THEATER REVIEW ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ : Musical Tradition : The show about life in Russia is still delighting audiences decades after its initial production.

A little bit of turn-of-the-century Russia comes to Port Hueneme this month, as the Cabrillo Music Theatre presents its rousing, tuneful version of the venerable “Fiddler on the Roof.”

This production is even stronger than the company’s recent “Li’l Abner,” which was helmed by the same talented creative team, director Linda Stiegler and choreographer Kevin Calvin.

The story is simple: Dairyman Tevye and his wife, Golde, have five grown--or quickly growing--daughters. Yente the matchmaker has set herself to finding them suitable mates; the young women are developing some ideas of their own. Changes are coming to this rural community as tradition uneasily confronts innovation.

Many New York newspaper critics’ initial reaction to the Broadway production was that, as Tevye, flamboyant actor Zero Mostel was virtually the whole show, and the script and songs were less than first-rate.

Time has proved otherwise. The original production of “Fiddler” garnered the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and seven Tonys, including the Best Musical award, and commendations for Joseph Stein’s book and Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s lyrics.

Any number of actors proved able to handle Tevye. Actresses including Julia Migenes, Pia Zadora and Bette Midler rose to stardom after playing various daughters during the Broadway run, and songs including “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset” became quite popular outside the show.

Seven years and nine months after its 1964 opening, “Fiddler” became the longest-running production in Broadway history, a record that would stand until “Grease” and then “A Chorus Line.”

The Cabrillo production closes this weekend, and is worth seeing. Lloyd Allen is a fine Tevye, chatting with his God and the audience on equal terms as he sets up and participates in the story. The five daughters--Natalie Holcomb, Thyra E. Gustafson, Melora Dacayana, Melissa Webster and Megan Pryor--are equally fetching. Gary Romm is properly nerdish as the tailor, Motel, and Michael Solazzo is dashing as the firebrand student, Perchik.

Supporting characters are fine, too. Paul Marquie has a brief, comic turn as an elderly rabbi, and Gabriel Vega is imposing as the butcher, Lazar Wolf.

Calvin’s choreography is generally bright, with the “Dream Ballet” particularly entertaining. A special nod is due the team of Jerry BalDonado, Eric Weithofer, Michael Biggs and Eric Adams for an invigorating bottle dance. Charles Padilla conducts the adept, 17-piece orchestra.

* WHERE AND WHEN

“Fiddler on the Roof” continues through this weekend at the Dorill B. Wright Cultural Center, 575 Surfside Drive in Port Hueneme. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Reserved-seat tickets are $17, or $15 for students, seniors or active military, and can be charged to MasterCard by calling 483-8859. Tickets are also available at Henson’s Music in Oxnard and Ventura, and VideoTyme in Ventura. For further information, call 483-8859.