Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway on September 22, 1964 with Zero Mostel in the leading role. It ran for 3,242 performances at the Imperial Theatre, closing on July 2, 1972. At the time, it was the longest-running show in history. It opened in London on Feb. 16th, 1967 at Her Majesty's Theatre, and played there for 2,030 performances. A production at the London Palladium in 1983 was followed up with a major tour. In the States, there was a national tour in 1976/77 and again in 1981.

There have been subsequent Broadway revivals from December 28, 1976 to May 21, 1977 at the Winter Garden theatre, July 9, 1981 to August 23, 1981 at the New York State Theatre and November 18, 1990 to June 16, 1991 at the George Gershwin Theatre. 1998 saw Topol returning to the show in an Australian production. The musical is a favourite of regional and amateur theatre companies.

A new Broadway production opened at the Minskoff theatre on February 26, 2004, and is currently running.