is a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece matters — but not every piece fits the same spot. Casting isn’t simply identifying the most talented people and placing them in roles. It’s about finding the right fit for each role, in this specific story, in this particular season and production.
That means some who have carried lead roles before won’t see their name on this list. And some stepping onto a stage for the very first time will. That’s not a mistake… that’s the puzzle coming together this year.
If your name isn’t here — you are not a failure. Take a moment. Ask God to give you the grace to accept this result… and give Him praise, even if it didn’t go your way.
Because if you weren’t cast, I wholeheartedly believe God has something important for you this summer… something purposeful meant specifically for you. Maybe that’s with us behind the scenes. Maybe it’s in another pursuit entirely.
But it is not nothing.
Casting is a genuinely painful job. Between 100+ auditions, two days of callbacks, and deep, late-night discussions, we invested 39+ hours over the past week alone into building this list. Because every single person who walked through that door deserved nothing less.
Thank you for trusting us with something as personal as your heart. We carry every single one of you with us into this season and we do hope to see you in the future.
Now, for those joining us on stage this season…
Welcome to our 25th Anniversary production of Fiddler on the Roof!
This year, 80% of our cast is brand-new to URTM. That is not a small thing. That’s our community keeping its doors open — and we are overjoyed by the talent, the heart, and the fresh energy walking through them. If this is your first Upper Room Theatre production, welcome to the family. We mean that.
Upper Room Theatre Ministry has always been exactly that… a family, rooted in God. New members and alums, side by side, telling stories that matter, using every God-given gift.
For those cast: We cannot wait to embark on this journey with you. Twenty-five years of stories on our stage. And this one is shaping up to be something truly special.
Please read all the details below carefully, because our first FULL COMPANY rehearsal kicks off this Wednesday…
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE AND MUST-DOS
Our first rehearsal is this WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 6:30-10:00p in our Performing Arts Center (PAC). This is the same location where our callbacks were held at All Saints (9310 Stonewall Road).
We need FULL CAST to be present (unless indicated on your Conflict Form).
On Wednesday, we start with a Full Company Meeting promptly at 6:30pm, followed by costume measurements, and the beginning of full company music and dialect work until 10:00pm.
The upcoming exact call times for music rehearsals will be published very soon and come via email from our stage manager, Amy Underwood. We have LOT of ground to cover, in and out of rehearsal, before our full company readthrough/singthrough on June 10.
You MUST also have MTI’s RehearScore app all installed on your mobile device. Everyone should already have installed it from callback preparation. If you do not, look for it in Google Play or the AppStore and use username “fiddlerontheroof” and password “40377952” (both with no quotes).
BRING A PENCIL, BOTTLE OF WATER, and PAPER TO *EVERY* REHEARSAL, INCLUDING THE FIRST REHEARSAL.
VERY IMPORTANT: To receive your script and music binder, you must bring a $20 deposit to the first rehearsal (it can be either cash or a check made out to “All Saints Youth Ministry”). You will receive your $20 back right after the closing performance when you turn your binder in.
Please do not forget to bring this!
Also, we will send out rehearsal and show updates via email. We use a system called Flocknote to send out our emails, so please keep an eye out for any messages we will be sending you and “whitelist” our messages (and drag them to your inbox and mark them as important). It is mandatory that you are regularly reading our emails, daily calls we send, schedule updates, etc.
For rough rehearsal details and to view the online calendar on any of your devices or computers, click here (https://UpperRoomTheatreMinistry.org/schedule/). It will be updated in the coming days with specifics. The calendar will merely show what days we have rehearsal (not everyone is called to every rehearsal). Detailed breakdowns and locations will be linked from the calendar and sent via email only.
The stage manager’s daily call email will always supersede anything you see on the Google calendar. Some dates may change based on conflicts.
DO THIS NOW: SUBMIT EMERGENCY INFORMATION
EVERYONE in the company must submit emergency contact information BEFORE the first rehearsal.
Your information is kept confidential. It is only accessible by our management, used in case of an emergency. If you are under 18, your parent must submit this.
Fill this out before our first rehearsal:
Company Member Emergency Information (opens in a new window)
Please do it now while it’s fresh on your mind.
VIRTUS REQUIREMENTS - MUST READ FOR THOSE 18+
As mentioned on our initial audition page and callback information, Virtus is our required diocesan child protection program.
Anyone 18+ years old and who graduated from high school in 2025 or earlier MUST be Virtus compliant to participate in our cast. This involves a mandatory background check and a 3-hour training in May or June.
The background check process must start IMMEDIATELY now (before our first rehearsal!) or you will be in jeopardy of not participating in our show.
If you see an asterisk (*) next to your name on the cast list, that means you must be compliant.
- Everyone with a * next to their name has been submitted to our parish Virtus coordinator to check your status.
- If you know you have *never* been Virtus certified before, then you must go to https://allsaintsyouthministry.org/virtus and begin the Virtus process NOW. At the moment, you only need to do the background check process. Then, once you pass, you will move on to the next steps for CPS checks and the training. But the background check must happen first. All details are at the Virtus link above.
- If you *have* participated in Virtus training before, please email our youth ministry program coordinator, Lynn Pechiney at [email protected] to let her know the location you did your training. That way we can check your status in the diocesan database. Use the subject line “Shrek Virtus Status”.
- If you have any other questions about this process, please email Lynn as well.
Again, this is only mandatory for those 18 and over who graduated in 2025 or earlier.
CAST LIST
| CHARACTER | ACTOR |
|---|---|
| Tevye | *Jim Lawson |
| Golde | *Renée De Ponte |
| Tzeitel | *Nouwen Doyle |
| Hodel | *Maggie Saffian |
| Chava | *Chloe Steverson |
| Shprintze | Charity Schueckler |
| Bielke | Lucy Underwood |
| Motel | *Ben Philippart |
| Perchik /Nachum/ Ivan | *Joshua Ewalt + |
| Fyedka / Priest | *Daniel Ferguson |
| Lazar Wolf | *Anthony Smitha |
| Yente | *Debra James |
| Rabbi | *Scott Pierce |
| Avram | *Brian Donohue |
| Mendel | Christopher Farrell |
| Mordcha | *David Hunter |
| Yankel / Mikhail | *Luke Tessier + |
| Mirala / Fruma-Sarah | *Carolyn Scott |
| Suri / Grandma Tzeitel | *Laura Mills |
| Shaindel | *Melissa Rihl |
| Rifka | *Maria Davis |
| Reina | *Carmen Clem |
| Breindel | *Avery Heisey |
| Moishe | Sam Allen + |
| Shayna | Sophia Botros |
| Freida | Isla Phillips |
| Yussel | Justin Balint |
| Ruchel | Victoria Ward |
| Sasha | *Nick Scanlon |
| Constable | *Jay Tilley |
| The Fiddler | *John Ross + |
+ Wedding Bottle Dancers
If see an asterisk (*) next to your name, you MUST follow the Virtus compliance steps farther up on this page.
We know it is very hard to put your all into an audition and then not see your name. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
We are looking forward to an exciting summer!
God bless,
Rob Tessier and the Fiddler Casting Team