At the Source: Tevye der milkhiker by Sholem Aleichem

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[jenniferschillig]

It's pretty telling how the Chava/Fyedka story ends in the books versus how it ends in the musical--and very reflective of each writer's mindset. Chava's marriage HAD to fail in Aleichem's telling, because for it to be successful would be the same as saying it's all right to marry outside the faith--something that was intolerable in Aleichem's eyes and in the eyes of the audience he was writing for. But in Fiddler, it turns out far more happily (Chava leaves the area with her husband, who is unwilling to remain among bigots who persecute his wife's people, and there is a hint that Tevye might reconcile with them), because the script for Fiddler was written in a time when interfaith marriages had become much more mainstream.

[spews]

As my ancestors from the ghetto and the shtetl might have said, "This, I like."

[AMoniqueOcampo]

Something I loved from the revival of Fiddler on the Roof is that they show what a Jewish wedding looks like. The themes of this musical are still VERY relevant!

[rami_ungar_writer]

As a Jew, Fiddler on the Roof has always had a special place in my heart. Not to mention I played Lazer Wolf in the sixth grade and really hammed it up.

[JadeCryptOfWonders]

Fiddler On The Roof is inexplicably popular in Japan, who despite the Jewish narrative think it is such a Japanese story.

[janebyrne]

I have always liked this musical! I never saw Fiddler performed on Broadway, but I've seen the movie version at least twice. I also saw this show performed a couple of years ago in a regional theater production (St. Mark's Players). I have to see if I can find the original stories and read them for myself. In the 1970's, a writer named Leo Rosten wrote a book called "The Joys of Yiddish" which I would like to find on the shelves as well. It defines various Yiddish terms, like Nebbish. Followed by various jokes about the featured word. I remember reading in "Joys" about Groucho Marx, when told the swim club he was interested in joining didn't admit Jews, "My wife isn't Jewish, so can my son go up to his knees?"

[annekeener]

One of my favorite lines is always the blessing for the tsar. You can feel the pain and hatred in it.

[auldthymer]

I once came in for a job after the company had done Fiddler in the spring. The run time at the beginning of the production compared to the end was about fifteen minutes: their Tevye loved playing to the audience.

[kali]

And both Archie and Tevye have some great singing pipes! 😊

[StarBe]

I always love these At the Source videos. I learn so much and you cover each source material(s) so well!

[godzillasaurbuttersworth]

I’ve loved this musical since I was in it as a child, which is weird because I went to catholic school, lol. Still boggles my mind we were allowed.
Also, the All In The Family reference made me laugh because they do reference Fidler on the show!

[ariellakahan-harth]

I was in a summer-camp production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF when I was ten and I've loved it ever since, but only in high school did I start reading the short stories (and even then, I still haven't gotten around to "Tevye Strikes It Rich", "Tevye Blows a Small Fortune", or "Tevye Leaves for the Land of Israel"). Also, I've been watching a ton of ALL IN THE FAMILY lately (it's one of my father's favorites) and your comparison of Tevye to Archie Bunker just clicks perfectly. Makes me wonder what kind of Tevye Carroll O'Connor would have made.

[HaleyRadiant]

I LOVED seeing this musical live & not knowing much about it except from what my then living grandma told me. & the film was pretty good too, its definitely a musical much more enjoyed in live form tho! Loved getting to know about the source of this one! :3

[DAv]

As ever, a really good insight into a musical's origins and where the influences came from. Nice work.

[daytonapeanut]

This would have been nice to have when I wrote a college essay about this same thing which was essentially about the intentions of the original text vs. the stage play and movie and how they reflected the changing times of their eras.

[תומרכץ-שר]

Also important: the song "If I were a rich man" is based on another text of Shalom Aleichem, unrelated to Tevye.

[musiccubed]

I feel like you're watching every show I'm in and putting out these videos at the same time. I've seen 3 at the source and 2 musical hell videos about shows that I have been in that have come out around the same time I've been performing

[kelseighingram]

I’m doing Fiddler now! Couldn’t be better timing. And the Chava/Fyedka marriage still breaks my heart.

[erichartley]

Love the Twain quote, thanks for including it

[alexsavage]

40sec after posting! Commenting to boost your engagement, been viewing since I was in middle school (graduated college now)