National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene to Present American Premiere of Yiddish Language Adaption of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has announced it will present the American premiere of the Yiddish language adaptation of Fiddler on The Roof. Adapted by Shraga Friedman, this Yiddish version of Fiddler on the Roof has not been staged since its world premiere production in Israel more than 50 years ago. Performances are set to begin in July 2018 in the Edmond J. Safra Theatre at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place).

The announcement was made by Christopher Massimine, CEO of the NYTF, at the company's annual Winter Gala Concert: Broadway, A Jewish American Legacy held on December 18, 2017. The star-studded evening honoring Tony Award-winning Broadway luminary Jerry Zaks and featured Victor Garber, Sheldon Harnick, Katrina Lenk,Terrence Mann, Eleanor Reissa, David Hyde Pierce, Ron Rifkin, Douglas Sills, and many more stars of the Broadway stage. In addition, the inaugural Jewish Cultural Legacy Award was presented to the visionary founder of The Center of Jewish History, Bruce E. Slovin. Jerry Zaks joins the Artistic Advisory Council at NYTF as its newest member.

"The National Yiddish Theatre's version of the production will be presented in the context of a historical retrospective hypothetically introducing the idea in that Sholem Aleichem has been present at the conception of the adaptation of his work for the musical stage. The idea we are putting forth would be an accurate re-creation of how this musical might look in its native Yiddish tongue," stated Mr. Massimine. "We are working with Max Lewkowicz and partnering with the Museum of Jewish Heritage on this endeavor, the idea being for all parties to celebrate the importance of Fiddler through the release of Max's documentary in tandem with a very possible Fiddler exhibit at the museum complimenting this historic recreation of the musical for the stage."

NYTF will be actively consulting with Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, and 4-time Tony Award-winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick, a member of the organization's newly formed Artistic Council, about the show's development. Four-time Tony Award-winning director Jerry Zaks will serve as Artistic Consultant on the production. The Jerome Robbins Foundation will also consult on the production's choreography.

Fiddler on The Roof has music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein. The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical theatre production in history to surpass 3,000 performances. The show won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Musical in addition to eight other Tony Awards that year.

Fiddler on The Roof, in Yiddish, will begin performances in July 2018. Advance sale tickets are on sale now to NYTF members only and on sale February 1st to the general public. For advance sales call 212-213-2120 EXT. 206 and 866-811-4111 beginning February 1st. For more information on this and other upcoming events, please visit our website at NYTF.ORG.

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) is the longest continuously-producing Yiddish theatre company in the world and the longest consecutively-producing performing arts institution in the US. Founded in 1915, Folksbiene translates to "the people's stage," and emerged as the nation's first socially-minded theatre tackling socio-economic issues and serving a mixed audience of immigrants and other minorities including people of color, LGBTQ and women. It has been our mandate to preserve, promote, and celebrate this rich tradition linking the past to the present with a mindful eye on continuity for future generations.

Christopher Massimine is CEO of the NYTF, Zalmen Mlotek is Artistic Director, Motl Didner is the Associate Artistic Director, and Jamibeth Margolis, CSA is the theater's General Manager and Casting Director.

Now celebrating its 103rd season, Tony Award-nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) is the longest consecutively producing theatre in the US and the world's oldest continuously operating Yiddish theatre company. Dedicated to creating a living legacy through the arts, connecting generations and bridging communities, NYTF brings history to life by reviving the lost and forgotten gems of the Yiddish stage through its global restoration project, commissioning new work, and adapting pre-existing work for the 21st Century. Serving a versatile audience comprised of performing arts patrons, cultural enthusiasts, Yiddish-language aficionados and the general public, the company presents plays, musicals, concerts, lectures, interactive educational workshops and community-building activities in English and Yiddish, with English and Russian supertitles accompanying performances. NYTF provides access to the hundreds of years of cultural expression, aiming to inspire the imaginations of the next generation to contribute their own stories to this valuable work. More information can be found at www.NYTF.org.