The cast of Habersham Community Theater’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. The show is playing now through April 22 at HCT in Clarkesville. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Donna Bunn James began her performance career when she was just 5 years old. She played the youngest daughter of a Jewish milkman named Tevye in her sister’s high school production of Fiddler on the Roof. Now, many years and 99 theater shows later, James takes on the role of Tevye’s wife, Golde, in the Habersham Community Theater production of Fiddler.
“It’s a role I’ve wanted to play for a while,” says James, “so, I’m thankful for the opportunity to get to play her.”
The show opened Friday. It tells the story of how Tevye tries to marry off his daughters against a backdrop of growing anti-Semitism in pre-revolutionary Russia. It’s a story of faith, family, and changing times.
HCT stalwart Chris Parker plays Tevye in this production of Fiddler. “Chris and I have known each other going on twenty years now and we’ve done several productions together,” says James. Their personal relationship feeds into their performances. “Being married to someone on stage that you know and trust, that’s a true gift.”
A creative soul
Donna Bunn James is well known throughout the region for her musical talent and skill. She’s a professional accompanist and piano teacher. She’s the founder and co-director of Mountain Voices Community Chorus. James also is an accomplished writer. She writes a weekly column for Now Habersham called “Mondays with Mom” about her role as caregiver to her ill, aging mother. She’s also working on a book.
Simply put, she is a creative soul.
“I can’t not perform,” James says. “God gave me this certain set of gifts and skills that I’ve honed all these years.”
She uses those gifts to bring joy to herself and to others.
“When I don’t perform or I’m not a part of a community of performers, I feel lost. That’s why I do Mountain Voices. That’s why I’m part of a church choir. I can’t do solitude. I have to have community connection. And this is one of the most important forms of community connection that I do.”
It keeps her busy.
James and the rest of the HCT cast and crew of Fiddler have been working on the show since January. They’ve put in many long hours learning songs, lines, and choreography, prepping sets, and rehearsing.
“While it’s nice it’s my 100th show, it’s not the end of my run. I want to keep passing the love of theater on to others.” – Donna Bunn James
“Bob did a great job teaching parts and getting us all ready to perform very complex music,” she says of the show’s musical director Bob Smith. She’s equally effusive in her praise of crew members Lynne and Bob Warren. “They are the backstage anchors. The show would not happen without them.”
Preece directs
HCT’s production of Fiddler is also notable for who’s directing it. John Preece has performed in 10 national tours of Fiddler. He’s appeared in over 3500 live performances of the show, 1900 of them as Tevye.
Preece, a Piedmont College alum, and Smith cast the production. According to James, they nailed it. “This is truly a great cast. Even the newbies have walked right in and found their character. Every one of them is believable in their roles,” she says.
100 shows and counting
As she gets ready to hit the boards in her role as Golde, James reflects on the milestone of performing in her 100th theater show.
“While it’s nice it’s my 100th show, it’s not the end of my run. I want to keep passing the love of theater on to others.” She’s already signed up to conduct music for Habersham Central High School’s spring production of Anything Goes and a summer theater camp in Sautee. She’s also made a tentative commitment to work this fall at a theater in Lawrenceville.
For now, she’s focused on Fiddler’s three-week run at HCT. The shows are sold out but the theater is adding a Saturday matinee at 1 p.m. on April 21. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 706-839-1315.
“I’m really grateful that we’re playing to sold out houses,” James enthuses. “It’s very exciting. I hope people laugh, and cry and enjoy the show!”
