Fiddler
on the Roof, based on the short story "Tevye and His
Daughters" by Sholom Aleichem, was one of the first musicals
to defy Broadway's established rules of commercial success. It
dealt with serious issues such as persecution, poverty, and the
struggle to hold on to one's beliefs in the midst of a hostile
and chaotic environment. Criticized at first for its "limited
appeal", Fiddler on the Roof struck such a universal
chord in audiences that it became, for a time, the longest running
production in the history of Broadway.
Set in 1905, Fiddler on the Roof takes place in Anatevka,
a small Jewish village in Russia. The story revolves around the
dairyman Tevye and his attempts to preserve his family's traditions
in the face of a changing world. When his eldest daughter, Tzeitel,
begs him to let her marry a poor tailor rather than the middle-aged
butcher that he has already chosen for her, Tevye must choose
between his own daughter's happiness and those beloved traditions
that keep the outside world at bay. Meanwhile, there are other
forces at work in Anatevka, dangerous forces which threaten to
destroy the very life he is trying to preserve.
Fiddler on the Roof opened on September 22, 1964 with
Zero Mostel in the leading role. It ran for 3,242 performances
at the Imperial Theatre and opened the door for other musicals
to deal with more serious issues. The 1971 screen version featured
Norma Crane, Molly Picon, and Topol.
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