By Brianna Ciniglio – Columnist

Hofstra’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” had just about everything you could want in a musical – a talented cast, great music and a beloved story-line.

This classic musical is set in a small village in Imperial Russia and follows Tevye, a father who is compelled to abide by his Jewish traditions while his daughters find love in nontraditional circumstances.

Junior Michael Caizzi was definitely a crowd-pleaser due to his delightful portrayal of the main character, Tevye. He had the audience laughing at all the right moments, while leaving the crowd awed to silence in his more serious scenes. His performance stole the show.

Second to Caizzi’s performance was sophomore Caroline McFee, who played Tevye’s second oldest daughter, Hodel.

Mcfee had a beautiful voice and her acting came across as very natural. It was easy to sympathize with her character’s struggles in her relationship.

The cast featured a very talented group of individuals. The members even stayed in character as they walked through the aisles before the show and during intermission – something I appreciated.

Each cast member made it easy to feel like one of the villagers while watching their performance through the ups and downs of their characters’ lives.

The set was simple, mostly just a few wooden houses. It allowed the audience to focus on the interesting characters and scenes, such as Tevye’s “dream sequence,” which featured a huge party and even a ghost that towered over the rest of the cast.

The music in this show is definitely memorable – after all, the show is named after the fiddler – and includes a perfect combination of humorous and passionate songs, from the well-known, “If I Were a Rich Man” to “Sunrise, Sunset.”

Though the show is long – about three hours – and I was entertained the whole way through. The performance was definitely worth watching.