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Performances for the David Leveaux-directed revival begin Jan. 17, 2004, toward an opening of Feb. 12.

Written by Joseph Stein (book), Sheldon Harnick (lyrics) and Jerry Bock (music), Fiddler on the Roof (from the 1964-65 Broadway season) is considered one of the masterpieces of musical theatre, co-created by director-choreographer Jerome Robbins (whose dances will be re-created with the new revival).

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The design team includes Tom Pye (scenic), Vicki Mortimer (costumes) and Tony Award winner Brian MacDevitt (lighting). Pye's New York credits include Deborah Warner's Medea and The Angel Project. He has worked internationally in theatre, opera, television and film.

Mortimer's Broadway credits include David Leveaux's Nine and The Real Thing.

MacDevitt designed lights for Nine, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Into the Woods (for which he won the Tony Award), Frankie and Johnny... and more.

The musical is inspired by stories of Sholom Aleichem and concerns romance, family and traditions in a Russian Jewish village circa 1900. Molina will play Tevye the milkman, who lords over a family that includes pushy Golde and five daughters. Three of those daughters will test the community's sacred traditions as they fall in love with varied men.

No additional casting has been announced, though Randy Graff's name has been mentioned as a potential Golde (Graff is currently in the Off-Broadway staging of Paula Vogel's The Long Christmas Ride Home).

Zero Mostel and Maria Karnilova created the roles of Tevye and Golde in 1964-65. They both won 1965 Tony Awards for their work (in the Best Actor and Best Featured Actress categories).

Mark Lotito (The Producers on Broadway and Lincoln Center's Dinner at Eight) is expected to play Avram and understudy Molina.

Nederlander Presentations is producing.

Leveaux directed Nine (for which he was Tony nommed) in the 2002-03 Broadway season. Leveaux had previously staged the Maury Yeston musical in London and Argentina.

Fiddler's musical director is Kevin Stites, who is also the musical director of Broadway's new Nine. The international sensation from 1964 spawned such songs as "If I Were a Rich Man," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "Sunrise, Sunset" and "To Life."

Molina was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in the three-person Broadway play Art and starred in the TV series "Ladies Man." On the London stage the actor was seen in Serious Money, Speed-the Plow and Night of the Iguana.

Director Leveaux's recent work in New York includes The Real Thing, Betrayal, Electra, A Moon for the Misbegotten and Anna Christie. He recently staged Jumpers for the Royal National Theatre in London.

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Jerome Robbins was Fiddler's original director- choreographer. Harold Prince was the original producer. Robbins died in 1998.

Three revivals of Fiddler have played Broadway — in 1976, 1981 and 1990. The most recent production played the Gershwin Theatre and starred Topol and Marcia Lewis as, respectively, Tevye and his wife Golde. The 1971 film, with direction by Norman Jewison, featured Topol and Norma Crane.

Fiddler opened Sept. 22, 1964 at the Imperial Theatre, won eight 1965 Tony Awards including Best Musical and played 7 previews and 3,242 regular performances.

Tickets for the new Fiddler will range $35 to $100. For ticket information, call (212) 307-4100, or visit www.ticketmaster.com.