I'd argue that, as far as recoupment goes, the actor playing Tevye isn't as important as, say, what theatre it's in or what their marketing angle is to drum up business.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.