ADAM KANTOR: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Broadway, NYC
The Bees Go to Broadway
I met Adam Kantor ("Motel" in the 2016 revival of Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway) through my realtor. I know, random, right? Adam looked at my apartment in the East Village of Manhattan when it went on the market in early 2016. My realtor had put an article out on the table about The Good of the Hive and my work. Adam donated $18 to The Good of the Hive after visiting the apartment (which I thought was a very strange amount to donate at the time). He didn't get the apartment, but I contacted him and asked him if he was interested in helping out the bees. I also asked him why he donated $18 and he said that 18 is good luck and blessing in the Jewish tradition. He said yes to helping out with the bees, so I met him at the stage door one night between shows to discuss possibilities. And before I go on, I have to say that Adam Kantor is one of the most genuine, earnest people I have ever met. His kindness and presence are palpable the moment you are standing next to him. Honestly, I was crushing pretty hard to the point of having trouble listening to him.
Radical Awe
As we walked around Times Square it seemed like we were in a bubble talking about bees and life and faith. He told me a story about the first day of rehearsals for the new cast. The actors came from varying levels of relationship to faith and Judaism, so the producers brought in a rabbi to talk with them about it. And the rabbi described faith as "radical awe." As soon as Adam said those words, it hit me as exactly what I feel when I am standing in the presence of an active beehive. I told Adam a little more about my journey and he generously offered the walls of his dressing room as a canvas. We later had to modify that and paint on canvas because the theater has pretty strict rules about painting on the walls. But no matter, I was certain our piece was going to “Cultivate Radical Awe.” After seeing the show I couldn’t stop thinking about “To Life!” The song rang deeply, so I made two paintings in the end. Both are a celebration in their own way and both speak to the deepest human desire to live and celebrate faith and life even in the face of tremendous adversity.
About the Bees
Adam invited me to do a video in his dressing room talking about the bees. I was like a deer in the headlights, but Adam carried me through like the pro he is.
