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Production History
Production History
This show opened on Broadway in 1964. It was based on an anthology of stories called Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) by Sholem Aleichem. Before this, the three writers/composers had worked on The Body Beautiful together. Fiddler on the Roof was their greatest success and the first musical of its time to surpass over 3,000 shows in a single run.
reference: https://www.mtishows.com/show-history/801
Famous Productions
Original Broadway Production, September 22, 1964
The 1971 Movie
Original West End production, December 28, 1976
Broadway Revivals: 1976, 1981, 1990, 2004, and 2015
Right: Zero Mostel and Maria Karnilova in the Original Broadway Production as Tevye and Golde
This article from the New York Times talks more about the original production's history and the relationship between the actors and the director.
On Jewishness, as the Fiddle Played.pdf
Criticism and Commentary
Criticism and Commentary
Commentary
Commentary
An article which explores the relationship between Fiddler and its source material, and how actual Jews felt about the show: https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/terry-teachout/up-on-the-roof/
An article that pits Fiddler against Aristotle and explores the question, "Is this a Tragedy?" (Harnick would say no, but this remains an interesting article nonetheless): https://the-artifice.com/fiddler-on-the-roof-tragedy-aristotelian-analysis/
Sheldon Harnick (the lyricist) discusses the sad ending and how he and the other writers saw the show as both funny and universal.
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