<Li> Rabbi, the wise village leader . </Li> <Li> Constable, a Christian man; the head of the local Russian police . </Li> <P> Following its tryout at Detroit's Fisher Theatre in July and August 1964, then Washington in August to September, the original Broadway production opened on September 22, 1964, at the Imperial Theatre, transferred in 1967 to the Majestic Theatre and in 1970 to The Broadway Theatre, and ran for a record - setting total of 3,242 performances . The production was directed and choreographed by Robbins--his last original Broadway staging . The set, designed in the style of Marc Chagall's paintings, was by Boris Aronson . A colorful logo for the production, also inspired by Chagall's work, was designed by Tom Morrow . Chagall reportedly did not like the musical . </P> <P> The cast included Zero Mostel as Tevye the milkman, Maria Karnilova as his wife Golde (each of whom won a Tony for their performances), Beatrice Arthur as Yente the matchmaker, Austin Pendleton as Motel, Bert Convy as Perchik the student revolutionary, Gino Conforti as the fiddler, and Julia Migenes as Hodel . Mostel ad - libbed increasingly as the run went on, "which drove the authors up the wall ." Joanna Merlin originated the role of Tzeitel, which was later assumed by Bette Midler during the original run . Carol Sawyer was Fruma Sarah, Adrienne Barbeau took a turn as Hodel, and Pia Zadora played the youngest daughter, Bielke . Both Peg Murray and Dolores Wilson made extended appearances as Golde, while other stage actors who have played Tevye include Herschel Bernardi, Theodore Bikel and Harry Goz (in the original Broadway run), and Leonard Nimoy . Mostel's understudy in the original production, Paul Lipson, went on to appear as Tevye in more performances than any other actor (until Chaim Topol), clocking over 2,000 performances in the role in the original run and several revivals . Florence Stanley took over the role of Yente nine months into the run . The production earned $1,574 for every dollar invested in it . It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical, score, book, direction and choreography, and acting awards for Mostel and Karnilova . </P>

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