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.
Tevye is a mensch. In director Bartlett Sher's thoughtful but uneven revival of the enduring, endearing musical 'Fiddler on the Roof,' Danny Burstein - a longtime Broadway veteran stepping at last into a starring role as comfortably as a favorite slipper - brings charm, decency and depth of feeling to the role of a Jewish dairyman living in a shtetl in pre-Revolution Russia with his wife, Golde, and their five daughters. Some may take exception to some of Sher's tinkering with the template of the beloved title, but few will find fault in Burstein's gentle, lovable man of faith, family and community. What's not to like? The personal intimacy of Tevye's casual conversations with God, not to mention the easy rapport Burstein has with the audience, only intensifies the humor and humanity of the classic material, and should prove an attractive draw for both first-timers and returning fans of the show.
In perfect sync with that balancing act is Danny Burstein's portrayal of Tevye, the philosopher milkman first defined by the fabulously eccentric Zero Mostel and reconsidered in countless variations. Burstein, heretofore a star only to New York theater lovers, embodies a gentle, sweet yet powerful, profoundly likable man whose debates with God have the bemused inevitability of truth. Burstein also sings the role better than any Tevye in my experience.
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