Timeless tale

Fan favorite Fiddler on the Roof breaks with tradition at Bass Concert Hall

The cast of Fiddler on the Roof.

Photo by Joan Marcus

There are some stories that never become obsolete, including those about parents and children not seeing eye to eye. Fiddler on the Roof, the story of a poor milkman raising five daughters in 1905 pre-revolutionary Russia, has been an audience favorite since it debuted on Broadway in 1964, eventually winning a Tony Award for Best Musical the following year. The movie adaptation won several Academy Awards and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy in 1972. Now, the trials of Tevye will be told once again for Austin fans at Bass Concert Hall April 2-7.

In Fiddler, a father’s wish for his daughters to marry well (and within the Jewish faith) is challenged when they instead choose their mates for love. With iconic songs including “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “Sunrise Sunset," and “Tradition,” the show leaves audiences dancing in the aisles and humming along.

“The songs are so iconic. Even if you don’t think you know Fiddler on the Roof, you likely know at least a handful of the songs. If you know “Rich Girl” by Gwen Stefani, then you know of “If I Were a Rich Man,” explains Michael Uselmann, music director and conductor for the national tour.

Uselmann, who is responsible for maintaining the musical integrity of the show and conducting the 10-piece orchestra nightly, says he was enamored with musical theater from a young age, and discovered a knack for orchestrating and arranging music in high school.

He admits this version of Fiddler might surprise some audiences. “It has everything they know and love, but it’s less of your typical big Broadway orchestra sound and more of a raucous band you might have heard at a wedding in Russia in the early 1900s. So, it’s exciting,” he says. “The way that our show is directed is in a style of realism that sometimes isn’t used with an older musical.”

He says the opening number “Tradition” is his favorite musical moment in the show. “A minute into it, the whole orchestra joins in, and there’s some fantastic choreography that goes along with it. It’s an incredible opening number. It’s exhilarating.”

As for the story, Fiddler may be based at the turn of the 20th century but the theme of children breaking tradition against their parents’ wishes is timeless. “Whether it’s 1905 or 2019, it’s a story that will always be relevant," Uselmann says. "Cultures across the world identify with it, and everyone can see some version of themselves in the characters and situations.”

You can experience this revival of the beloved classic at Bass Concert Hall April 2-7.

theater

High Score

Austin named the nation's pickleball capital in industry report

Photo by Henry Selis Photo

Other Racquet Social Club is back after city woes.

It's no secret that Austinites love pickleball. A new study proves just how much by ranking Austin the No. 1 city for pickleball in the whole country. Dallas and Houston also made the top 10 at Nos. 3 and 8, respectively.

The report was published by TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports (and sometimes music) from private instructors. It used data from its own platform, USA Pickleball, Places2Play, local pickleball associations, and more. It also referred to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), which named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America, with a growth rate of 223.5 percent over three years.

Similarly, TeachMe.To ranked Austin as the fastest-growing city for pickleball, and citing this as the main reason for the overall title of "the nation's pickleball capital."

It name-checked the Austin Metro Pickleball Association (AMPA) — with approximately 3,000-3,500 members — and the Austin Pickleball League (APL), estimating that overall, "15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area." About half of those players — about 8,000-10,000 people — play at least twice a month.

The report did not include gender data on Austin, specifically, but it did note that not only are two-thirds of pickleball players female; women's involvement in the sport is also growing 50 percent faster than men's.

New courts everywhere
This probably isn't a surprise to people who have noticed the number of courts opened around Austin in recent years. By 2024, TeachMe.To's data shows 32 dedicated courts in Austin, and thanks to with a utility rate of 92 percent it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down.

In the summer of 2023, the online booking platform Swimply noticed how many pickleball courts there were in Austin compared to such great demand, and added courts to its service. In fall 2023 and summer 2024, at least two important developments expanded that availability: Other Racquet Social Club opened as a friendly, country club-like neighborhood option, and national chain The Picklr announced it's bringing five locations to Austin and Round Rock.

Perhaps because Austin is such a food-obsessed city, there seems to be some growing opportunity for food and beverage hospitality around pickleball, too. Other Racquet recently started hosting the Bill's Dips food truck, a spinoff of the popular downtown restaurant Bill's Oyster; and a pair of bars with pickleball courts, Drifters Social Coffee & Cocktails and The Pickle Pub, also opened in South Austin this year, with strong online ratings already.

The trend has even reached into real estate (see this cute house with its own pickleball court) and inspired athletes to introduce similar sports to the local market, as in the case of the padel club Paddle39. TeachMe.To's report also mentioned tech companies adding pickleball to their campuses.

Aside from growth, the study also considered lesson activity (including information about teacher availability and diversity of clinic offerings), infrastructure, community vitality, the tournament scene.

Austin had the highest concentration of all the cities of players under 40 (65 percent), as well as the highest share of national lesson bookings. At 16.90 percent, that means about one in six of the pickleball lessons contracted through this platform were in Austin. Lesson demand, the report says, is growing 125 percent year-over-year.

Elsewhere in Texas
Dallas was No. 3 thanks in part to its "central location" according to the report.

"The city's 45 dedicated courts and 85 [percent] public accessibility rate have fostered one of the most active competitive scenes in the country, with 8,500 registered league players," it says. "The combination of strong tournament presence, extensive infrastructure, and a 112% growth in lesson bookings solidifies Dallas as a powerhouse in the national pickleball landscape."

Houston made No. 8 with an emphasis on integrating pickleball with other sports.

"The city's 22 dedicated courts have seen a 92% increase in lesson bookings, driven by innovative programming that includes the nation's first corporate league system," it says. "Houston's success in integrating pickleball into existing sports infrastructure while maintaining 72% year-round utilization demonstrates a sustainable model for rapid growth."

Overall predictions
After laying out data about the top cities in pickleball, the report made some predictions. As the Austin newcomer mentioned above believes, the report also thinks padel is the next big thing. It also guesses more cities will act like Houston by focusing on hybrid facilities.

It also expects to see an expanded professional circuit and mainstream coverage, more technology used on the court, a rise in the prevalence of young players, and more opportunities in corporate wellness and real estate. "Dedicated pickleball facilities will become as common as swimming pools in luxury developments," it says. Texans will be the judge of that one.

pickleball lists