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Fiddler on the Roof, in the Town

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Fiddler on the Roof, in the Town CONTENTS The Play FIDDLER Meet the Creators Sholem Aleichem Glossary Setting the Scene: Pale of Settlement ON THE ROOF Jewish Traditions Now playing in the Fichandler Historical Context: Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 October 31, 2014 – January 4, 2015 Three Big Questions Book by Joseph Stein Additional Resources Music by Jerry Bock Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick ThE PLAY Directed by Molly Smith Anatevka (ah-nah-TEV-kah) is small, rural Jewish town in Russia. The year 1905 Original choreography by is a turbulent one in Russia, but Tevye Jerome Robbins (Tevy-ya) the milkman is preoccupied Choreography adapted with his daughters’ marriages and his own dreams of being rich enough to and restaged by Parker Esse support his family. Based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem Tevye and his wife Golde (Goal-da) want to find good husbands for their daughters, but as a poor family unable to provide a dowry, they can’t be picky. Yente (Yen-ta), the matchmaker, tries to arrange marriages for the girls. “Every one of us is a Traditions, like matchmaking, keep order fiddler on the roof, in the town. Jewish tradition dictates trying to scratch out how to eat, sleep, dress, marry, etc. Tevye takes comfort in tradition because, a simple tune without “everyone knows who he is and what breaking his neck. God expects him to do.” What happens, though, when Tevye’s daughters have It isn’t easy… And dreams that don’t align with tradition? how do we keep our These breaks from tradition and revo- balance? That I can lutionary stirrings across Russia cause tell you in a word – upheaval in both Tevye’s family and the village, as the characters struggle tradition!” – Tevye to keep their balance in the face of an uncertain future. l dowry – money or property brought by a bride to her marriage The DC Ticket Partnership is generously sponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by Rockwell Collins. MEET THE CREATORS Sholem GLOSSARY • Rabbi – a Jewish Aleichem religious leader, who is a scholar in Jewish law (1859-1917) and teachings “To make people laugh was almost a • Reb –a traditional form sickness with me.” – Sholem Aleichem of address, like “sir,” for holem Aleichem (Sho-lem Ah-lay-hem) a man who is not a rabbi was the penname of Sholem Rabinovich, • L’Chaim – a Hebrew From left: Sheldon Harnick, Joseph Stein, Sthe preeminent writer of Yiddish literature. (at piano) Jerry Bock and Jerome Robbins Aleichem’s most beloved character was Tevye toast meaning “to life” Credit: Photofest the Milkman, the stories of which inspired Fiddler on the Roof. • Mazel Tov – a In 1960 bookwriter Joseph Stein, Jewish phrase for composer Jerry Bock, and lyricist Sheldon Aleichem grew up in a Russian shtetl like congratulations or Harnick walked into the office of Harold Anatevka. He fictionalized many aspects of his wishing good luck. Prince (producer of West Side Story) to life in his stories. He had a unique talent for propose a musical adaptation of Sholem turning tragedy into comedy. He could find the • Chosen People – the Aleichem’s Tevye the Milkman series. funny side of any situation, no matter how grim. Jewish people are considered (in Jewish Bock and Harnick had won a Tony award He was the first to write popular literature and Christian tradition) and Pulitzer Prize for their musical in Yiddish, a language solely spoken by the as having been selected Fiorello! Joseph Stein was already a Jews of Eastern Europe. This radical choice by God for a special Broadway success. Shows he had written helped him to reach a wide audience through relationship with Him. and co-written, like Enter Laughing, had the Yiddish newspapers. It became a Friday glowing reviews and big name stars. night ritual for Jewish families across Europe • Fruma – a name and the United States to read his stories meaning “pious one” Prince suggested adding director Jerome aloud. Aleichem’s writings gave significance Robbins to the team. Robbins had just to the modern trials of the Jewish people and choreographed and directed the smash celebrated who they were. When Aleichem hit West Side Story on Broadway in 1957. died in 1917, his was the largest funeral in New The film version that he co-directed York City to date. l and choreographed went on to win ten Academy awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The Sholem Aleichem penname Prince felt that Robbins would make the comes from the Hebrew greeting characters relatable and get to the heart “shalom aleichem” which translates to of Fiddler. After joining the team, Robbins repeatedly asked, “But what’s the show “hello to you all.” about?” When replies repeated the plot, he would say, “I don’t know what it’s about, but it’s not about that,” and walk away. Finally, in a moment of frustration, Harnick yelled, “For God’s sake, Jerry, it’s about tradition!” Robbins replied, “That’s he title “Fiddler on the Roof” it. Write about that.” And so the opening came from the paintings by Marc number was born. TChagall, a Russian-Jewish painter. The inspiration especially came from Fiddler on the Roof won nine Tony “The Green Violinist,” painted for the awards, including best musical, score, Moscow State Yiddish Theatre in 1920. book, direction, choreography and even producer. It was the first musical ACTIVITY Do your to surpass 3,000 performances and FIND family members use held the record for the longest running words or phrases in musical for almost 10 years. l OUT different languages or dialects? MORE Make a list of these words or score – a musical’s music and lyrics phrases and find out their book – a musical’s script meanings and origins. JEWISH TRADITIONS MATCHMAKER, MATCHMAKER, MAKE ME A MATCH! traditional Jewish wedding starts with matchmaking. his foot. This act connects the couple with the spiritual and A matchmaker pairs two people together and brokers national identity of the Jewish people and pays tribute to the A the agreement between the families. This tradition has destruction of the temple. This ritual is followed by shouts of modernized and still exists in some Jewish communities. “Mazel Tov!” to the couple. To begin the wedding, both bride and groom Next, there is a large meal with all the guests. fast from dawn until the end of the marriage The Hora, a traditional circle dance, is usually ceremony. The bride wears a veil to symbolize The matchmaker’s done during the reception. During the dance, modesty and to show that physical attractive- name, “Yente,” is the the bride and groom, seated in chairs, are lifted ness is less important than soul and character. Yiddish word for a up by the wedding party. All Jewish weddings are performed under a very talkative woman chuppah (hu-pah), or canopy, which symbolizes Shabbat: The Day of Rest the new home the couple will build together. or gossip. Another Shabbat, or Sabbath, is the Jewish day of rest. Yiddish word you Shabbat is observed a few minutes before During the ceremony, the bride circles around might have heard sundown on Friday until the appearance of the groom seven times in accordance with the is klutz, which is a three stars on Saturday evening. It begins by number of days it took their God to build the the matriarch of the house lighting candles clumsy person. world. In doing so, the bride is figuratively build- and saying a prayer to welcome the spirit of ing the walls of their new world together. Next, the Sabbath. Absolutely no work is to be done in the Kiddushin (kid-uh-shin), or blessing of during the Sabbath. It is a time to contemplate betrothal, the rabbi prays over a glass of wine the spiritual aspects of life and spend time with from which the couple drinks. At the end of the ceremony, a their family. Shabbat is similar to the Christian Sunday. l glass is placed on the ground and the groom shatters it with ACTIVITY Pick a tradition your family has and write about it. Research the origin of this tradition. Is it unique to your family or do other people share this tradition? Interview your family members about your tradition. SETTING THE SCENE: ThE PALE OF SETTLEMENT evye’s village of Anatevka was based Orthodox Christianity. Therefore, it is on Sholem Aleichem’s own shtetl likely that the economic reasons were T(village). Both shtetls were part of an excuse to segregate a minority the Pale of Settlement, a single region group that the monarchy didn’t like. in Russia in which permanent residency by Jewish citizens was allowed. Outside Jews in Russia were also subject to this region, Jewish residency was restrictive laws called May laws that generally prohibited. took away their rights. The shtetls also became the object of pogroms, “The Pale” was first established or raids and massacres by Russian in 1791. Officially, it was said to soldiers. Eventually many Jews serve national interests by limiting were forced to leave their villages. competition between Russian and Because of the harsh life in the Jewish merchants and by encouraging Pale, approximately 2 million Jews settlement in new Russian territories. emigrated from Russia, many to the However, before the creation of the United States. l Pale, many tsars and tsarinas had tried Map of the Pale of Settlement. to remove all the Jews from Russia pale – an area enclosed unless they converted to Russian by a fence or boundary Helpful Hints for Theater Audiences HISTORICAL CONTEXT: As an audience member at the theater, YOU are part of the show! Just as you see and hear the actors onstage, they ThE REVOLUTIONS OF 1905 AND 1917 can see and hear you in the audience.
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