JOSEPH STEIN

'Joseph Stein' (born May 30, 1912) is a Tony Award-winning American playwright best known for writing the books for such musicals as ''Fiddler on the Roof'' and ''Zorba''.
Born in New York City, Stein began his career as a social worker, writing comedy on the side. A chance encounter with Zero Mostel led him to start writing for radio personalities, including Henry Morgan, Hildegarde, Tallulah Bankhead, Phil Silvers, and Jackie Gleason. He later started working in television for Sid Caesar when he joined the legendary writing team of ''Your Show of Shows'' that included Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart, Mel Tolkin, Aaron Ruben, and Woody Allen.
Stein made his Broadway debut contributing sketches to the 1948 revue ''Lend an Ear''. His first book musical came about when Richard Kollmar, husband of columnist and ''What's My Line?'' panelist Dorothy Kilgallen, asked him to write a musical about Pennsylvania that would promote the state as Rodgers and Hammerstein's ''Oklahoma!'' had its namesake. Stein and his writing partner Will Glickman were drawn to the Amish community of Lancaster County. They purchased a 50-cent tourist book filled with Pennsylvania Dutch slang and returned to New York to write ''Plain and Fancy'' (1955). The musical has been playing at The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana since 1986.
Stein's additional Broadway credits include ''Alive and Kicking'', ''Mr. Wonderful'', ''The Body Beautiful'', ''Juno'', ''Take Me Along'', ''Irene'', ''Carmelina'', ''The Baker's Wife'', ''Rags'', and ''So Long, 174th Street'', the musical adaptation of his play ''Enter Laughing''. He also wrote the plays ''Mrs. Gibbons' Boys'' and ''Before the Dawn'' and the screenplays for ''Enter Laughing'' and ''Fiddler on the Roof''.
Stein's most recent project is the book for the musical ''All About Us'', with a score by Kander and Ebb, based on ''The Skin of Our Teeth'' by Thornton Wilder. It premiered at the Westport Country Playhouse in April 2007.
Stein is married to Elisa Stein, a psychotherapist, and lives in Manhattan. He has been a member of the Dramatists Guild Council since 1975.

Contents

Awards and nominations

External links

Awards and nominations

★ Tony Award for Best Musical (''Take Me Along'', nominee)

★ Tony Award for Best Musical (''Fiddler on the Roof'', 'winner')

★ Tony Award for Best Author of a Musical (''Fiddler on the Roof'', 'winner')

★ New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (''Fiddler on the Roof'', 'winner')

★ Tony Award for Best Musical (''Zorba'', nominee)

★ New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (''Zorba'', nominee)

★ Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (''Rags'', nominee)

★ Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium (''Fiddler on the Roof'', nominee)

External links

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★ The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres

★ April 1966 ''Working in the Theatre Seminar'' video at American Theatre Wing.org