Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and other tales by 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-each one's choice of husband moves further away from the customs of his faith-and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village.
By the finale, the production settles into the routine of rejection - of a daughter who weds outside the faith, of an entire community cast out for that very faith. (In czarist Russia, it seems, goys will be goys.) And audiences will feel the customary tug of sentiment, caught up in the sweep of this family, this village and this culture. As Tevye might ask, Do you love me? How can anyone resist?
Performances are very good, as is the lively dancing choreographed by Hofesh Schechter that taps tradition and some contemporary moves. But the curious scenery often gets in the show's way. It makes for a distracting, busy and slow-pokey production of a tightknit musical. As always, it ends on a strong note. Tevye's acknowledgment, 'God be with you,' to the disavowed Chava will change the shape of her life, her fathers' and everyone's. You'd have to be made of granite not to be moved to happiness and tears.
1964 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1967 | West End |
London Production West End |
1969 | US Tour |
Bus and Truck Tour US Tour |
1976 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
1981 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
1983 | West End |
London Revival West End |
1990 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
1994 | West End |
London Revival West End |
2004 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
2007 | West End |
London Revival West End |
2009 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
2010 | US Tour |
Troika Entertainment National Tour US Tour |
2011 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
2015 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
2018 | Off-Broadway |
National Yiddish Theatre Production Off-Broadway |
2018 | West End |
London Revival at Menier Chocolate Factory West End |
2019 | Off-Broadway |
NYTF Off-Broadway Production at Stage 42 Off-Broadway |
2019 | West End |
West End Revival West End |
2019 | US Tour |
2019 Revival Tour US Tour |
2022 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Return Production Off-Broadway |
West End |
West End |
|
West End |
West End |
|
West End |
West End |
|
West End |
West End |
|
West End |
West End |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Bartlett Sher |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Fiddler on the Roof |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Fiddler on the Roof |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Danny Burstein |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Fiddler on the Roof |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Fiddler on the Roof |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Hofesh Shechter |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Danny Burstein |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Fiddler on the Roof |
Videos