The Making of a Musical: Fiddler on the Roof
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
From a library booksale (Jefferson County Public Library).
Having been in 2 productions of Fiddler, I really enjoyed reading this book. It's fascinating to think about how it came to be, how it happened, and how well-loved this show is world-over.
Some behind-the-scenes notes that theatre-lovers will enjoy:
"There were only two technical rehearsals and one dress rehearsal before Fiddler met its first paid audience -- hardly enough time to solve all the problems arising with sets, costumes, props, sound and orchestra. . . .One night one wall of Tevye's house failed to close electrically as the house began to revolve, and the wall was nearly torn from the rest of the structure. Zero was making an entrance at that moment; he rushed to the errant wall and sent it off in the right direction, ad-libbing and having a marvelous time."
In Chapter 2, "What's the Show About?", I found this fascinating:
"'Curiously enough,' says Joe (Stein), 'the basic story line, which I constructed at that time is basically the one that's on the stage right now. It's never changed.' Joe began work on the book itself in August, and on Rosh Hashanah (September 11, that year) Jerry and Sheldon started on the music."
In trying to figure out what the show was about, Jerry Robbins "was like the world's greatest district attorney, asking question after question, probing" and the other men kept saying that it was "about a dairy farmer and his daughters and trying to find husbands for them" Jerry Robbins' response to that, "Yeah, but that's 'Previous Adventures of the Goldberg Family,' and he didn't want to do that." The author writes, "I don't know who finally made the discovery that the show was really about the disintegration of a whole way of life, but I do remember that it was a surprise to all of us. And once we found that out -- which was pretty exciting -- Robbins said, 'Well, if it's a show about tradition and its dissolution, then the audience should be told what that tradition is.'" "So we wrote 'Tradition' because he insisted on it." Can you imagine Fiddler on the Roof without the song "Tradition"?
The last lines in the book are a summary of how everywhere the show went, the producers were told "it won't play in (insert city name)." ". . .and in nearly every place (it has) moved and affected audiences so deeply. Hopefully, Norman Jewison's film will have been equally successful in reaching and touching people throughout the world.":
"But as Sholom Aleichem's Tevye once philosophized: "I never question God's way. Whatever He ordains is good. Besides, if you do complain, will it do any good?"
Registering this as part of the RACE TO A MILLION Challenge.
Having been in 2 productions of Fiddler, I really enjoyed reading this book. It's fascinating to think about how it came to be, how it happened, and how well-loved this show is world-over.
Some behind-the-scenes notes that theatre-lovers will enjoy:
"There were only two technical rehearsals and one dress rehearsal before Fiddler met its first paid audience -- hardly enough time to solve all the problems arising with sets, costumes, props, sound and orchestra. . . .One night one wall of Tevye's house failed to close electrically as the house began to revolve, and the wall was nearly torn from the rest of the structure. Zero was making an entrance at that moment; he rushed to the errant wall and sent it off in the right direction, ad-libbing and having a marvelous time."
In Chapter 2, "What's the Show About?", I found this fascinating:
"'Curiously enough,' says Joe (Stein), 'the basic story line, which I constructed at that time is basically the one that's on the stage right now. It's never changed.' Joe began work on the book itself in August, and on Rosh Hashanah (September 11, that year) Jerry and Sheldon started on the music."
In trying to figure out what the show was about, Jerry Robbins "was like the world's greatest district attorney, asking question after question, probing" and the other men kept saying that it was "about a dairy farmer and his daughters and trying to find husbands for them" Jerry Robbins' response to that, "Yeah, but that's 'Previous Adventures of the Goldberg Family,' and he didn't want to do that." The author writes, "I don't know who finally made the discovery that the show was really about the disintegration of a whole way of life, but I do remember that it was a surprise to all of us. And once we found that out -- which was pretty exciting -- Robbins said, 'Well, if it's a show about tradition and its dissolution, then the audience should be told what that tradition is.'" "So we wrote 'Tradition' because he insisted on it." Can you imagine Fiddler on the Roof without the song "Tradition"?
The last lines in the book are a summary of how everywhere the show went, the producers were told "it won't play in (insert city name)." ". . .and in nearly every place (it has) moved and affected audiences so deeply. Hopefully, Norman Jewison's film will have been equally successful in reaching and touching people throughout the world.":
"But as Sholom Aleichem's Tevye once philosophized: "I never question God's way. Whatever He ordains is good. Besides, if you do complain, will it do any good?"
Registering this as part of the RACE TO A MILLION Challenge.
Sending this as a RABCK to SpedBug's daughter, who is playing Bielke in the High School performance of Fiddler on the Roof.
Hope you guys enjoy it!
Hope you guys enjoy it!
I am soooo looking forward to reading this book (and sharing it with my daughter who just recently played "Bielke" in her school's performance of Fiddler on the Roof). Antof9 was kind enough to offer me this book, as a RABCK, when I commented on the play in the forums. I got back from a week long cruise to find a huge stack of mail (mostly bills - yuck!) awaiting me. What a lovely surprise to find this book - a ray of sunshine - amongst it all!
Thanks Ant! :)
Thanks Ant! :)
Journal Entry 4 by SpedBug at Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware USA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
RELEASE NOTES:
I left this book (a very sweet gift from Antof9) on the bench just outside Ruby Tuesday's restaurant. I hope someone who loved the play finds it and enjoys it as much as Savagefuzzball and I did. :)
I left this book (a very sweet gift from Antof9) on the bench just outside Ruby Tuesday's restaurant. I hope someone who loved the play finds it and enjoys it as much as Savagefuzzball and I did. :)
