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].

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.

Set in Imperial Russia in 1905, it was adapted for the stage by Bock, Hardnicke and Stein, and first produced in 1964 at the Imperial Theatre, New York, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins [6], 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, with Shimon Israeli (Tevye), Lya Dulizkaya (Golde), Jacob Witkin (Lazar Wolf), Rita McKerrow (Yente), Charles Stodel (Mordcha), Carole Gray (Hodel), June Rabson (Tzeitel), Audrey Harding (Chava), Paula Krawitz (Shprintze), Barbara Cowan (Bielke), David Matheson (Motel), Ferdie Uphof (Perchik), Max Angorn (The Rabbi), Peter Everett (Mendel), Aubrey Hindle (Avram), John Letcher (Nachum), Joan Lee (Grandma Tzeitel), Rita Ehlers (Fruma-Sarah), Harry Hilton (Constable), Terry Eave (Fyeka), Annette Naude (Shandel), Ivan Lee (The Fiddler) and others. Musical direction by Bob Adams settings by Boris Aronson and costumes by Patricia Zipprodt. After the Johannesburg run the production was 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.

1980: Westville Theatre Club, directed by Jeanne Beauchamp

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.

1991: Staged at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, directed by Michael Barclay.

1992: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

1995: Nedbank, CAPAB Musical Theatre. Nico Opera House 28 October to 25 November 1995. Directed and staged by David Matheson. Musical director: George Michie. Original choreography reproduced by Sharon Friedman and David Matheson. Cast included André Roothman as Tevye, Aviva Pelham as Golde. Other cast members included Angela Kilian, Janine Holthuysen, Anthea Thompson, Charla Malamed, Joanna Hawkins, Kate Ascott-Evans, Bonnie Maranz, Sara Cohen, Paul Griffiths, Russell Boast, DeWet van Rooyen, Garth Anderson, Richard Newman, Paul Warwick-Griffin, Johan Malherbe, Pierre Neethling, Maureen Tyson, Lindsay Redman, Lex Alport, Martin Pienaar, Hilda Sandak-Lewin, Joe Koemer, Colin Leo.

1996: Presented by the Playhouse Company at the Playhouse, directed by David Matheson.

1997: Directed by David Matheson, presented by The State Theatre, 1997 - 1998.

2005: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

2005: Presented by Snazzi Events at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, directed by Themi Venturas.

2007: Staged by Packed House Productions , directed by Genna Lewis. Music director was Adèle Strömbeck, conductor Eddy Clayton, choreographer Shelley Adriaanzen, set design Stan Knight, costumes Sarah Roberts, lighting Denis Hutchinson, sound Trevor Peters. The cast included Michael Richard as (Tevye), Judy Page (Golde), Michelle Botha (Tzeitel), Cobus Venter (Motel), Gemma Donelly (Hodel), Adam du Plessis (Perchik), [[Marisa Bosman (Chava), Jacques le Roux (Fyedka), Rouel Beukes (Lazar Wolf), Kathy-Jo Ross (Yente) et al. Performed in the Nelson Mandela Theatre, Johannesburg Civic Theatre.

2011: Staged by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society, directed by Teddy Davies, in the Artscape Theatre Centre.

Sources

Wikipedia [7].

Tucker, 1997. 252-253.

Theatre programme (CAPAB), 1995.

Rapport Gauteng, 15 July 2007.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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