[Charlotte_Lucyx]

Ok,

so i've seen so many people on this site ttalking about how chava is their favourite character, and i would love for anyone who has played/is playing chava to come to this topic. we can talk about the role, give each other tips etc.

So yes, I am currently playing Chava and our production is in April. The biggest thing i am having difficulty with is letting our Tevye kiss me, i have a huge phobia of beards and its horrible lol

Anyway, my stage family are wicked and my Fyedka is such a cutie!

How about you guys?

[AnnieER25]

Chava was a gift, and a role that taught me a lot. I hadn't put in to play her because I was 23 and felt that I would be too old. When I was cast I thought that I had screwed up my audition. I was bummed because this was the first show my dad was going to see me in and I knew he'd complain about the lack of stage time. At the time I didn't know the show very well and didn't realize what an acting gem the role is. I think I hurt my director's feelings when I told him that I almost didn't take the role to audition for the same show with a group closer to my apartment. What a mistake that would have been!

We developed a real family relationship. The whole cast would hang out frequently and the three couples and the director became really close. It was a strange casting among the couples, Fyedka and Perchick were a couple, Motel and Hodel were engaged, and Tzeitel ended up dating the director! I was already married so I missed out on the dating frenzy.

Tevye would always tell me that I was his favorite, but for all I know he said that to all of us. When he yelled at me and then later cried during Chavelah, it was so hard to take because it all felt so real. I never had to manufacture the fear or the tears. His ten-year-old son thought I was only 15 so he would ask me for my 'digits' and tell me to call him all the time, which embarrased his dad so much! It was cute until he met my husband at a cast party and kept shooting him dirty looks! Well, o.k. we thought it was really funny.

I have so many great memories from that show that I could go on and on, but I'll stop and switch gears now. To prep for playing Chava I read her chapter from the book Tevye and His Daughters or it may have been Tevye the Dairyman. I skimmed both, but I can't remember which one I found most useful. I completely changed the way I played her after that and it made such a difference, because I had been playing her more like Tzeitel and Hodel, which she wasn't. I also watched the movie, but I didn't really pull from that at all. Neva Small was good, but I liked my interpretation and I never got any negative notes so I feel that I gave her what she needed. I got such a great response from everybody that I never wanted to stop playing her. I still miss this role and the cast. It's the first time I ever cried when a show ended.

[star2ballie]

Read "Tevye's Daughters". All of it. It will completely impact the way you play Chava (actually, any of the daughters).

Chava was a role that changed me as an actress, it wasn't a huge role, stage time or line-wise, but I had to really work. It was intense.

Also, I got to do ballet, which was so amazing for me to be able to do. I loved it.

I got very close with my "family", moreso than any other show I've been in.

My only gripe was that my Fyedka, while wonderful, was a little bit of a creeper. Not gonna lie. Oh well.

[philliesfan10]

I'm currently playing Chava and our opening night is in less than two weeks. I'm officially freaking out. It's been difficult for me to grasp her as a character because she seems to be so much different then her sisters. She may be younger, but I see her as so much more mature and adult-like. She's also so much more reserved and quiet. It's been hard to deliver certain lines without attitude because I want to be a typical teen. But I have to remember that she isn't like Hodel or Tzietal. My Fyedka is a doll. He's crazy off stage, but when it's time to get down to business he's SO GOOD. I'm very very lucky. Also, my Tevye happens to be my best friend so we have really good chemistry. We're able to flow off each other during the intense emotional scenes. We've also been able to practice on our own time a lot. Our rule together is "not one dry eye in the house" for when Chava is disowned. I'm definitely loving the role. She's so dynamic.

[Mark Walton]

[philliesfan10]

We haven't really done that scene too many times, but it seems to be pretty good. Everyone in the cast says I'm very good at making them feel the emotion of everyone leaving so I guess that's a good thing. The scene before the Chava Ballet Sequence went REALLY well yesterday when we practiced it. Lot's of emotion. Looooove that scene.