In the early 1960s, when the creators of Fiddler on the Roof were developing a musical about Tevye the dairyman and his rebellious daughters in 1905 Russia, they assumed it would have limited appeal. To their surprise, Fiddler was embraced by theatergoers far beyond the Jewish community, becoming at one point the longest-running show in Broadway history and an … [Read more...]
Delray Playhouse’s ‘She Loves Me’ shines with stellar cast
By Dale King A lyric in theme song for the 1970s TV comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show tells us that “Love is all around.” That short, but sweet and sentimental, assertion could easily apply to the Hungarian perfume store where She Loves Me, the serene and romantic musical that packages amour in various situations, takes place. The production, now being presented on the … [Read more...]
Appreciation: Sheldon Harnick, exacting lyricist of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
Broadway’s golden era of the 1960s just lost one of its greats. Sheldon Harnick, the lyricist of Fiddler on the Roof – the final survivor of that classic musical’s creative team – has died at the age of 99. If he only wrote Fiddler, Harnick’s place among the top tier of musical wordsmiths would be secure. (Has there ever been a Jewish wedding in the past half a century … [Read more...]
‘Fiddler’ still a miracle, as Sher’s version at Kravis shows
Fifty-five years ago, during what we now look back on as the golden age of Broadway, Sholem Aleichem’s folk tales of Tevye the dairy man and his five tradition-challenging daughters were adapted into the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Although considered commercially risky at the time, it went on to become one of the longest-running shows ever on Broadway, and a hit around the … [Read more...]
Fine cast shines in ‘The Rothschilds’ at Broward Stage Door
By Dale King The Broward Stage Door Theatre is back in full production mode about a month before most other performing arts venues have raised their opening night curtains. The 22-year-old arts center in Margate is still riding the crest of its successful summer production of the jukebox musical, The Soul of Motor City, which is scheduled to conclude its lengthy run on … [Read more...]