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FIDDLER FUN FACTS!

 1. It's widely known that Fiddler on the Roof is based on Sholem Aleichem's stories, but did you know that the real name of this "Jewish Mark Twain" was Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich? His pen name Sholem Aleichem literally means "peace be with you."

2. Composer Bock and lyricist Harnick originally wanted to write a musical based on Aleichem's Wandering Stars, about a traveling Yiddish theater company. "It would have to had 40 minor characters on stage and it was just too big," Harnick said in an interview. They settled on the Tevye the Dairyman stories instead.

3. Pass the apples and honey! Bock and Harnick began writing Fiddler on the Roof on September 11, 1961, which was Rosh Hashanah (a.k.a. the Jewish New Year).

4. The first draft of the show was called The Old Country—other working titles included Tevye, Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away and Where Poppa Came From.

5. The title of the musical and Boris Aronson's set design for the original production are based Marc Chagall’s painting “The Fiddler.”

6. Stephen Sondheim urged director/choreographer Jerome Robbins to get involved with Fiddler after hearing the score at a private party at Stein’s home in New Rochelle. Good thing Jerry listened to Steve!

7. Harold Prince originally passed on producing Fiddler on the Roof. Bock and Harnick sweetened the deal by offering Prince their musical She Loves Me, and wonder of wonders, Prince agreed to take on Fiddler.