Great Performances

Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy

Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Arthur Laurents, Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim... Why has the Broadway musical proven to be such fertile territory for Jewish artists of all kinds? The documentary combines interviews with performance footage, including many of the rousing anthems and timeless ballads America has loved for a century.

Fiddler's Tradition

5m 10s

The surprising universality of the 1964 Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick musical Fiddler on the Roof—a show about a small, tight-knit Jewish community living in early 20th-century Tsarist Russia. Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy airs January 1, 2013 at 9:30 PM (check local listings).

Previews + Extras

  • Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy Preview: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy Preview

    S40 E6 - 30s

    This film explores the unique role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical. Featuring interviews and conversations with some of the greatest composers and writers of the Broadway stage. "Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy " premieres March 11 at 8 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.)

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