Hershey Felder Presents – Before Fiddler

Porchlight is excited to again partner with HERSHEY FELDER PRESENTS – LIVE FROM FLORENCE for its latest live stream performance! Decades before the beloved musical Fiddler on the Roof first delighted worldwide audiences, there was Sholem Aleichem and his beloved character of “Tevye the Milkman.” When Aleichem was only 24 years old, he published his first story, “Tsvey Shteyner” (“Two Stones”), and by 1890, he had become a central figure in Yiddish literature. Aleichem was known as the “Jewish Mark Twain” for his similar writing style and pen name usage.

Felder will play Sholem Aleichem himself – giving audiences the true story of what happened before Fiddler.

Long before songs like “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset” first beguiled audiences, there was Klezmer, the music of the Old World; a music that imitated talking, laughing, weeping, and singing, and where musicians didn’t just make music, they spoke to you in song.

In Florence, Italy, one of the oldest artistic centers in the world, a group of musicians have been virtuosos in the world-famous Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino by day (under the baton of  famed conductor Zubin Mehta), and then become the Klezmerata Fiorentina by night. The quartet consists of violinist and violist Igor Polesitsky; clarinetist Riccardo Crocilla; accordionist and bassoonist Francesco Furlanich; and double bass player Riccardo Donati.
Filmed on location where events actually took place, this streaming production will feature the stories and characters of Sholem Aleichem, along with music that is sure to move the soul.

Before Fiddler – Live from Florence production team includes Felder and Stefano DeCarli (direction); Trevor Hay (associate direction); Hershey Felder (production design); DeCarli Live film company (film production and live editing); Erik Carstensen (live broadcast and sound design production); Annette Nixon (line production); Meghan Maiya (production and broadcast development); Isabelle Gerbe (costumes and hair) and Pierre Gerbe (scenic construction production).

Tickets are now on sale! Viewing access for all ends Sunday, Feb. 28 at 11:59pm CT.

Porchlight Music Theatre is a recipient of 50% of ticket revenue generated by sales from our efforts promoting this production. Please purchase tickets via the link above, and thank you to Hershey Felder for including Porchlight as a partner.

This is a third party presentation presented by Hershey Felder. Porchlight is not responsible for its content.

Ticket holders will receive their viewing link via the email used to register for the event. The performance may be streamed from a smart TV, computer, smartphone or tablet.

Viewing access for all ends Sunday, February 28 at 11:59pm CT.

How To Watch

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this a family-friendly event? Yes, this is a family-friendly event.
• How will I receive the Viewing Link? Ticket holders will receive their viewing link via the email used to register for the event.
• What if I experience technical difficulties or am unable to view the stream? We are not responsible for technical difficulties on your home devices or any issues with your local broadband or wifi. However, there is online support available to help you as best we can. Contact events@hersheyfelderpresents.com for online support. Also, if you do have technical difficulties, please remember that your purchase includes the live stream AND an additional week of “on demand” viewing access to a video recording of the live stream (available one-hour after the live broadcast ends).
• What if the stream buffers while I am watching? First, don’t worry – you can watch what you missed in the recording later! The recording will be available to you for 1 week after the event.  For troubleshooting tips click HERE.
• What’s the refund policy? There are no refunds for this event.
• Is my registration fee or ticket transferrable? No transfers or sharing.
• May I give this as a gift or purchase access for multiple households? Yes, you may gift access to friends and family! To do so, you will need to make a separate purchase for each household and provide a different name and email address associated with that viewing household. The confirmation email will go directly to them.
• How do I contact the organizer if I have questions? You can email events@hersheyfelderpresents.com with questions. We will get back to you as soon as possible and thank you for your patience.