Description

---

Released to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the Broadway premiere, the full text and lyrics from the original production of one of the most beloved musicals of the 20th century

Fiddler on the Roof is well established as one of the great works of American musical theater. Adapted from the tales of Yiddish writer Sholom Alecheim and set in Tsarist Russia in 1905, it has proven an indelible tale of family, tradition, wit, and sorrow—all filtered through the ordeals of Tevye, a Jewish Everyman. Tevye, who lives in the fictional village Anatevka, is a hard-working milkman who clings to his faith and traditions, while dreaming of riches he'll never see. He believes he'll need a matchmaker to marry off his older daughters—but they soon force their more modern ideas about romance upon him. His celebrated journey to maintain his family and his faith amidst a rapidly changing world make for a timelessly profound read; the very definition of a classic. 

This edition also preempts the next Broadway revival, scheduled for 2015.

About the Author

---

Joseph Stein (1912-2010) was an playwright best known for such musicals as Fiddler on the Roof and Zorba. Born to Jewish immigrants, Stein grew up in the Bronx. He began his career as a psychiatric social worker, while writing comedy on the side. A chance encounter with Zero Mostel led him to writing for radio personalities, including Hildegarde and Jackie Gleason. He later worked in TV when he joined the writing team of "Your Show of Shows," which included Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, and Carl Reiner. He was honored with the Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theater, and in 2008 was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.

Praise For…

---

"If you were a rich man, you couldn't buy a better show."--New York Times

"Fiddler on the Roof is like your grandmother's house: a place to renew old values and get your soul scrubbed out. If you're lucky enough to have it still, be wise enough to visit it often."--New York Post