Fiddler on the Roof Fun Facts
- Fiddler on the Roof was originally titled Tevye and is based on the 1894 story Tevye and His Daughters (or Tevye the Milkman) by Sholem Aleichem, a leading Yiddish author and playwright.
- The title for Fiddler on the Roof was inspired by a painting called “The Fiddler” by Marc Chagall. The fiddler is a metaphor for survival in a life of change and uncertainty through the upholding of tradition and joy. The sets for Fiddler on the Roof, designed by Boris Aronson, were also based on Chagall’s work.
- Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on September 22, 1964. It was the first musical theatre production in history to have a Broadway run surpassing 3,000 performances, closing with a total of 3,242.
- Fiddler on the Roof held the record for the longest running show on Broadway for 10 years.
- The original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. By the end of his life in 1998, Robbins had received five Tony Awards®, two Academy Awards, the 1981 Kennedy Center Honors, the 1988 National Medal of Arts, the French Legion of Honor, three Honorary Doctorates and an Honorary Membership in the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
- The first actor to play Tevye on Broadway was Zero Mostel. Mostel was also considered by director Norman Jewison for the 1971 film adaption, but Jewison felt Mostel’s interpretation of Tevye was too comedic. He instead cast Chaim Topol, who also played Tevye in numerous stage productions.
- The 1971 film version of "Fiddler on the Roof" was shot mostly on soundstages in England. The film won two Golden Globe Awards and three Academy Awards.
- Paul Lipson holds the distinction of appearing as Tevye more than 2,000 times.
- In 2007, Time Magazine ranked Fiddler on the Roof as the 7th most frequently produced musical in American high schools.
- Harvey Fierstein replaced Chaim Topol as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof: The Farewell Tour in 2009 after Topol left the tour due to torn muscles in his arms.
Click the LISTEN NOW button found on the Fiddler on the Roof page here to listen to a selection of classic hits!
Tradition
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
If I Were a Rich Man
Sabbath Prayer
To Life
Miracle of Miracles
Tevye's Dream
Sunrise, Sunset
The Bottle Dance
Now I Have Everything
Do You Love Me?
I Just Heard
Far From the Home I Love
Chavaleh
Anatevka
1965 Tony Awards®:
Best Musical (Winner)
Best Book of a Musical (Winner)
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Winner)
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Winner)
Best Producer (Winner)
Best Director (Winner)
Best Composer and Lyricist (Winner)
Best Choreography (Winner)
Best Costume Design (Winner)
Best Scenic Design (Nominee)
1972 Tony Awards®:
Special Award – Longest-running Musical in Broadway History
1981 Tony Awards®:
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Nominee)