Friday, November 14, 2014

Other songs from "Fiddler on the Roof"

At rehearsal this week, the song "Dear, Sweet Sewing Machine" came up in conversation.  This song was originally written for the character of Motel to sing, an ode to his sewing machine.  The song didn't make it into the version of "Fiddler" that opened on Broadway in 1964.  But, some lucky audiences in Detroit, Michigan did get to see it, before it was cut from the show.

Cast member Caitlin and our fearless stage manager and producer Mandy did some research and found some clips of this song, posted below.


Mandy also found a link to a story about songs that didn't make it to the final version.  Here is the link to the story, have a listen if you like!  Enjoy the song "A Butcher's Soul," Lazar's big number, which eventually was replaced by "To Life."

Another song, "When Messiah Comes," a song that Tevye was supposed to sing.  This performance is by Adam Heller, who played Tevye at the Goodspeed Opera House earlier this year.  At the end of the video, Sheldon Harnick, lyricist for "Fiddler on the Roof," talks about the song and why it didn't make the final version.


It's hard to think of "Fiddler" without the song "Tradition."  But, there was another song that originally opened the show, called "We Haven't Missed a Sabbath Yet."  Here is a link to hear that tune.  You can hear melodic material that was used in "Tradition."  It also gives you a sense of the manic, excited, brisk energy, leading up to sundown on Friday.