# Tevye in Pumps, or "I Just wanna be a rich man... is that so wro-ing?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443 "2005-01-24T18:50:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/1 "2005-01-24T18:50:06Z")
No comments really- I’m just a little surprised that the new Tevye on Broadway is [Harvey Fierstein](http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/stage/ny-etledew4121143jan21,0,1230419.story?coll=ny-theater-print). Odd casting. Has anybody seen this? I’m thinking Andrea Martin will work super well as the bitchy Golde, but I’m wondering if Harvey can handle such a… ahem… straight role. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/2 "2005-01-24T19:03:32Z")
[Picture](http://www.fiddleronbroadway.com/) by the way. And a picture from the [new L’Chaim number](http://www.curtainup.com/marissa&harvey.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/3 "2005-01-24T19:13:44Z")
“Wro-ing” Is that a Rocky Horror allusion? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/4 "2005-01-24T19:20:02Z")
> [@jimpatro](#): > > “Wro-ing” Is that a Rocky Horror allusion? [Torch Song Trilogy](http://www.epinions.com/mvie-review-27E3-43A4C28-39D1BA1D-prod1) ---
**Author:** ![jimpatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b9e5f3/32.png) [@jimpatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimpatro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/5 "2005-01-24T19:44:22Z")
Thanks, **'stro**. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/6 "2005-01-24T22:47:01Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > No comments really- I’m just a little surprised that the new Tevye on Broadway is [Harvey Fierstein](http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/stage/ny-etledew4121143jan21,0,1230419.story?coll=ny-theater-print). Odd casting. > > Has anybody seen this? I’m thinking Andrea Martin will work super well as the bitchy Golde, but I’m wondering if Harvey can handle such a… ahem… straight role. Well, I once read a quote attributed to Sir John Gielgud that went “I’m an actor. Of _course_ I can play a heterosexual!” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/7 "2005-01-24T23:14:26Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Well, I once read a quote attributed to Sir John Gielgud that went “I’m an actor. Of _course_ I can play a heterosexual!” True, but Gielgud wasn’t best known for starring in a play about a drag queen, making it into a movie about a drag queen, writing the book to a hit musical about a drag queen and starring in a hit musical in full drag ;j ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/8 "2005-01-25T01:59:46Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > True, but Gielgud wasn’t best known for starring in a play about a drag queen, making it into a movie about a drag queen, writing the book to a hit musical about a drag queen and starring in a hit musical in full drag ;j [Not to mention write said play about a drag queen](http://www.ibdb.com/production.asp?ID=4176) ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/9 "2005-01-25T02:04:40Z")
I saw it last summer when it was played by Alfred Molina, aka Doctor Octopus in Spider Man 2. A few weeks later when I saw the movie all I could think about when Doc Ock came on screen was him dancing and singing about tradition. It was pretty weird. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/10 "2005-01-25T03:29:51Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > I saw it last summer when it was played by Alfred Molina, aka Doctor Octopus in Spider Man 2. A few weeks later when I saw the movie all I could think about when Doc Ock came on screen was him dancing and singing about tradition. It was pretty weird. a few weeks ago, I saw ENCHANTED APRIL again & was totally amazed to realize Molina was the businessman-husband. Never saw TORCH SONG TRILOGY, I thought “Is that so wrong?” was a reference to the Jon Lovitz impression _L_ As to Harvey in a straight role… to quote Lovitz again… “ACT-TING!!!” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/11 "2005-01-25T04:15:04Z")
The Broadway critic I trust most, Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal, says Harvey doesn’t sing very well, but that he gives a very credible, touching performance as Tevye. Harvey himself is aware that many people questioned whether he was right for the part, but he made a very cogent reply: “Tevye is a middle-aged Jewish man with a beard. I’m a middle-aged Jewish man with a beard. And yet people wonder how I can possibly play Tevye! But NOBODY wondered if I could play a housewife in “Hairspray.” Come on!” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/12 "2005-01-25T13:51:48Z")
I had tickets for Saturday night, but it was impossible to get to NYC. Snow & all. I’ll let you know when I finally get to see the show. Most people who have say Harvey’s credible. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tevye-in-pumps-or-i-just-wanna-be-a-rich-man-is-that-so-wro-ing/286443/13 "2005-01-25T14:29:42Z")
The one review I heard said that his performance was credible, but his gravelly voice was a bit distracting. I saw a clip, it’s pretty funny to hear that voice sing “If I were a rich man…”