Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof

by Alisa Solomon

  “book changes” and subsequent quotations from this document and cover letter, JRP13:11.

  “notes on the score” and subsequent quotations from this document and cover letter, JRP5:4.

  “Please, Reb Robbins” letter from Bock and Harnick to Robbins, n.d., JRP5:4.

  cut an amusing song for Lazar about “a butcher’s soul” compare spring 1964 script; Harnick-3 interview.

  composer, Albert Hague, had boasted Stein interview.

  Holding tryouts in town Richard F. Shepard, “‘Café Crown’ Opens on April 17 after Presenting 30 Previews,” New York Times, April 9, 1964.

  more than 42 percent of America’s Jews still lived in the New York metropolitan area American Jewish Yearbook 65 (1964), 3.

  fumbling their lines … failing to keep his wig on straight review of Café Crown in Life, May 15, 1964.

  “harmonious interfaith relations” Jack Gould, “3 Faiths Discuss ‘Deputy’ with TV: Leaders Concerned over Coverage of Play’s Opening,” New York Times, February 20, 1964.

  he offered the role of Golde Harnick-2, Prince interviews; Altman and Kaufman, Making of a Musical, 82.

  Harnick thought she was “great” audition notes, SHP2:8; Harnick-2 interview.

  too American Harnick-2 interview; Altman and Kaufman, Making of a Musical, 80.

  He took a chance on young Leonard Frey letter from Frey to Robbins, October 15, 1963, JRP5:5.

  Robbins didn’t want Perchik to be “too handsome” Altman and Kaufman, Making of a Musical, 78.

  some came dressed Senn interview.

  “The Russians are coming” Bodin interview.

  these were poor Jewish folk Aberdeen, Bodin, Kazan, Modelski, Senn interviews.

  “You’ve never seen such a motley crew” Prince interview.

  “Don’t ever ask me” telegrams exchanged between Robbins and Prince, May 18, 1964, HPP105:6.

  Prince coolly replied Prince interview.

  Prince urged Robbins … hurried to see the drawings Robbins phone message log and appointment books, JRP568:1, 2, 3.

  what was the show JRP13:11; JSP-W27, 29:2.

  Prince scanned the list Harnick-3, Prince, Stein interviews.

  CHAPTER 5: RAISING THE ROOF

  circulation of 7.5 million Nielsen Media Service stats quoted in Peter Bart, “Publisher Drops Nielsen Service,” New York Times, April 12, 1963.

  “The Vanishing American Jew” Thomas B. Morgan, Look, May 1964, 43–46.

  “the vitality” “Vanishing,” Look, 43.

  third-generation American Jewish Year Book, October 1963.

  “The liberalism of the Jewish parent” Sklare, “Intermarriage and the Jewish Future,” Commentary, April 1964, 52.

  the contemporary parallels Robbins found in an interview with the New York Herald Tribune, June 11, 1964. Also, Prince interview.

  He started the work Aberdeen, Everett, Prince interviews.

  “What the hell does all this have to do” Aberdeen interview.

  “Nobody ever complained to Jerry” Prince interview.

  “make a shtetl out of them” Robbins quoted in Kotlowitz, “Corsets,” 91.

  “like one of those figures” Pendleton interview.

  “You didn’t do” Merlin interview.

  He’d blurt out Actors Studio words Lonne Elder report.

  he helps her lay down a tablecloth Merlin, Pendleton interviews.

  “A couple of weddings” Pendleton interview.

  “two degrees below hostile” Stein interview.

  “Mostel likes to test you” Robbins quoted in Kotlowitz, “Corsets,” 91.

  Mostel touched the doorpost Tobias Mostel, Harnick-3 interviews; oft-repeated lore.

  When Bock and Harnick wrote Harnick-1 interview, Bock and Harnick interview by Terry Gross on Fresh Air, June 21, 2004.

  “little hoard” … “a large house with a tin roof” Sholem-Aleichem, Tevye’s Daughters, 6, 9.

  “dream-tasting spiral” Richard Gilman, “Hail the Conquering Zero,” Newsweek, October 19, 1964, 95.

  “He can do the same thing four ways” Stein quoted in Gilman, “Hail,” 95.

  “bagful of water” Robbins quoted in Kotlowitz, “Corsets,” 91.

  simply a song Harnick-1 interview.

  “the butchest dancers” Aberdeen interview.

  those playing Jews Aberdeen, Bayes interviews; Fiddler on the Roof Choreographic Manual.

  Robbins clapped his hands Pendleton, Modelski, Senn interviews; Fiddler on the Roof Choreographic Manual, 224.

  “accumulated” … “kept rolling” Bock in Landmark Symposium, 19.

  “are not ‘characters’” Robbins notes on costumes for Zipprodt, JRP13:11.

  vegetable graters, wood rasps Zipprodt notes, “Principles of Ageing,” PZP53:1.

  “bleach and overdye” Zipprodt notes in “Costume Bible,” PZP53:2.

  outrageous cost of $9,000 … “biggest monsters” memo from Prince office objecting to ten trailers at $896.90 each, July 30, 1964, HPP105:9.

  “those very mild pickups” Robbins phone message, JRP568:1.

  Fisher Theater’s lush lobby Luzenski and Levin, Fisher Theatre; Lynn, National Trust Guide, 105–7; “Fisher Building Interior,” June 2, 2009, Detroitfunk, http://detroitfunk.com/?p=1849; and “Fisher Building Damage,” June 3, 2009, http://detroitfunk.com/?p=1852.

  “milk towns” Robbins office note, July 16, 2004, JRP568:1.

  “The subscription in Detroit is hefty” Prince letter to Robbins, February 6, 1964, HPP108:1.

  “we could die in Detroit” Harnick-1 interview.

  “You should see this ladies’ room!” Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 12.

  “easy to assume” Harrington, Other America, 4.

  “What are you going to do” … “Whatever it is” Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 17.

  “They were inching out backwards” Harnick-2 interview.

  “Well, we like it” Stein interview.

  “we got through” Duane Bodin interview.

  “Dear, Sweet Sewing Machine” lyrics provided by Harnick; Harnick-1, Pendleton interviews.

  “a feeling that we might have something very special” Stein quoted in William Glover, “Fiddler on the Roof on Top the Longest,” The Record, July 12, 1971.

  “Everything is ordinary” Tew, “Legit Tryout: Fiddler on the Roof,” Variety, July 28, 1964, 2.

  “uncommonly fine musical” Jay Carr quoted in Prince letter to investors, July 28, 1964, HPP120:4.

  upbeat letter to investors July 28, 1964, HPP120:4.

  “receiving good response” “Detroit Responding to ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’” New York Times, August 8, 1964, 10.

  “agonizingly long” … “hell to go to” Bodin, Kazan interviews.

  innocent, even pretty Everett, Aberdeen, Ponazecki interviews.

  “that ‘golly–oh gee shucks’ business” Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 15.

  “You are not going to Coney Island” ibid., 23.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Harnick-1 interview.

  “what a lot of fun it is” Prince letter to Robbins, June 18, 1964, HPP105:6.

  “his world begins to tilt” Robbins notes, n.d., JRP13:10.

  “the show died” Stein in Landmark Symposium, 23.

  “If he takes it out altogether” Harnick-1, 2 interviews.

  “It was a mistake” Harnick-2 interview.

  Mostel was channeling Tobias Mostel interview.

  five minutes’ worth of lazzo Harnick-2 interview.

  threw new pages Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 22.

  “The man is a genius” Pendleton, Everett interviews.

  Fiddler pulled its first hint of profit HPP120:6 and Prince interview.

  “Suddenly all the composition” Pendleton interview.

  Robbins was faring even worse Kazan, Pendleton, Bodin, Harnick interviews.

  “bête noire number 2” title on set of unused lyrics supplied by Harnick and Harnick
–2 interview.

  “Give me klutzy!” Bodin interview.

  Attle, was knocked out Bayes, Aberdeen, Everett, Pendleton interviews.

  he filled out the quitting notice Bodin interview.

  “unsophisticated audience” … “electrifying” Rich interview.

  “Joy, there is such joy” Leo Sullivan, “‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ Is a New Musical to ‘Enjoy, Enjoy,’” Washington Post, August 28, 1964.

  His understudy, Paul Lipson Aberdeen, Bodin, Everett, Kazan, Prince interviews.

  people in the lobby Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 28.

  Lipson … played the role more than two thousand times Paul Lipson obituary, New York Times, May 5, 1996.

  “you may just not be able to find” “National’s ‘Fiddler’ a Winner,” Star, August 28, 1964.

  “Last night during the wedding scene” Pendleton interview.

  Convy had lobbied … “Miracle of Miracles” fitting Pendleton, Harnick-2, Prince interviews.

  “What’s the problem, Austin?” Pendleton interview.

  “over here a few” “When Messiah Comes” unused lyrics from Harnick, and bonus track on Fiddler Broadway Deluxe Collector’s Edition.

  “From the stage he couldn’t see” Harnick-2 interview.

  doctrinal difference S. A. Lewis made this point in a letter in response to an article of mine about Fiddler in the Forward, “Letters,” September 15, 2006.

  “without any constructing elements” Robbins draft letter to Clurman, JRP16:43.

  “The wedding scene is going to be wonderful” Robbins, notes on Tevye, JRP13:11.

  What are Tevye and Golde doing? Harnick-1 interview.

  “This is the dance” Bayes, Aberdeen, Bodin, Prince interviews; Fiddler on the Roof Choreographic Manual.

  “You’re working yourself into a state of joy” Bayes interview.

  when choreographing “The Small House of Uncle Thomas” Eileen Blumenthal, “In the Wings, ‘Noh, Noh, Nanette?’” New York Times, April 26, 1987, H5; and Eileen Blumenthal, “How Thai Is It?,” American Theater, July–August 1996, 6–7.

  “Any man who can do that” Aronson quoted in Altman and Kaufman, Making of a Musical, 68.

  a new generation of Pilgrims Wolitz, “Americanization of Tevye.”

  “swirling away” Everett Bagot interview.

  “some real excitement … enormous” ibid.

  “We’re not going to put it in” Pendleton interview.

  “gamboling on the green” Prince interview.

  “For the only time in my life” Harnick-2 interview.

  “serene quietness” Elder, “Observer’s Report,” 31.

  “We came to love our village” Modelski interview.

  break-a-leg telegrams JRP5:7,8,9; SHP5:14; JBP20:7.

  gifts they exchanged JRP545:14; SHP5:14; Lisa Aronson, Harnick-2 interviews.

  troupe gave Robbins a white yarmulke JRP13:19.

  Mostel … opened his mouth Merlin, Modelski interviews.

  “like somebody tiptoeing” Modelski interview.

  He had never been so certain Prince interview.

  Robbins was startled Altman and Kaufman, Making of a Musical, 106.

  “a picturesque twist session” “Frank Farrell’s New York by Day: The Play Was the Thing, Dinner’s Forced to Wait,” New York World Telegram, September 23, 1964.

  Kate Mostel … jitterbug with John C. Attle Tobias Mostel interview.

  her husband whirled around the floor Joanne Stang, “At Home with Tevye, Tevye at Home,” New York Times, October 4, 1964, X1.

  Kerr accused the creators New York Herald Tribune, September 23, 1964; Fiddler clips, NYPL-PA.

  Prince took the mic Prince, Pendleton interviews.

  “didn’t want to see Jerry” Pendleton interview.

  Taubman declared New York Times, September 23, 1964, 56; Fiddler clips, NYPL-PA.

  Roberta Senn wrote to her parents Senn interview; Senn letter to parents, n.d., generously shared from her personal files.

  “There was something in this show” Harnick interview.

  By February, Prince was sending distributions to investors box office report, February 20, 1965, notes $45,000 in distributions made with the report, JRP16:6.

  Joe Stein loved to tell Harnick maintains that the story of the Japanese producer is apocryphal but acquired the force of gospel. E-mail correspondence with author.

  “as you must know” Dolan letter to Robbins, September 26, 1964, JRP5:29.

  “Broadwayized” N. Sverdlin, “Sholem-aleykems ‘helden’ in brodvey musikal,” Der Tog Morgen Zhurnal, September 25, 1964.

  “Jewish America’s most beautiful” Chaim Ehrenreich, “Sholem-aleykhems ‘Tevye der milkhiker’ af brodvey,” Forverts, September 26, 1964.

  “laid open” Robbins, autobiographical notes, JRPP19:6.

  “a glory for my father” Robbins, autobiographical notes, JRPP1:18.

  “This is the first seder” Spiro to Prince, April 12, 1968, HPP109:1.

  Fiersteins Fierstein interview.

  “The play was the life of my grandparents” Belle Miller to Paul Lipson, August 30, 1966, HPP109:3.

  “just such a little town in Russia” Schwartz to Prince, November 30, 1964, HPP109:4.

  how an actor should properly pronounce “Kiev” letters to Prince, 1964ff., HPP109:3, 4.

  900th New York performance … profit of 352 percent press release of November 22, 1966, Sol Jacobson and Lewis Harmon, clippings, “Fiddler.”

  Newsweek … paid circulation 1.6 million Number cited in “Relinquishing of Editorial Control at Time, Inc., by Henry Luce Marks End of Era,” John Lee, New York Times, April 17, 1964, 55; and in a display ad for Newsweek in the New York Times, March 30, 1964, 46.

  wedding bands … expected Hans Jenny (bandleader/booker) interview.

  “funny kind of tenderness” his old teacher Robbins notes, JRP542:8.

  letters objected HPP109:2, 3, 4.

  Maurice Samuel issued a public protest described in a letter from Stein to Robbins, November 28, 1966, displayed in “New York Story: Jerome Robbins and His World,” exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, curated by Lynn Garafola, March 25–June 28, 2008.

  “The real intention” Prince letters to complainants, HRP109:2.

  “simple, gentle man” …“for the sake of the show” Stein letter to Prince, displayed in “New York Story” exhibit.

  “that rabbi problem again” Robbins letter to Sandor, December 9, 1966, displayed in “New York Story” exhibit.

  “strong and appealing” Prince letter to Robbins, May 26, 1965, JRP5:16.

  “It makes me especially angry” Prince letter to Robbins, September 19, 1966, JRP5:16.

  “It is true that I am an actress” Marisse letter to Robbins, JRP5:16.

  Marisse complained to Actors’ Equity Douglas Watt, “Actress to Take Jewish Holiday Case to Board,” Los Angeles Times, October 6, 1966, D16.

  “of all things” “‘Fiddler’ Drops Girl Absent on Holy Days,” New York Post, n.d., clippings.

  Lyons ran a brief item New York Post, n.d., Fiddler clippings.

  Letters to Prince’s office HPP109:3.

  “The Imperial is not a Temple” Prince letter to Lyons, September 29, 1965, HPP109:3.

  southpaw’s refusal to pitch For discussion of Koufax’s contract, likely activity that Yom Kippur, and impact, see Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax: A Lefty’s Legacy (New York: HarperCollins, 2002).

  affiliation with synagogues … from 30 percent … to nearly 60 percent Shapiro, A Time for Healing, 148.

  standing ovations eight times a week Le Roy interview.

  “cutest shtetl” Irving Howe, “Tevye on Broadway,” Commentary, November 1964, 74.

  “I am enormously gratified” Stein program note for first Israel production, ITA-TA.

  CHAPTER 6: THE OLD COUNTRY IN THE OLD-NEW LAND

  Almagor … received an urgent call Almagor interview. All quotes fr
om Almagor below from interview unless otherwise indicated.

  not until Godik came along See Waiting for Godik.

  A mural and poem See Emily Alice Katz, “It’s the Real World After All: The American-Israel Pavilion-Jordan Pavilion Controversy at the New York World’s Fair, 1964–1965,” American Jewish History 91:1 (March 2003): 129–55.

  the new “muscle Jews” so named in 1898 by the early Zionist activist Max Nordau. For this concept and for discussion of the rejection of Diaspora, see Segev, Seventh Million; Naomi Seidman, A Marriage Made in Heaven: The Sexual Politics of Hebrew and Yiddish (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997); Daniel Boyarin, Unheroic Conduct: The Rise of Heterosexuality and the Invention of the Jewish Man (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997).

  “empty glasses and full ashtrays” Almagor, “The Fiddler Who Went on the Roof,” Ma’ariv, September 11, 1964, trans. Elik Elhanan.

  “as if greeting an old friend” Topol, Topol by Topol, 98.

  Sallah rose to classic status See Shohat, Israeli Cinema, 138–55.

  “fled from the theater” Topol, Topol by Topol, 1.

  “one felt the whole of the Russian Jewish experience” ibid., 100.

  By mid-November … the deal was done Godik letter to Prince, November 16, 1964, HPP11:6.

  “tragically distorted and twisted” Natan Altman, quoted in Vladislav Ivanov, “Habima and Biblical Theater,” in Susan Tumarkin Goodman, ed., Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater (New York: Jewish Museum; New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008), 31.

  “mostly melodramatic adaptations” Freddie Rokem, “Hebrew Theater from 1889 to 1948,” in Ben-Zvi, Theater in Israel, 73. See also Kohansky, Hebrew Theatre.

  “drew Kasrilevke not with ink but with poison” Michael Ohad, “With Powder and Lipstick,” 1965, Haaretz, June 19, 1965, trans. Elhanan, clipping, BSA-TA.

  “diluted, abridged, fragmentary” Miron, “Literary Image of the Shtetl,” 187.

  blew up a local Yiddish press See A. Pilowsky, “Yiddish Alongside the Revival of Hebrew: Public Polemics on the Status of Yiddish in Eretz Israel, 1907–1929,” in Joshua Fishman, ed., Readings in the Sociology of Jewish Languages (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1985), 123.

  Berkowitz offered a hero besieged See Weitzner, Sholem Aleichem in the Theater, and also plot summary in program in 1943 Habima program booklet, ITA-TA.