Fiddler on the Roof is one of those “old-time” stories that everyone has, at the very least, heard of – if not seen. This tale tells the story of Tevye and his daughters, along with other stories written by Sholem Aleicham. Fiddler on the Roof is based in Tsarist Russia from the early 1900s. During this time, in Tevye’s life, he was trying to keep his religious beliefs, and family, separate from the outside world.
Considering the nature of the story behind ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, even if you haven’t seen it you can tell it is a story that will provoke many different emotions. Out of his five children, Tevye focuses much of his time on the three that tend to push their limits with their father. These three girls have a tendency to drift away from the path their father laid for them. Additionally, poor Tevye has to deal with Tsar, the cause of Jews having to leave his home town.
As far as Broadway shows go, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ was one of the longest standing performances in history. Additionally, the overall essence of the stage was breath taking — to say the least. An ‘old-time’ Russian, Jewish artist, by the name of Marc Chagall, was the inspiration behind every scene. Each set was inspired by his paintings giving every scene that touch of reality that makes ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ even more touching.
Back in 1964, when ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ debuted, it was unheard of for a show to perform 3,200 times, until ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ made this record that is. The story alone is phenomenal, but the staff brought the story to life. Over time the performance won awards like Best Costume Designer, Director, Musical, and even an award for the number of performances (considering it was record breaking). Less than 10 years after the debut of the Broadway show a movie was released, telling the same story, and winning 3 Academy awards. Whether on screen or stage, this is an amazing story.