FIDDLER Production History

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 10:06pm

Of the many productions of FIDDLER over the years, which have been the most notable and/or distinctive, and why? I'm trying to do research on the performance history of FIDDLER, but there are just hundreds of productions that have been done, and it's hard to discern which ones are noteworthy and which ones aren't.

Can someone please help?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 10:28pm

The original Robbins' production was legendary, definitive, oft-repeated -- Broadway and elsewhere. Nearly every major production of the show since 1964 is either a copy or variation of the Robbins original. The current Leveaux revival is, I think, the very first on Broadway, at least, to present a different "take' on Robbins and it still follows much of the Robbins' choreography and original staging blueprint -- I found it different only in terms of design.

I don't know of any truly noteworthy, groundbreaking or original productions of the show that have been a really significant departure from the Robbins' original.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 10:31pm

Well, if you want to stick with Bway - I'd say (along with what Margo said) any version with Zero Mostel....

The showe opened, closed, then was revived...Both times it started with Zero.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 10:38pm

I read this on an earlier thread, but I think the reason why most productions don't stand out, and therefore can't compare the the original, is becuase it is in the licensing contract the the original choreography must stay mostly intact. I think the current revival is closest to, if not pushing, the bar on this, but other than that, the rest of the revivals have been almost equal to the original. If the staging, book & music have to stay the same, the only things that can make a production stand out is the actors and the production design. Granted, these are major components of a show, but in a story like the one told in "Fiddler", the amazing original choreogrpahy, staging, memorable, ageless and classic music and compelling and equally whitty book take the front seat. The thing that sticks in your head for years is the amazing music, staging, choreo and book, none of which are open for interpretation.

With that said (**deep breath**), it is quite clear that the original is the definitive. Updated On: 1/18/05 at 10:38 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 10:50pm

Blue Wizard,

Is this a school project, something you're writing a paper for and/or something you are going to be graded on ? Because, if it is, and you want to write about a show that has a long, interesting and varied production history, I could make a few suggestions (and maybe point you toward some resources that would be helpful -- PM me if you'd like).

Unfortunately, original Fiddler is basically revival Fiddler -- it hasn't changed much in 40 years and would be difficult to write much of a paper about. There are other shows that have had several VERY different versions over the years.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/18/05 at 11:31pm

Thank you everyone (and particularly Margo) for your kind and prompt responses!

It's for a school project of sorts -- in my Contemporary Drama course (under the English department), we get to stage a scene from a play on the syllabus. This gives students the chance to experience what it's like to put on a show (especially those who have never been involved in theatre). The only musical we are studying is FIDDLER, and I've signed on to be the dramaturg and must produce a report on the show's production history.

The productions of note seem to be the original Broadway production, the film version (what did you all think of it?), and Leveaux's recent revival. Have all the other major revivals really been just facsimiles of Robbins' vision? How about productions in other countries? I haven't found much information on this (except for what is written in Altman & Kaufman's book, "The Making of a Musical: Fiddler on the Roof"), but I'm hoping, as avid and learned theatregoers, you might point me in the right direction.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 12:57am

It was also revivied in 1990 on Broadway with Topol.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 1:09am

I agree that the current revival is the closest you're going to get to a different take on the show. The film, for me, is a well made, but rather dull, rendition of what I found to be an exciting and wonderful stage show; and of all the shows I've ever done, it was the only one that I didn't get tired of doing (and I was in 6 separate productions that ran at least 6 months each, 8 shows/week). Perhaps you would be better served by doing some research on the mounting of the original production.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 1:21am

I wish I could help, but I couldn't tell you anything more than I've already said or that is contained in the "Making Of" book you have. I know it's been produced in Israel and around the world, but couldn't say whether those productions strayed far from the Robbins.

Rather than worrying about how subsequent productions differed from the '64 original (they didn't, much), you might try a different tact:

You certainly can get a paragraph or two out of the whole Chekhov's Russia look of the current Leveaux production (and how at the time the show is set, Chekhov was writing "comedies" set in the Russian countryside about how the changes in society were affecting the landed aristocracy necessitating their move to Moscow -- compare and contrast "The Cherry Orchard" to the new production).

Also, for your paper, you might also go back to Sholem Aleichem's stories that were the basis of the book for the show. Aleichem was a very influential Jewish writer of the 19th century and early part of the 20th century and his stories were revered in literary circles. I believe his "Tevye and His Daughters" was the main source of inspiration for Fiddler's creators. If I'm not mistaken there were plays based on that and other Aleichem stories on stage in NY prior to 1964 (subsequent to Fiddler, there was a "World of Sholem Aleichem" that played off-Broadway in the 70s).

And perhaps you should also look into the history of Yiddish Theatre and the Second Avenue circuit and how those actors, musicians and playwrights influenced Fiddler and its creative team (there's at least one great PBS documentary I've seen on the subject - check the Library of Television and Radio).

Updated On: 1/19/05 at 01:21 AM

[dancindramadude]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 1:34am

I think the best version ever is the one that is going to be in Modesto, because I am playing Fyedka. LOL. Im just kidding, but I would have to agree with everyone else, The original and the newest revival. I think our director is stealing from that. We arent doing complete sets, but rather tableuxs (spelling worng?) of groups in the back ground.
Good luck with the project.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 1:36am

Thank you so much, Margo -- those are wonderful ideas. (The parallel to THE CHERRY ORCHARD's themes is particularly interesting, I never thought about that).

I'm reading all the NYT reviews of the Broadway stagings now -- interestingly enough, Zero Mostel played Tevye in an off-Broadway staging (and TV version) of Sholem Aleichem's stories a few years before he played the character again in FIDDLER.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 1:53am

Leveaux's no dummy, so I'm sure it's completely intentional -- placing the story of Jews being forced from their shtetls through the pogroms of the period and having to flee the Russian countryside for an uncertain fate elsewhere, within a set that suggests "The Cherry Orchard" and other Russian plays of the period in which formerly wealthy families are forced by sociopolitical circumstances to leave their ancestral homes in (a different part of) the Russian countryside for their own uncertain futures ..... and the emotional upheavals such displacements cause within both sets of families.

Updated On: 1/19/05 at 01:53 AM

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 2:23am

Margo, I wish that you could sit on my bookshelf. I suffer from a severe lack of storage space, and I'm sure you wouldn't take up nearly the space that the myriad books I have on the subject do. You're much more useful, and infinitely more entertaining.

Back OT, I've been curious about the FIDDLER choreography requirement that maybethistime mentioned for a long time. I don't understand the logistics of it. If you are required to pay for and use the original Jerome Robbins choreography for any production of FIDDLER, what exactly does one get for this payment? While standard choreographic notation does exist, it's a complicated and not particularly well known language. It seems odd to expect that a high school in Peoria would have a drama teacher versed in choreographic notation. Is it simply a financial clause, where Robbins wanted to be paid for his work regardless of whether it was actually performed or not?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 10:13am

When a company rents the Fiddler scripts and scores from MTI, they also receive a book about the size of a conductor's score with rather detailed descriptions of Robbins' staging.

From this book big royalties come for the Robbins estate. I think it essentially financed Robbins ballet career. He did no further Broadway work after Fiddler except JR which was a collage of existing work.

One of the key images of Robbins' work is the circle. It starts with the set which has a circle of small houses around the proscenium. Much of the choreography is also circular. The show is about the destruction of that safe circle of community and tradition. Capturing that feeling of cultural upheaval, rupturing the circle, is of the utmost importance to getting the show across to an audience. The repeated pattern of circles are something that I feel is missing from the current staging.

There have been five NY Fiddlers: the original, then the Zero revival in the 70s, Herschel Bernardi in the early 80s that played a limited run at the NY State Theatre, Topol in 1990 and the current production. All but the last were copies of the original.

[magruder]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 11:15am

If you want variety, how about a paper about the performance history and script and score variations of Candide? That subject might be worth an entire book.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/19/05 at 2:39pm

"Candide" was going to be my first suggestion. Here's a website detailing the numerous changes and different productions of the show:
http://www.geocities.com/bernsteincandide/contents.html

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 2:32am

If only I could, but FIDDLER is the only musical on the syllabus.

However, I'll definitely read up on CANDIDE's production history for my own enjoyment.

Thank you all for your wonderful help.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 1/20/05 at 3:07pm

The original Broadway production of Fiddler is the only production of Fiddler I have ever heard of that had "distinction."

It was brilliant, thrilling, and riveting. There have been thousands of productions of Fiddler on the Roof, literally. Anyone with any sense has likely tried to copy the original Jerome Robbins production as much as possible. The genius of the staging was astonishing.

I guess the current Broadway revival is certainly a new production, but I hear it is very influenced by the original. Of course, there was the Oscar nominated film version of Fiddler as well. This too was heavily influenced by the original Broadway production and included some cast members from the Broadway production.

In one of Susskind's books he says that Fiddler was a monumental achievement due to its "concept" and design, and that Fiddler's score was "not on a par with Broadway's best." I generally adore Mr. Susskind, but believe he is sadly mistaken about Fiddler's score. It is quite a magnificent score. The original Tevye, Zero Mostel was nothing short of remarkable and his performance grew in grace and heartbreak when he revived it several years after the original production closed.

Some other Broadway Tevyes were Herschel Bernardi, Harry Goz, Jan Peerce, and Paul Lipson.