Newbridge schools put on 'Fiddler on the Roof'

THE talents and creativity of students of both Patrician College Newbridge and the Holy Family Secondary School drew the crowds in Newbridge recently.

The Patrician College production of Fiddler on the Roof saw the entire ensemble get a standing ovation from a packed house over four nights.

“We had about 300 every night, a full house and a standing ovation every night,” said Kate O’Dea, a Maths teacher at Patrician College who directed the tour de force production.

“I invited 35 girls from the Holy Family Convent to play the female parts,” said Kate.

“There’s about 50 in the cast, and only 15 male roles, so it worked really well.

Mannix McNeill played ‘Tevye’ the male lead, and Nicole Driver played ‘Golde’, the female lead.

The cast and crew put in trojan efforts for the production and the hard work was worth it.

Kate – though a Maths teacher – did all the amateur dramatics and musicals when growing up, hence her love for it.

“I just love them, always have,” she said. 

“Bob Roache (retired Construction Studies teacher) built a model of the set you could fit in your hands, and gave it to the Construction Department who to be fair built it from scratch, yet come Friday at 1pm it was clear.

“After weeks of woodwork and stagecraft it was all gone,” she said.

Would you do it again?

Kate remarked: “Oh, absolutely! don’t get me wrong, it was serious work, but it was brilliant!”