My husband and I went to see Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles last week. This new documentary takes a look at the original Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof, and all that went into creating and getting it produced.
The original writer, Joseph Stein, based the story on the works of Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem. The story takes place in 1905 Czarist Russia. It’s about a Jewish milkman Tevye, his wife and five daughters, three of whom are approaching marriage age. Conflict occurs because the parents want to preserve their Jewish traditions in a changing world while the daughters want to break away from the old custom of their father picking a husband for them.
The documentary talks about Sheldon Hamick, the lyricist, and Jerry Bock, the composer. They believed in this musical and fought to overcome all the obstacles they faced while trying to get it produced. Producers thought no one would be interested in an old Jewish story, but eventually someone agreed to produce it.
Jerome Robbins was hired as the choreographer. He’d previously done choreography for West Side Story and was considered a genius. Still the pre-Broadway run in Detroit had bad reviews and the team had to take out a musical piece and rethink the show. The New York Times said there were “no memorable songs.”
After revisions, the Broadway musical went on to perform over 3,000 performances and was made into a successful movie. As it turned out, the story had universal appeal because all cultures and people go through upheavals. This musical has a timeless quality and has been popular for 55 years worldwide. It is currently being performed someplace in the world every day.
I love the movie Fiddler on the Roof and have seen it several times, as well as viewing live performances. What I enjoyed about the documentary was realizing all the people who worked tirelessly to make it a successful show. I enjoyed learning about the history of the Jewish people in 1905 Russia, and the historical events at the time the musical was made (in the 1960s). The show is as relevant today as it was in the past.
At the end of Fiddler on the Roof, the government forces the Jewish people to leave their village. Today in many parts of the world people are leaving their homeland. The August 2019 issue of National Geographic has an article on this entitled “A World on the Move.”
I recommend Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles for those who have seen the musical either as a play or movie. It would be less meaningful for people who don’t know the story, but they still might find the documentary inspiring.
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