Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and Book by Joseph Stein
One of the most popular musicals in history, “Fiddler on the Roof” is the story of family, love, change and tradition.
Set in the Imperial Russia in 1905, FIDDLER is based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem. The story centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his family and Jewish religious traditions while outside influences encroach upon their lives. He must cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters—and each one’s choice of husband—and with mounting persecution of Jews by the Tsar.
The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. Fiddler held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical, score, book, direction and choreography. It spawned four Broadway revivals, a highly successful 1971 film adaptation, and the show has enjoyed enduring international popularity. Last year a production of the musical in Yiddish, directed by Joel Grey was a Broadway hit.