As part of its popular Folksbiene! LIVE virtual programming series (which has been viewed by more than 220,000 households to date), the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) will present an online celebration on Sunday, May 2, at 2:30pm, to launch the release of On the Roof: A Look Inside Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, a behind-the-scenes book by author and actress Samantha Hahn.
In it, Hahn – the youngest member of the eponymous award-winning musical’s cast (as Beylke), a student of musical theater at Manhattan School of Music, and the voice of Trinket the Unicorn on Nick Jr.’s animated TV series Nella The Princess Knight in both the US and the UK – recounts the journey of how “Yiddish Fiddler” (which made its debut with NYTF at the Museum of Jewish Heritage before transferring to Stage 42) came to be, through stories and interviews with the cast, crew, and creative team. From auditions and rehearsals that ended in tears and screaming in elevators to backstage life and the lasting bonds of the company-members-turned-family, all offer a unique take on the show, their experience, and the impact it has had on their lives.
The Zoom book party will feature a discussion moderated by the show’s Lead Producer Jana Robbins, with special guests Tony and Academy Award-winning Director Joel Grey, NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek, and Fiddler castmates Stephanie Lynne Mason (Hodl), Rosie Jo Neddy (Khave), Raquel Nobile (Shprintze), and Rachel Zatcoff (Tsaytl). Stage and screen star Bebe Neuwirth will also make a special appearance.
The digital doors to the free online book party will open at 2:15 pm, on Sunday, May 2, beginning with a special pre-show montage of backstage videos from Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. To view the livestream event, go online. Audience members will be able to ask questions of the cast and creative team in the Zoom chat space.
