ROM Speaks
Fiddler on the Roof: A universal story of migration, resilience, and storytelling

Fiddler on the Roof

Date

Wednesday, Apr 22, 2026 19:00 - 20:30

Admission

$36.00 Member Price
$40.00 Regular Price

Audience

Adults
Contact us

About

Join Broadway star Steven Skybell, renowned for his unforgettable portrayal of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, and Artistic Director, Zalmen Mlotek, for an intimate evening of inspiring conversation and special performance.

Using the upcoming Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company's production of Fiddler on the Roof as a highlight, our special guests share accounts of how the musical continues to resonate as a universal immigrant story - one that speaks to families seeking hope, resilience, and a better future, regardless of background or origin.

Opening in May 2026 at the historic Elgin Theatre in Toronto, the upcoming production of Fiddler on the Roof will be presented in Yiddish, bringing Sholem Aleichem's iconic story to life in the language and spirit in which it was originally imagined, offering audiences a deeper, richer, and more authentic connection to its timeless themes.

Hosted by Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company’s Artistic Directors David Eisner and Avery Saltzman, the evening will explore this celebrated revival of Fiddler on the Roof and why its exploration of Jewish life, language, identity, and belonging continues to resonate so strongly.

Their conversation will be interwoven with live musical selections from the production performed by Steven Skybell.

A celebration of Jewish tradition, Yiddish language and culture, migration, and the enduring power of great storytelling.

Program conversation in English with vocal performance in Yiddish.

Program Partner: The Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company

A reception will follow, including a viewing of ROM's Judaica collection.  

Speakers

Steven Skybell
Steven Skybell, Actor

Award‑winning actor Steven Skybell, whose stage and screen career has flourished since the early 1990s, is currently starring in the lead role of Tevye in the Yiddish production of Fiddler on the Roof. His critically acclaimed performance has earned him the 2019 Drama League Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical, along with a nomination from the Outer Critics Circle, cementing his status as one of the production’s standout talents.

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Zalmen Mlotek
Zalmen Mlotek, Artistic Director

Zalmen Mlotek, an internationally recognized conductor, pianist, arranger, accompanist, and composer, serves as the Artistic Director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene – the world’s longest continuously operating Yiddish theatre. A leading authority on Yiddish folk and theatre music, Mlotek has helped guide the company to significant acclaim, earning more than ten Drama Desk Award nominations, four Lucille Lortel Award nominations, and three Tony Award nominations during his tenure.

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Moderators

David Eisner
David Eisner, Co-Artistic Director

David has spent more than 50 years as an actor working in Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles across film, television, and theatre, including regular roles in King of Kensington and Hangin’ In, for which he earned two Gemini nominations. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company, now celebrating its 18th season, where he has acted in and directed numerous productions. His screen work includes starring in Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story and recent appearances in Mrs. America, CTV’s Transplant, the Crave miniseries Little Bird, and roles in Less Than Kosher and Law & Order: Toronto – Criminal Intent.

Avery Saltzman
Avery Saltzman, Co-Artistic Director

Avery, now in his 48th year in the business, began his acting career in 1978 at the Shaw Festival and has worked continuously ever since, performing on major stages across Canada, in U.S. regional theatres, on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, Covent Garden, London’s West End, and in musical theatre concerts throughout Europe, including the 50th Anniversary of Guys and Dolls at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2008, he and his friend David Eisner founded the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company, one of only two professional Canadian theatres dedicated to telling Jewish stories; now in its 19th season, the company continues to thrive.