Fiddler on the Roof (National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene)

"The marriage of Grey’s direction and Skybell’s performance shines like a beacon of love, warmth, and tenderness...It captures the essence on the Broadway musical but has the spirit of what the real Anatevka was like...Under Grey’s direction, the show has an emotional clarity. Grey has brought out the humanity and has made this man and his family so relatable...This 'Fiddler on the Roof' is like a fine meal, completely satisfying...This is a 'Fiddler' for the ages." Full Review

"You don't have to understand Yiddish to thrill to this production. Though most adult theater goers will know the songs and story and have probably seen it more than once, they'll come away feeling they've seen it for the first time— and that this is how it was meant to be...Fortunately the downtown cast is again on board. And the jewel in the crown of legendary performer Joel Grey's directing career shines more brightly than ever." Full Review

"Much more is gained than lost by the simplicity of the production, beautifully staged by actor Joel Grey and choreographer Stas Kmiec, without needing to focus on huge set pieces or overelaborate musical numbers, one can more deeply appreciate the show's story of an ordinary man who must adjust to drastic changes in his way of life - from letting his daughters choose their own husbands to eventually being forced to leave the village he's always called home." Full Review

“National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s ‘Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish’ breathes fresh life into a treasured property from the golden age of musical comedy, forcing audiences to interact anew with what is now one of the most well-known and performed musicals of all time, and providing, in return, a host of vital performances and resonant insights. It is, in short, a revelation. See it, or regret it.” Full Review

"The property is now more than a half-century old. But this production makes it seem as though the 1964 iteration were merely an English-language version of a classic from even longer ago. There's a greater feeling of immediacy than perhaps ever before. Hearing the characters speak and sing in the tongue that their real-life 1905 contemporaries would have used is deeply moving." Full Review

"Masterpiece-revival...crackles with warmth, authenticity, and a call for tradition in this timeless tale of a changing shtetl....The use of Yiddish here also allows the play to be removed from Americanisms so much that it becomes that much more universal...Sitting in the audience, a swell of pride bursts from the stage into the house; decades after its debut, 'Fiddler on the Roof' remains essential for audiences...Regardless of language, it is a triumph of courage in the face of opposition." Full Review

"The definitive production...In other productions, and all have been first rate, you felt you were watching a musical. Here I honestly felt that I was in their small town watching the actual inhabitants...While the show always had its share of hilarious and moving moments here it is performed with such robust dedication you feel you are watching the show for the first time...In its own way it has a fresh incandescent feel thanks to both Grey and the cast." Full Review

"Directed with a golden touch by Joel Grey...this production is nothing short of a masterpiece. Many elements of the show are better than Broadway...Skybell marvelously gives us an everyman version of Tevye, perfectly blending the stern and humorous parts of the character...Skybell’s humility gives the show a unique intimacy and the production hugs you like a warm blanket. The result is the feeling that this is not simply a show; it is our history. And it is a great present." Full Review

“‘Fiddler On The Roof’ in Yiddish is brilliant...Original ravishing Robbins choreography modified only in scale. Orchestra of 12 and it was first rate. A minimalist set...The translation is projected...though not many needed it. My guest didn’t even bother to follow it–not necessary...Hearing this show in the mother tongue of the characters was unspeakably beautiful, soulful and, at times, gut-wrenching. We were both dishrags after it.” Full Review

“What originally came across as a solid, modestly scaled effort that drew much of its power from its choice of language and venue has matured into a ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ that can stand up to any I've seen. And yes, the Yiddish dialogue and lyrics imbue it with an authenticity that makes it unique...Skybell's Tevye is...superb...The use of Yiddish firmly anchors this production in the old-world, yet it is surely not lost on anyone in the audience that we live in a world of refugees." Full Review

"The musical staging and choreography…adapt the…creations of Jerome Robbins for the reduced cast…but lose little of their imaginative verve...Each performance is carefully honed; while the richly comic material remains as humorous as ever, it's embedded in a deeply felt world of real people, led by Skybell's unusually straightforward Tevye...We cannot weep for the Jews…without also shedding tears for the families being torn apart at our own borders." Full Review

“Beautifully acted and sung...By way of an ancient language, a musical that has spent the last fifty years being produced regularly...is suddenly seen through a new lens...The impeccable cast is led by Skybell, a bearish Tevye of commanding strength and warm humility...There is very fine work among the supporting company...This is a heartwarming production of an enduring classic.” Full Review

"Folksbiene’s version has a purity and emotional accessibility that makes up for its modest production values...The singers have excellent voices and the dancers are absolutely first-rate. Staś Kmieć works wonders staging the Robbins-inspired dances and just moving the large cast around on a small stage...Steven Skybell plays Tevye more as an everyman than a larger-than-life figure, which I think works very well...The multitalented Joel Grey directs with complete assurance." Full Review

"Transcendent new production of the classic musical brings us closer to Tevye, Golde, and the good, pious citizens of Anatevka than we've ever been before...Even if you don't understand what the actors are saying, once the 15-piece orchestra strikes up those familiar melodies, you won't even need to look at the supertitles. The result is an intensely moving experience...It's a well-balanced staging that goes for the emotional guts but doesn't sacrifice the musical comedy." Full Review

"This production is very special indeed, endowed with a superabundance of strengths. If I were to narrow it down to one, it would be this: everyone involved absolutely respects the story that is being told, bringing out every bit of nuance that lies within Friedman's translation of Joseph Stein's English-language book...All told, director Joel Grey has given us a 'Fiddler' that is a towering labor of love, delivering the goods with heart, soul, and integrity." Full Review

"The production is directed by Joel Grey with exciting musical staging and culturally influenced choreography by Stas Kmiec. Oh, what a production it is!...Freeing itself from the burden of extravagance, it manifests a certain reality that pulls the audience in, so they become a part of the tightknit community. It is beyond suspension of disbelief, as it creates an actuality that transfers the spectator to another time...The members of the cast deliver authentic and compelling performances." Full Review

"It is a wonder to behold...'Fiddler' is being played in the language in which it was meant to be, and it seems thoroughly natural in this appealing staging directed with sensitivity, humor, pathos and dignity by distinguished actor Joel Grey...Steven Skybell is a great Tevye. He makes the character come realistically alive...The large cast does an excellent job all around...The dancing is creative and exuberant, and the singing is tops." Full Review

"The show has arrived with its stripped-down aesthetic and emotionally lucid production intact. In fact, it feels even more resonant... This may not be the most spectacularly sung, danced or designed 'Fiddler' ever to hit the stage, but it's likely the most authentic thanks to the use of Yiddish and the focus on genuine feelings. At times it's more like a séance than a show. The turn-of-the-20th-century village of Anatevka may be fictional, but its denizens feel wonderfully, vibrantly alive." Full Review

“The fascinating new staging from The National Yiddish Theatre is a time-bending musical. Spoken and sung in Yiddish, this 'Fiddler'...feels like an ancient version newly unearthed...The language, stagecraft and Grey’s smooth direction all conspire to transform the work into a bible story...The changes Friedman fiddles with, to accommodate the musicality of Yiddish...are sometimes charming and at other times mind blowing." Full Review

"It took me awhile to establish the right rhythm of reading and watching. But once that kicked in, I was transported...I marveled at how perfect a musical 'Fiddler on the Roof' is...This revival's success is mainly due to the direction of Joel Grey. Having his production performed in Yiddish, the language that Fiddler's characters would have spoken, obviously helps. But Grey also walks the talk and he has brought out every ounce of the underlying melancholy in this story." Full Review

"If you know Yiddish, it is, without question, a must-see. And if you have any hesitation about attending a three-hour show in a language you don’t speak, let me assuage your concerns immediately. You don’t have to be of any particular linguistic base, ethnicity, or religious affiliation to comprehend the beauty and significance of this work or to be touched by the characters and their story; you just have to be human...Everything is this production bespeaks accuracy and authenticity." Full Review

“Dazzling...Directed with verve and style by Tony and Oscar winner Grey...The Yiddish version offers neat little twists on the language...and reconfigures numerous lines to match the rhythm and meaning in Yiddish...Excellent cast...Could have felt dated and old-fashioned, instead is very much of the moment in the wake of the immigrant and refugee crisis currently going on in America and around the world...Another big hit for the talented troupe.” Full Review

"Stronger than I remember...This 'Fiddler' is a unique triumph...But make no mistake, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s 'Fiddler' is still very much the musical we all know and love. In the iconic role of Tevye, Skybell continues to deliver a sturdy, heartfelt performance that eschews the role of its trademark grandiosity...Skybell’s Tevye registers more like an 'everyman', and therefore the character’s considerable journey becomes an intimate one, and comparable to our own." Full Review

“Theodore Bikel would have approved...An authentic and, at times, extraordinarily moving experience...A Broadway-class production with beautiful staging and choreography...and an excellent 12-piece stage orchestra...The show’s authenticity makes this not only the most authentic rendition of the show but places it into the pantheon of must-see theater for all.” Full Review

"With the beautifully nuanced performance of Steven Skybell as the father, Tevye, grappling with a changing world within his family, his community, and his country, it was easy to be pulled in...His Tevya is the heart of this less grand production, but it beats strong...The pain and moral acceptance echoes in the musical sound, which is gorgeously rich...The grandness of the last Broadway revival is easily set aside, with grace, for this off-Broadway intimate portrayal." Full Review