Tevye's family will bid a tear-stained farewell to Anatevka for the last time on January 8th, 2006, when David Leveaux' revival of Fiddler on the Roof closes after a run of 36 previews and 817 performances.
The show is currently running at the Minskoff Theatre with Harvey Fierstein as Tevye. Fierstein will remain with the show until closing date and Lori Wilner will take over as Golde for the departed Andrea Martin on August 2nd. The show scored a solid run despite opening to mixed reviews on February 26th, 2004.
"What's lacking is the human passion and idiosyncrasy that would set fire to all this theatrical tinder," wrote The New York Times' Ben Brantley. However, Fierstein earned mostly positive notices when he replaced Alfred Molina in the show in January.Fiddler on the Roof, which is based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, also currently stars Nancy Opel, Sally Murphy, Laura Shoop, Tricia Paoluccio, Peter Matthew Smith, Paul Anthony Stewart and Patrick Heusinger. The show's immortal score features by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon as well as a book by Joseph Stein. Jonathan Butterell strongly based his musical staging on Jerome Robbins' original choreography, and the production features musical direction by Kevin Stites, orchestrations by Don Walker, sets by Tom Pye, costumes by Vicki Mortimer, lighting by Brian MacDevitt and sound by Acme Sound Partners.
The original production of Fiddler on the Roof, also directed by Robbins, ran for 3,242 performances after opening at the Imperial Theatre on September 22nd, 1964. Telling the heartfelt and timeless story of a Jewish family whose traditional way of life in 1905 Russia is shaken by forbidden romance and increasing anti-Semitism, the show won 9 Tonys (including Best Musical) in 1965, as well as a 1972 Special Tony Award for becoming the longest-running musical to that time. An acclaimed 1971 film was directed by Norman Jewison and starred Topol.