Fiddler on the Roof

Fiddler on the Roof [1] is a 1964 Broadway musical with music by Jerry Bock [2], lyrics by Sheldon Harnick [3], and book by Joseph Stein [4], set in ImperialRussia in 1905.

The original play

Originally entitled Tevye and based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Milkman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem [5] (1859-1916), the Yiddish author and playwright.

First produced in 1964 at the Imperial Theatre, New York, transferred in 1967 to the Majestic Theatre and in 1970 to The Broadway Theatre, and ran for a record-setting total of 3,242 performances. The production was directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins.

Performance history in South Africa

1969: First produced in South Africa by Taubie Kushlick at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg, for African Consolidated Theatres. It starred Simon Israeli and Lya Dulizkaya with dances staged by Kip Andrews. This production was then taken on a tour of South African cities.

1979: Produced for CAPAB by Montgomery Cooper in July, directed by David Matheson, with Gordon Mulholland and, among others, Chayela Rosenthal, Maria Schoeman and Philip Godawa. Musical director Gerry Bosman, stage manager Mavis Lilenstein. Sets by Anthony Farmer.

1980: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

1981: Presented at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, directed by Devi Bughwan, October 1981.

1984: Produced by Taubie Kushlick and choreographed by Kip Andrews).

1985: Performed by PACOFS and CAPAB, directed by David Matheson, conducted by Michael Tomaschek, with Gordon Mulholland, Renee Rakin, Evelyn Dalberg, Marilyn Bennett, Lucy Coleby-Long, Nigel Daly, De Wet van Rooyen, Lorna Levenson. Choreography byAudrey Turner, costume design by Penny Simpson and lighting design by John Baker.