FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Lyricist Sheldon Harnick Set for Museum at Eldridge Street Next Month

Breaking all box office records in its day, Fiddler on the Roof, currently in previews at the Broadway Theater and scheduled to open December 20th, has thrilled audiences on Broadway and around the world for more than half a century. Generations have embraced Tevye's story and such unforgettable songs as "Tradition," "If I were a Rich Man," and "Sunrise, Sunset." Now as this beloved musical returns to the New York stage, the Museum at Eldridge Street welcomes the show's legendary lyricist: Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize winner, Sheldon Harnick.

Mr. Harnick gives us an inside look at the creative process and the creation of a musical masterpiece. In conversation with Alisa Solomon, author of WONDER OF WONDERS: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF Fiddler on the Roof, he takes us backstage and on stage; from rehearsals to previews to opening night. What was it like to be on the talented team behind this Broadway blockbuster? Why were some songs instant hits while others mysteriously fell flat? Presented inside the historic Eldridge Street Synagogue, the program features music by violinist Kate Mollica, and will be followed by a reception in honor of Sheldon Harnick and his remarkable career.

Sheldon Harnick, who was born in Chicago in 1924, wrote his first song for Broadway in 1952. His collaboration with composer Jerry Bock produced such classics as Fiorello (1959), which won both a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award and Fiddler on the Roof (1964), which won the Tony for Best Musical. In the 1970s he translated work for opera, including Lehar's THE MERRY WIDOW, and provided original librettos for operas by Jack Beeson, Thomas Shepard and Henry Mollicone. Harnick is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, two Tonys, two Grammy Awards, two New York Drama Critics Circle Awards, one platinum and three gold records. He and his wife Margery, who just celebrated their 50th anniversary, have published a book entitled THE OUTDOOR MUSEUM (Not Your Usual Images of New York," featuring her photographs and his poetry. SHELDON HARNICK: HIDDEN TREASURES, a 2-CD set including songs written for 17 of his shows and rare demos, and featuring performances by Harnick and Bock. In addition to the 2015 revival of Fiddler on the Roof, Rothschilds & Sons was produced off Broadway, and in 2016 there will be a revival of SHE LOVES ME.

Alisa Solomon teaches at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where she directs the Arts & Culture concentration in the MA program. A theater critic and general reporter for the Village Voice from 1983 to 2004, she has also contributed to The New York Times, The Nation, Tablet, The Forward, and other publications. Her first book, Re-Dressing the Canon: Essays on Theater and Gender, won the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. Wonder of Wonders, published in 2013, won the Kurt Weill Prize.

AN AFTERNOON WITH SHELDON HARNICK is part of the Museum at Eldridge Street's special series of programs inspired by the 2015 revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Based in the 1887 National Historic Landmark Eldridge Street Synagogue, the Museum at Eldridge Street presents the culture, history, and traditions of the great wave of Jewish immigrants to the Lower East Side, drawing parallels with the diverse cultural communities that have settled in America. The 128-year-old landmark, nestled in the current heart of New York City's Chinatown is a vital cultural and educational center on Jewish life in America and the broad immigrant experience, and continues to be home to a small group of worshippers. Most recently, the building has grown in recognition as the subject of a 20-year, $20 million restoration, spearheaded and implemented by the Museum at Eldridge Street. The Museum completed the building's award-winning restoration in December 2007, introduced a magnificent permanent stained-glass window by artist Kiki Smith and architect Deborah Gans in 2010, and opened a new permanent exhibition in 2014. Today the Museum is also acknowledged for its tours, exhibits, and public and educational programs which tell the story of the generations that contributed new religious and communal customs to the American context of diverse cultural traditions. The Museum welcomes thousands of visitors annually, of all cultural backgrounds, and from around the city, nation and world.

IF YOU GO:

An Afternoon with Lyricist Sheldon Harnick

WHEN: Sunday, December 6 at 2 pm

WHERE: Museum at Eldridge Street, based in the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge Street, between Canal and Division Streets. By subway: F to East Broadway; D to Grand Street.

PRICE: $18 adults; $15 students/seniors.

INFORMATION: www.eldridgestreet.org or call 212.219.0302