Fiddler on the Roof
Musical about tradition and change in a Jewish shtetl.
It is based on 'Tevye the Dairyman' and other short stories by Sholem Aleichem. The story centers on Tevye, a milkman in the fictional village of Anatevka, who attempts to maintain his Jewish traditions as outside influences encroach upon his family's lives.
- Based on
- Stories by Sholem Aleichem
- Original Broadway run
- First to surpass 3,000 performances
- Tony Awards won
- Nine, including Best Musical
- Notable revivals
- Five Broadway revivals
- Film adaptation
- 1971
Lore & Background
It was also influenced by 'Life is with People' by Mark Zborowski and Elizabeth Herzog. Earlier adaptations included a Yiddish dramatic adaptation produced in 1919 and a 1930s film, as well as an off-Broadway musical called 'Tevye and his Daughters' in the late 1950s. Rodgers and Hammerstein and Mike Todd briefly considered bringing that musical to Broadway but dropped the idea. Harold Prince replaced original producer Fred Coe and brought in director/choreographer Jerome Robbins. The writers and Robbins considered naming the musical 'Tevye' before settling on 'Fiddler on the Roof', a title suggested by various paintings by Marc Chagall, though the title does not refer to any specific painting.
Reader's Guide
Fiddler on the Roof achieved extraordinary popularity and critical acclaim, winning nine Tony Awards including best musical, score, book, direction, and choreography. It spawned five Broadway revivals and a highly successful 1971 film adaptation, and has enjoyed enduring international popularity as a popular choice for school and community productions. The show found a balance for its time, becoming 'one of the first popular post-Holocaust depictions of the vanished world of Eastern European Jewry', though some critics considered it too culturally sanitized or 'shtetl kitsch'. Investors and some in the media worried it might be considered 'too Jewish' to attract mainstream audiences. The production was extraordinarily profitable and held the record for longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until surpassed by 'Grease'.
Did You Know?
- The original Broadway production had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances.
- During rehearsals, star Zero Mostel feuded with Jerome Robbins, whom Mostel held in contempt for cooperating with the House Un-American Activities Committee.
- The title was suggested by various paintings by Marc Chagall, but does not refer to any specific painting.
- The musical's ending differs from Sholem Aleichem's stories, where Tevye ends alone with his wife dead and daughters scattered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the main character in Fiddler on the Roof and what does he do?
Tevye is a dairyman living in the fictional Jewish shtetl of Anatevka. He spends the story trying to hold onto his family's religious and cultural traditions even as the outside world keeps pressing changes onto his household.
What real literature is Fiddler on the Roof based on?
The musical draws its characters and situations from the short stories of Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, most notably the collection featuring Tevye the Dairyman.
How successful was Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway?
It became the first musical in Broadway history to cross the 3,000-performance mark. The production also took home nine Tony Awards, including the top prize for Best Musical.
Was Fiddler on the Roof made into a movie?
Yes, a 1971 film adaptation brought the story to the screen and became one of the most well-known musical films of the era.
What is the central theme of Fiddler on the Roof?
At its heart the show explores the tension between inherited tradition and inevitable change within a small Jewish community, using Tevye's family as the lens through which that struggle is felt.
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