Hempfield High School (HHS), 200 Stanley Ave., Landisville, will present "Fiddler on the Roof" as its spring musical for 2024. Shows will be held in the school's performing arts center on Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2, at 7 p.m., with a matinee on Sunday, March 3, at 2 p.m. A senior citizen preview night will take place on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. The preview night is open to those age 65 and older, and it is sponsored by the Hempfield Foundation.

No tickets are required to attend the senior preview night. Tickets for the weekend shows may be purchased at the box office 45 minutes before the start of each performance or online until two hours before the beginning of the shows. To purchase a ticket, visit http://www.hempfieldsd.org/Page/117.

Cast and crew members began rehearsing for "Fiddler on the Roof" in December, and they have continued to prepare for the show during daily practices.

When deciding what show to present as this year's spring musical, the theater department's faculty members wanted to select a production that hadn't been done in many years. The school also wanted to choose a show that would highlight the skills of its students. "Fiddler on the Roof" has not been performed at HHS in more than 30 years, and the structure of the show allows its cast members to showcase both their acting and singing abilities, making it the perfect candidate. "We felt like 'Fiddler on the Roof' was a good title people would know," said Alejandro Ramos, director of the play. "There's great music as well, but it requires some serious acting."

Although HHS last presented "Fiddler on the Roof" as its spring musical in 1987, the show was held in Hackman Auditorium, which served as the school's stage for theater productions and musical performances. The current performing arts center was renovated in 1996, and it is much larger than Hackman Auditorium; the larger space allows crew members to incorporate more technical aspects in each performance, in addition to giving actors more room on stage to perform.

The majority of "Fiddler on the Roof" takes place in the same house, but Ramos said he plans to use the performing arts center's larger space to make the stage an intimate and dynamic setting for actors and audience members alike. "The bigger space allows for vulnerability," Ramos added. "It lets the audience see and experience various elements of the show in multiple ways, as well as making the set feel more natural."

In addition to rehearsing frequently, student actors have been taking an immersive approach to understand the show's material, which revolves around the Jewish faith and community. Many actors have attended services at local Jewish synagogues to learn about Jewish faith and culture. "One of the biggest benefits of the show is exposing our students to diversity and a culture they may not be familiar with," Ramos said. "It's important for them to understand a story that isn't their own."