Matthew J. Kilgore

Fiddler opened Wednesday night in front of an amazing Chicago audience at the Oriental Theatre. It was an exciting night for me personally, as I grew up about 6 hours south of Chicago and went to college in Decatur, IL. During school, I spent many weekends in the Chicagoland area visiting friends’ families, performing with Midwest Ballet Theater in The Nutcracker, and playing Bugs Bunny in What’s Up, Rock?! at Great America in the summer of 1997. Chicago was also one of the places I cut my teeth in professional regional theater having danced in the ensemble of Annie Get Your Gun at the Marriott Lincolnshire a few years ago. So, needless to say, it was a dream come true to step out onstage Wednesday night in a city so close to my heart.

Fiddler on the Roof is a show about family and they way they navigate through their changing beliefs and traditions as the world changes around them. It seems to strike a chord with just about anyone in the audience which is why, I believe, the show is still as popular today as it was 40 years ago. Every person in the audience can relate to something that takes place during the show in some way.

On June 21 at 7:00pm, the cast of Fiddler on the Roof will take the stage at THE SPOT in a cabaret benefit entitled Fiddlin’ Around to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Chicago House.

We would love to extend an invite to all of Broadway In Chicago’s patrons to come enjoy a night of music to benefit these two wonderful organizations. Admission is $10 at the door and will include a drink ticket good for a free domestic beer or house wine. We will also be raffling off prizes and souvenirs throughout the night. Come on out and join us at THE SPOT!

Matthew Kilgore (Bottle Dancer; Ensemble/FIDDLER ON THE ROOF)