New Rochelle in Westchester County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Jerry Bock & Joseph Stein
"Fidder on the Roof"
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Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with a score by Jerry Block, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and book by Joseph Stein. It is based on Sholem Aleichem's short stories and centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his attempts to maintain his family and Jewish religious traditions in a changing world. The stage version starring Zero Mostel opened in 1964 and held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine. The 1971 film version starring Chaim Topal won three Academy Awards.
While Fiddler takes place in Anatevka, a Shtetl, or small Jewish village in 1905 Tsarist Russia, Jerry Bock wrote the music and Joseph Stern wrote the book when they lived in New Rochelle Bock at 145 Wellington Avenue and Stein at 55 Elizabeth Road.
Composer Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Bock was born in 1928 in New Haven Connecticut and grew up in Flushing, Queens. He received a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the 1959 musical Fiorello! and a Tony Award in 1964 for Fiddler on the Roof. He collaborated on the musical Mr. Wonderful (1956), designed for Sammy Davis, Jr.,
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Playwright Joseph Stein was born in New York City in 1912. He won a Tony Award for his work on Fiddler and also supplied the book for nearly a dozen other musicals, including Zorba, Mr. Wonderful, and Plain and Fancy. His career as a social worker was interrupted by a chance encounter with Zero Mostel who led him to start writing for radio personalities, such as Henry Morgan, Phil Silvers, and Jackie Gleason and later for television when he joined Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows.
In 2010, just 10 days before his own death from heart failure at the age of 81, Jerry Bock spoke at the funeral of his 98 year-old friend, Joseph Stein.
Erected by City of New Rochelle, NY; New Rochelle Downtown Business District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1964.
Location. 40° 54.622′ N, 73° 46.965′ W. Marker is in New Rochelle, New York, in Westchester County. It is on Lawton Street south of Huguenot Street (U.S. 1), on the right when traveling
Regionally, this marker is in the Hudson Valley and in the New York City Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mighty Mouse (here, next to this marker); Carl & Rob Reiner (here, next to this marker); E. L. Doctorow (here, next to this marker); Frederick Douglass Patterson (here, next to this marker); Buffalo Bob Smith (a few steps from this marker); Teresa Brewer (a few steps from this marker); Jan Peerce (a few steps from this marker); Nell Brinkley (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Rochelle.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 146 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 21, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
