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Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof
A sparkling and eye-opening history of the Broadway musical that changed the world
In the half-century since its premiere, Fiddler on the Roof has had an astonishing global impact. Beloved by audiences the world over, performed from rural high schools to grand state theaters, Fiddler is a supremely potent cultural landmark.
In a history as captivating as its subject, award-winning drama critic Alisa Solomon traces how and why the story of Tevye the milkman, the creation of the great Yiddish writer Sholem-Aleichem, was reborn as blockbuster entertainment and a cultural touchstone, not only for Jews and not only in America. It is a story of the theater, following Tevye from his humble appearance on the New York Yiddish stage, through his adoption by leftist dramatists as a symbol of oppression, to his Broadway debut in one of the last big book musicals, and his ultimate destination―a major Hollywood picture.
Solomon reveals how the show spoke to the deepest conflicts and desires of its the fraying of tradition, generational tension, the loss of roots. Audiences everywhere found in Fiddler immediate resonance and a usable past, whether in Warsaw, where it unlocked the taboo subject of Jewish history, or in Tokyo, where the producer asked how Americans could understand a story that is "so Japanese."
Rich, entertaining, and original, Wonder of Wonders reveals the surprising and enduring legacy of a show about tradition that itself became a tradition.
Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles.
In the half-century since its premiere, Fiddler on the Roof has had an astonishing global impact. Beloved by audiences the world over, performed from rural high schools to grand state theaters, Fiddler is a supremely potent cultural landmark.
In a history as captivating as its subject, award-winning drama critic Alisa Solomon traces how and why the story of Tevye the milkman, the creation of the great Yiddish writer Sholem-Aleichem, was reborn as blockbuster entertainment and a cultural touchstone, not only for Jews and not only in America. It is a story of the theater, following Tevye from his humble appearance on the New York Yiddish stage, through his adoption by leftist dramatists as a symbol of oppression, to his Broadway debut in one of the last big book musicals, and his ultimate destination―a major Hollywood picture.
Solomon reveals how the show spoke to the deepest conflicts and desires of its the fraying of tradition, generational tension, the loss of roots. Audiences everywhere found in Fiddler immediate resonance and a usable past, whether in Warsaw, where it unlocked the taboo subject of Jewish history, or in Tokyo, where the producer asked how Americans could understand a story that is "so Japanese."
Rich, entertaining, and original, Wonder of Wonders reveals the surprising and enduring legacy of a show about tradition that itself became a tradition.
Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2013
46 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 17, 2014
Where else will you find out that Mad Magazine’s parody of Fiddler had a suburban Tevye singing “POSSESSIONS!”? This is a mesmerizing history of Shalom Aleichem’s Tevye, from the short stories to early attempts at film and stage to post-musical kitsch. The central chapter is a nailbiting account of Jerome Robbins’ creation, direction and reworking of the musical. The stories of Robbins’ behind the scenes improvisations are astounding: the wedding bottle dance choreographed weeks before the opening, popular songs cut during previews, etc...Then the fascinating after-history. Though the weakest chapter is about Poland’s restaging, it is preceded by excellent chapters on its reception in Israel and a jaw-dropping account of an all-black junior high school production during the height of the Oceanhill-Brownville school board dispute. Along the way, Solomon notes the political and cultural impact—how Fiddler has become authentic Jewish culture, ironically a creation of assimilated gay Jews.
October 19, 2013
I was a goodreads first reads winner of the book "Wonder of Wonders:A Cultural History of Fiddler On The Roof" I was happy to see there was a book that focused on Fiddler on The Roof. It is one of my favorite movies. I love the story Of Tevye.These Stories were written back in the late 1890s and early 1900s.by Sholem Aleichem. He wrote many stories in Yiddish.Many of his stories centered around "Tevye" and his family. i found it interesting that originally he had seven daughters{ in later play and movie he had five}in his stories one of the daughters committed suicide when she could not marry the man of her choice. it took many decades before these wonderful stories were put together to eventually make the play "Fiddler on the Roof" {not all the stories made the play mostly the ones about Tevye and his daughters did} During the decades up to the play the Holocaust was spreading through out Europe in devastating results. in the 1950s the blacklist of actors and writers in America ruined many careers, many being Jewish.
It took a long time in the book to get to the part when the play was put together cast and put on stage. Zero Mostel played Tevye. I was pleased to see that the first time on stage was in Detroit Michigan at the Fischer theater{ i have been there a couple times years ago} there was a lot of thought and planning to get this on stage, to make it look authentic taking place in the early 1900s. from the clothing, sets, dancing and actors. the success of the play won many Tony awards.Bea Arthur played the matchmaker.
The play eventually has been played all over the world. In the early 1970s the movie was made. Topol played Tevye.
This is a pretty interesting book for the most part. This is an "ARC" copy. A few complaints are I wish the chapters were not so long. the pictures were blurred{maybe in the final editions they will not be. I wish it did not take so long to get to the play and I wish I could have read more about what actors were in the play and movie.
There were other chapters that focused on some of the prejudices toward the Jewish people and the hardships and triumphs. Pretty good for the most part.I would give this a *3.5*P.S. just finished watching Fiddler On The Roof tonight. Always love to get the chance to watch this wonderful movie.
It took a long time in the book to get to the part when the play was put together cast and put on stage. Zero Mostel played Tevye. I was pleased to see that the first time on stage was in Detroit Michigan at the Fischer theater{ i have been there a couple times years ago} there was a lot of thought and planning to get this on stage, to make it look authentic taking place in the early 1900s. from the clothing, sets, dancing and actors. the success of the play won many Tony awards.Bea Arthur played the matchmaker.
The play eventually has been played all over the world. In the early 1970s the movie was made. Topol played Tevye.
This is a pretty interesting book for the most part. This is an "ARC" copy. A few complaints are I wish the chapters were not so long. the pictures were blurred{maybe in the final editions they will not be. I wish it did not take so long to get to the play and I wish I could have read more about what actors were in the play and movie.
There were other chapters that focused on some of the prejudices toward the Jewish people and the hardships and triumphs. Pretty good for the most part.I would give this a *3.5*P.S. just finished watching Fiddler On The Roof tonight. Always love to get the chance to watch this wonderful movie.
November 3, 2013
I am awestruck by the encyclopedic knowledge Alisa Solomon mobilized in crafting an engaging and enlightening narrative. I also loved all the personal anecdotes gleaned from interviews with surviving participants and their children.
September 10, 2017
Insightful look into the making of one of the most well know theatrical productions. How to create a play that is about Jewish history & culture, but you don't want it to appear too 'Jewish' but rather have a broad appeal? A fascinating history, and well documented and researched. The detail is phenomenal.
January 6, 2016
A really lovely examination of the impact that the musical, Fiddler on the Roof has had across the world. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who loves Fiddler and particularly for those who have performed in it. Unlike many books about musicals, this one does not focus only on the Broadway production and movie, but goes far beyond. It is at it's strongest as it explores a middle school production's impact on a community, the first production in Israel and how an on-site production pita a village in Poland opened the door to memories of the families no longer there. I was sorry when it ended.
June 4, 2015
The opening section, which describes Sholom-Aleichem's own history and writing, is fascinating. The author's research brings the setting to life. I'm looking forward to the rest. (update: I set it down and haven't continuted. One day...)
Read
March 11, 2015I have not seen the second act of Fiddler on the Roof, nor do I know much about musicals, but somehow I found myself devouring a four hundred page book on the history of Fiddler on the Roof. And I liked it!
May 14, 2020
balancing the universal and the particular is tough stuff.
song rank:
tradition (book confirms song and robbins' choreography are the backbone.)
wedding dance (robbins made everyone show up to weddings for months)
miracle of miracles (last minute addition that made motel one of the best chracters)
to life
matchmaker
anatekva
do you love me
sunrise, sunset
if i were a rich man
sabbath prayer
matchmaker
chavaleh
far from the home i love (depends on the singer)
now i have everything (second act kinda rough anyway, this is a weak start)
song rank:
tradition (book confirms song and robbins' choreography are the backbone.)
wedding dance (robbins made everyone show up to weddings for months)
miracle of miracles (last minute addition that made motel one of the best chracters)
to life
matchmaker
anatekva
do you love me
sunrise, sunset
if i were a rich man
sabbath prayer
matchmaker
chavaleh
far from the home i love (depends on the singer)
now i have everything (second act kinda rough anyway, this is a weak start)
September 26, 2020
I did like/did not love this book. Maybe I'm being snobbish but it felt more like a college textbook than trying to tell history.
This is the 2nd book about this amazing show (The Making of a Musical: Fiddler on The Roof by Richard Altman and Mervyn Kaufman was first and highly recommended if you can find) but there is a style that made me skip parts, I must admit.
It was great to read again about the African American high school production--if you're interested try to find BLACK FIDDLER by that teacher Richard Piro. There are many more details of course (I'm sure it's hard to find as well).
There's a 3rd book from 2014 (Tradition! by Barbara Isenberg) that I'm reading next.
This is the 2nd book about this amazing show (The Making of a Musical: Fiddler on The Roof by Richard Altman and Mervyn Kaufman was first and highly recommended if you can find) but there is a style that made me skip parts, I must admit.
It was great to read again about the African American high school production--if you're interested try to find BLACK FIDDLER by that teacher Richard Piro. There are many more details of course (I'm sure it's hard to find as well).
There's a 3rd book from 2014 (Tradition! by Barbara Isenberg) that I'm reading next.
June 26, 2022
Packed with details so academically juicy I'm embarrassed to admit, this cultural study on an iconic legend brings so much joy. Not only does Solomon put Fiddler in its historical context and surroundings, she takes us into the belly of the story's conception and why it stands today and will be relevant forever.
September 10, 2017
This was a fascinating look at the original author of the Teyve stories, the various adaptations that preceeded the Broadway musical, how the musical got made and how it spoke to post WWII perceptions of Jews as well as the view of Jews in that area on being Jewish American vs an American who happens to be Jewish, and the continuing influence on both pop culture and views of Fiddler within the realm of modern day Jewish culture. The story of how Poland treated Jews before, during, and after WWII up through a staging of (an adapted version) of the musical in the early 2000s is especially griping. The journey of Fiddler from "don't make it too Jewish" and critics decrying it as not honoring the original stories and not actually authentic (which is true in many ways) to it now being seen as the definition of eastern European Jewish culture pre WWII - to the point that the bottle dance created by Robbins for the Broadway show and now considered an old world tradition - is fascinating. Do wish it had gone into the making of the movie a bit more.
June 17, 2016
I love Fiddler on the Roof, so when I read an interview with Alexandra Silber and Jessica Hecht (Tzeitel and Golde in the current Broadway revival) in which they referred to the whole cast having read Alisa Solomon's cultural history of the show, I decided I needed to get ahold of it.
Overall I really enjoyed learning more about the history of this musical, even if at times I found the writing oddly casual (I know it's a cultural history, but there were a number of sentence fragments that made me twitch...). I discovered through reading this book that the character I played in Fiddler when I was twelve commits suicide in one of Sholem-Aleichem's later Tevye stories ("Shprintze," which obviously didn't make it into the musical), that there was a production of the show at a mostly black middle school in Brooklyn in the 1960s that sparked a debate about school integration in New York City, and that there is such thing as a Tevye-themed chip-and-dip.
Overall I really enjoyed learning more about the history of this musical, even if at times I found the writing oddly casual (I know it's a cultural history, but there were a number of sentence fragments that made me twitch...). I discovered through reading this book that the character I played in Fiddler when I was twelve commits suicide in one of Sholem-Aleichem's later Tevye stories ("Shprintze," which obviously didn't make it into the musical), that there was a production of the show at a mostly black middle school in Brooklyn in the 1960s that sparked a debate about school integration in New York City, and that there is such thing as a Tevye-themed chip-and-dip.
August 24, 2023
This book has been on my list to read forever.
I grew up as one of the children of the 60's who saw this movie and was mesmerized. I was raised in the Mormon faith, and this was one of the movies that my mother took the three of us girls to see to broaden our horizons. The repercussions of this one experience had a great effect on the rest of my life.
I didn't lead a very cloistered existence in spite of my upbringing in Mormonism, as my parents exposed us to all sorts of things while growing up -- different cultures, foods, religions, etc. But Fiddler on the Roof stuck with me. It's the reason why I took Hebrew in a community education setting while living in London, then again through a good chunk of college, and while raising my kids (also in Mormonism) I wanted them to learn about Jewish culture so that they weren't living too much within a Mormon bubble. For good or for ill, we used the movie "Fiddler on the Roof" as a jumping-off point.
Now, as a person in their 60's, I have watched and rewatched "Fiddler" numerous times, enjoying it more as a musical, and I constantly marvel at how timely it can seem. I never tire of the dance sequences, of the singing, of the story ...
But now, I have read this well-written book. The history of the stories, written long before the movie and loved by many before we ever laid eyes on the movie, was really interesting for me to read. I know it's a long book, but for those of us who were raised with the movie, we know every single detail talked about in this great book, and many of us know many of the choreographers and songwriters mentioned.
I really appreciate having "Wonder of Wonders" available for those of us who want a deep dive!
I grew up as one of the children of the 60's who saw this movie and was mesmerized. I was raised in the Mormon faith, and this was one of the movies that my mother took the three of us girls to see to broaden our horizons. The repercussions of this one experience had a great effect on the rest of my life.
I didn't lead a very cloistered existence in spite of my upbringing in Mormonism, as my parents exposed us to all sorts of things while growing up -- different cultures, foods, religions, etc. But Fiddler on the Roof stuck with me. It's the reason why I took Hebrew in a community education setting while living in London, then again through a good chunk of college, and while raising my kids (also in Mormonism) I wanted them to learn about Jewish culture so that they weren't living too much within a Mormon bubble. For good or for ill, we used the movie "Fiddler on the Roof" as a jumping-off point.
Now, as a person in their 60's, I have watched and rewatched "Fiddler" numerous times, enjoying it more as a musical, and I constantly marvel at how timely it can seem. I never tire of the dance sequences, of the singing, of the story ...
But now, I have read this well-written book. The history of the stories, written long before the movie and loved by many before we ever laid eyes on the movie, was really interesting for me to read. I know it's a long book, but for those of us who were raised with the movie, we know every single detail talked about in this great book, and many of us know many of the choreographers and songwriters mentioned.
I really appreciate having "Wonder of Wonders" available for those of us who want a deep dive!
May 9, 2018
This was a lot of fun. It starts out talking about Sholom Alecheim and the original stories, goes into how those stories became the bones of the play and musical, and even talks about the choreography and all that involved.
It takes us to the Broadway show with Zero Mostel and goes into, at some length the different interpretations various actors have brought to the role of Tevye.
The worldwide impact of the show in places like Japan and the emotional and cultural impact of a high school dealing with racial strife using a staging of the musical to bridge differences between Black and Jewish kids.
If I had one bone to pick, it would be that the film itself gets relatively short shrift compared with the play. I would have liked to have seen the same level of attention given to the casting choices, the set design, the costuming and the various issues involved in filming in Yugoslavia. The chapter on the high school kids had way more to it than the one on the film!
It takes us to the Broadway show with Zero Mostel and goes into, at some length the different interpretations various actors have brought to the role of Tevye.
The worldwide impact of the show in places like Japan and the emotional and cultural impact of a high school dealing with racial strife using a staging of the musical to bridge differences between Black and Jewish kids.
If I had one bone to pick, it would be that the film itself gets relatively short shrift compared with the play. I would have liked to have seen the same level of attention given to the casting choices, the set design, the costuming and the various issues involved in filming in Yugoslavia. The chapter on the high school kids had way more to it than the one on the film!
April 20, 2021
Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the RoofAlisa Solomon
I've always been interested in Story; and, the stories that have staying power, in any medium. As a long poem writer currently working on a epic fantasy in verse, I'm thinking a lot these days about what sustains a "really good read": for me, it's in part, finding a balance between the particular details and universal themes. As other reviews on Good Reads have stated, Alisa Solomon, in Wonder of Wonders does both. I read this book very quickly and now am slowly re-reading it. XRSS
I've always been interested in Story; and, the stories that have staying power, in any medium. As a long poem writer currently working on a epic fantasy in verse, I'm thinking a lot these days about what sustains a "really good read": for me, it's in part, finding a balance between the particular details and universal themes. As other reviews on Good Reads have stated, Alisa Solomon, in Wonder of Wonders does both. I read this book very quickly and now am slowly re-reading it. XRSS
August 23, 2021
Fiddler has always been special to me, the son of a Methodist minister and a theatre educator. I took my family to see it on Broadway in 1969 with money I earned delivering papers and I have loved it ever since. This book is amazing. Not only does it address why the show means so much to so many people, Alisa Solomon explains its foundations in the Yiddish Theatre, the process of bringing it to the stage, the subsequent film and its later versions. It is a history, a sociological and theological study, a biography and a serious look at a serious standard of the American stage. I recommend it to any student of the theatre, theatre-lovers, history lovers and those who appreciate good research presented in a readable and meaningful way.
March 2, 2026
A bit more thorough than was necessary. I care mostly about the making of the broadway production and the movie and the book did have a lot of interesting info about all of that, but unfortunately the rest of it is as dry as a textbook. I didn’t really need (or want) to know about the political activism of the guy who wrote a book about the other guy who wrote the original Tevye stories.
I mostly enjoyed learning about all the changes to the music and story once the show was actually on broadway. Very cool to see how the production transformed into how we know it today.
I mostly enjoyed learning about all the changes to the music and story once the show was actually on broadway. Very cool to see how the production transformed into how we know it today.
April 23, 2024
If you've watched "Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles," there isn't much in this that you haven't already heard. There's a pretty lengthy look into the original stories as well as their translations, and there is a chapter examining an immersive Polish production. Those are my main standouts for newer material, and I found them a little dry. Still, I love Fiddler, and it's interesting to read about its impact and reception over the years. The weight it still carries is pretty impressive.
March 4, 2026
This is an exhaustively researched yet highly readable book about the genesis and evolution of "Fiddler on the Roof," one of the most successful Broadway shows of all time. I'm doing a deep dive into the musical and this is exactly what I needed to try to understand how the stories of Sholom Aleichem were transformed into a show that has been seen by millions of people around the world. This book explains why and how a fundamentally Jewish story elicited such universal appeal and acclaim.
February 13, 2024
Super interesting and engaging for 90% of it. 2 of the last 3 chapters are weirdly “case study-y?” despite the rest of the book being pretty focused on tracking the creation of the play & movie longitudinally. I feel like they could’ve been combined into 1 without much loss, but the fuck do I know?
October 8, 2024
A very interesting book! I think I wish there was a bit more about the songwriting process and Zero Mostel’s personality. I would love to see this author write an addendum today now that Yiddish Fiddler has been performed.
August 20, 2017
Easy read and interesting to know the history of Fiddler!
February 28, 2019
Interesting but more info than I wanted.
May 6, 2021
Loved the tales but written as a text book. Hard to plod through.
June 6, 2022
Excellent resource to help my high school cast better understand the show.
March 17, 2026
Wonderful!
I have always enjoyed fiddler but had no real idea Enlightening! how it was put together or the tremendous impact it had all over the world. Enlightening!!
I have always enjoyed fiddler but had no real idea Enlightening! how it was put together or the tremendous impact it had all over the world. Enlightening!!
December 10, 2013
Disclaimer: This book was procured via the GoodReads First Reads Giveaway Program
I was SUPER excited to win and read this book because I have fond memories of sharing the movie adaptation of Fiddler with my father but I never knew where the show originated. This was also the perfect time in my life to be reading Solomon's tome on a single show because I just resumed acting (after 12 years of hiatus) in a show that was also an adaptation of a short story.
That noted, I couldn't help but love this book. Yes, it's EXTREMELY detailed and INCREDIBLY well-researched (see the end notes) but you can tell it was a labor of love. I was delightfully surprised to learn in the first section, "When America Commands", that Fiddler actually began as a series of short stories by a famous Jewish author. Unfortunately, when the concept of Fiddler arose, this initially limited the production because these stories were viewed as suitable for children or inherently difficult to adapt without losing the Yiddish humor.
In the second section, "Tevye Strikes it Rich", you learn more about the actual nuts and bolts of the production itself, including how it fought against Yiddish theater stereotypes and strove to present an authentic Jewish perspective that both harkened back to the pre-war shetl and looked forward to the new world. Granted, this is where the bulk of the detail lies, including which actors were cast and why and which had to be replaced and why but I loved every bit of minutae. I especially adored reading about Zero Mostel and his perspective on both the show and his career in general.
In the last section, "Tevye's Travels", you are treated to four chapters featuring four different productions of Fiddler, including the movie version. The trip begins in Israel with Godik's production, an attempt to break away from the traditional shetl scenery to a more modern Jewish sensibility. I found myself much more touched by the second chapter in this section, "Fiddler While Brooklyn Burns", which discusses an adaptation presented by a multi-racial multi-ethnic junior high cast whose director fought to present the show in the midst of a HUGE public school conflict. Of course, the chapter following on casting and shooting the film version of Fiddler was also compelling but not as heart-tugging. Finally, the book concludes with its final chapter on presenting Fiddler in Poland using an entire town for the set, most of the town for the cast, some of the town as an audience, and items from the town as props and also pieces for an accompanying exhibit to highlight all the culture now missing from Poland as a result of the Holocaust. Touching in its own way, I found this to be a fitting end to the book though the epilogue considers additional possibilities such as a more abstract interpretation of the musical.
Overall, this is an excellent book for hardcore Fiddler fans. It is a bit of a struggle to read straight through but worth it if you enjoy the detail.
I was SUPER excited to win and read this book because I have fond memories of sharing the movie adaptation of Fiddler with my father but I never knew where the show originated. This was also the perfect time in my life to be reading Solomon's tome on a single show because I just resumed acting (after 12 years of hiatus) in a show that was also an adaptation of a short story.
That noted, I couldn't help but love this book. Yes, it's EXTREMELY detailed and INCREDIBLY well-researched (see the end notes) but you can tell it was a labor of love. I was delightfully surprised to learn in the first section, "When America Commands", that Fiddler actually began as a series of short stories by a famous Jewish author. Unfortunately, when the concept of Fiddler arose, this initially limited the production because these stories were viewed as suitable for children or inherently difficult to adapt without losing the Yiddish humor.
In the second section, "Tevye Strikes it Rich", you learn more about the actual nuts and bolts of the production itself, including how it fought against Yiddish theater stereotypes and strove to present an authentic Jewish perspective that both harkened back to the pre-war shetl and looked forward to the new world. Granted, this is where the bulk of the detail lies, including which actors were cast and why and which had to be replaced and why but I loved every bit of minutae. I especially adored reading about Zero Mostel and his perspective on both the show and his career in general.
In the last section, "Tevye's Travels", you are treated to four chapters featuring four different productions of Fiddler, including the movie version. The trip begins in Israel with Godik's production, an attempt to break away from the traditional shetl scenery to a more modern Jewish sensibility. I found myself much more touched by the second chapter in this section, "Fiddler While Brooklyn Burns", which discusses an adaptation presented by a multi-racial multi-ethnic junior high cast whose director fought to present the show in the midst of a HUGE public school conflict. Of course, the chapter following on casting and shooting the film version of Fiddler was also compelling but not as heart-tugging. Finally, the book concludes with its final chapter on presenting Fiddler in Poland using an entire town for the set, most of the town for the cast, some of the town as an audience, and items from the town as props and also pieces for an accompanying exhibit to highlight all the culture now missing from Poland as a result of the Holocaust. Touching in its own way, I found this to be a fitting end to the book though the epilogue considers additional possibilities such as a more abstract interpretation of the musical.
Overall, this is an excellent book for hardcore Fiddler fans. It is a bit of a struggle to read straight through but worth it if you enjoy the detail.
October 29, 2013
The story of Tevye and Anatevka has taken on a cultural life of its own, as has the music from the “Fiddler on the Roof”. The worldwide impact is all the more impressive when we look at the story’s origins in a series of Yiddish short stories written by Sholem-Aleichem in the decades that bridge the 19th and 20th centuries. The path from these beginnings to Broadway and Hollywood success was neither straightforward nor easy, and it was not clear that these stories would find wide acceptance. That the story has been so wildly successful is a tribute to the efforts of the many people who worked so hard to interpret and transform the stories, while preserving something essential that seems to speak to widely diverse audiences.
This book is a detailed examination of the history of that transformation, from the original short stories, through various efforts to adapt them to the stage, to the ultimate Broadway and Hollywood triumphs that mark the “Fiddler on the Roof”. Along the way, it touches on issues as widely divergent as the immigration and assimilation struggles of Eastern European Jews in the US in the first half of the 20th century, the history of American theater in the middle of the century, and the cultural impact that the musical has had since it opened on Broadway in the mid-1960s.
At times, the level of detail swamps the narrative, but it attests to the depth of the author’s research into the history and impact of this work. There are parts of this book that are likely to appeal to a wide range of readers, from those who want to understand the effort it takes to construct a Broadway musical, to those who want to better understand the cultural and political concerns of Jewish immigrants a century ago. Personally, I found the discussion of the impact of the musical to be interesting, especially the role it has taken on in helping Poland address its history in the wake of the Holocaust and the Soviet era.
So the book itself is a mixed bag, and different readers will probably struggle with different parts of it. But there is a lot of information her for a reader willing make the effort.
This book is a detailed examination of the history of that transformation, from the original short stories, through various efforts to adapt them to the stage, to the ultimate Broadway and Hollywood triumphs that mark the “Fiddler on the Roof”. Along the way, it touches on issues as widely divergent as the immigration and assimilation struggles of Eastern European Jews in the US in the first half of the 20th century, the history of American theater in the middle of the century, and the cultural impact that the musical has had since it opened on Broadway in the mid-1960s.
At times, the level of detail swamps the narrative, but it attests to the depth of the author’s research into the history and impact of this work. There are parts of this book that are likely to appeal to a wide range of readers, from those who want to understand the effort it takes to construct a Broadway musical, to those who want to better understand the cultural and political concerns of Jewish immigrants a century ago. Personally, I found the discussion of the impact of the musical to be interesting, especially the role it has taken on in helping Poland address its history in the wake of the Holocaust and the Soviet era.
So the book itself is a mixed bag, and different readers will probably struggle with different parts of it. But there is a lot of information her for a reader willing make the effort.
July 14, 2014
Starting at the source, the Tevye stories of the master Yiddish novelist and short story writer, Sholem Aleichem, the author has written the definitive study of the famed musical that debuted on Broadway in 1964, becoming one of the longest running shows in the history of American theater. She traces earlier twentieth century adaptations of the stories to the stage before focusing in depth on the development of the Broadway show. The latter's creative cast of remarkable characters, including the highly talented but extremely temperamental director and choreographer, Jerome Robbins, the composer, Jerry Block and his partner, the lyricist, Sheldon Harnick, the playwright, Joseph Stein, who wrote the book for the production, and the spirited but often outrageous actor, Zero Mostel, who brought Tevye brilliantly to the stage, are all given their just due for their roles in the musical's spectacular success.
Equally interesting is the story of how director Norman Jewison brought the musical to the cinema in the 1971 motion picture featuring Israeli actor, Chaim Topol, in the lead role. The role of both the Broadway musical and the movie in American Jewish life and culture - not a small one - is examined by the author in detail with considerable skill and insight. She proceeds to describe some of the more interesting adaptations of the play in settings such as a middle school in Brooklyn during the political strife of the late 1960s, and, most poignantly, a production directed and acted by Polish Gentiles, fully intended to resonate with the memory of a once vibrant Jewish community in Poland, wiped out during the Holocaust. The book delivers on all levels and is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in "Fiddler on the Roof."
Equally interesting is the story of how director Norman Jewison brought the musical to the cinema in the 1971 motion picture featuring Israeli actor, Chaim Topol, in the lead role. The role of both the Broadway musical and the movie in American Jewish life and culture - not a small one - is examined by the author in detail with considerable skill and insight. She proceeds to describe some of the more interesting adaptations of the play in settings such as a middle school in Brooklyn during the political strife of the late 1960s, and, most poignantly, a production directed and acted by Polish Gentiles, fully intended to resonate with the memory of a once vibrant Jewish community in Poland, wiped out during the Holocaust. The book delivers on all levels and is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in "Fiddler on the Roof."
January 14, 2014
Not only is the drama a part of my story, but the film, the songs, the story itself is my story. No wonder from the beginning I wanted to read this. No wonder I read with heart-felt tugs. No wonder I wanted my own children and grandson to read this and to feel what I felt. But it's a story set in time, albeit timeless. And as Aliza showed in its origins-- the timing of the death of Shalom Aleichem and the timing of the show in the 1960s in the US-- contributed to its success on many levels.
My life in the same turbulent 1960s and my Bar Mitzvah in 1964 only weeks after the Broadway opening, parallel much of the story as Shalom Aleichem wrote it and as Robbins, et. al. re-imagined it.
The stock that Fiddler is, is certainly still thick and present in my current country of Australia, where I've lived and worked for the last 15 years. Jewish identity finds expression there for anyone over 40, but much of the Yiddishkeit is different so far from Anatevka in both time and space. I wonder what the next generation will think and do viz Fiddler. Time will tell.
Thanks Aliza Solomon for the story-- thick (at times too thick) with facts and details-- which helps link the people, the scenery, the costumes, the music. To this day the story still makes this strong and strong-willed Jew almost break down in sentimental joy.
My life in the same turbulent 1960s and my Bar Mitzvah in 1964 only weeks after the Broadway opening, parallel much of the story as Shalom Aleichem wrote it and as Robbins, et. al. re-imagined it.
The stock that Fiddler is, is certainly still thick and present in my current country of Australia, where I've lived and worked for the last 15 years. Jewish identity finds expression there for anyone over 40, but much of the Yiddishkeit is different so far from Anatevka in both time and space. I wonder what the next generation will think and do viz Fiddler. Time will tell.
Thanks Aliza Solomon for the story-- thick (at times too thick) with facts and details-- which helps link the people, the scenery, the costumes, the music. To this day the story still makes this strong and strong-willed Jew almost break down in sentimental joy.
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