Alisa Solomon, is a writer, Professor of Journalism, and the Director of the Arts and Culture concentration at the

Columbia Journalism School The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City. Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism scho ...

. Born in 1956, Solomon served as a story consultant for the documentary on the musical ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

'' titled '' Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles.'' Solomon has written two award-winning books: ''Re-Dressing the Canon: Essays on Theater and Gender'' and ''Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof.'' Additionally, she has served as a reporter for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...

'', and many other publications.

Education

Solomon earned her BA, with a double major in Drama and Philosophy, at the University of Michigan's Residential College in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

. She received her MFA and Doctorate, in Dramaturgy and Criticism, at the

Yale School of Drama The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in ...

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...

Career

Solomon first's book, ''Re-Dressing the Canon: Essays on Theater and Gender'', explores gender and performance and was published in 1997. It won the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. Her second book, ''Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof,'' discussed the making of the musical ''

'' and shows the evolution of Jewish cultural identity. This book, published in 2013, won the

Kurt Weill Kurt Julian Weill (; ; March 2, 1900April 3, 1950) was a German-born American composer active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for hi ...

Prize, the

Jewish Journal ''The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles'', known simply as the ''Jewish Journal'', is an independent, nonprofit community weekly newspaper serving the Jewish community of greater Los Angeles, published by the nonprofit TRIBE Media Corp. It ...

Prize, and the Theatre Library Association's George Freedley Memorial Award. Solomon has also been an editor of a number of books as well as a special issue of the journal ''

Theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...

'' on theatre and social change. Solomon served as a story consultant for the documentary on the musical ''

'' titled '' Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles.'' This documentary goes into the creation and significance of the play, featuring interviews with the ''Fiddler'' creators and others from the musical. Solomon is a teacher at

Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is located in Pulitzer Hall on the university's Morningside Heights campus in New York City. Founded in 1912 by Joseph Pulitzer, Columbia Journalism School is one of the oldest journalism scho ...

, and at this university she directs the MA program's Arts & Culture concentration. Solomon has served as a reporter for the ''Village Voice'' from 1983 to 2004, as well as having contributed to: ''

'' newspaper, ''

'' newspaper, '' Tablet'' newspaper, ''

The Forward ''The Forward'' (), formerly known as ''The Jewish Daily Forward'', is an American news media organization for a Jewish American audience. Founded in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily socialist newspaper, ''The New York Times'' reported that Set ...

'' newspaper, Howlround.com non-profit service organization, killingthebuddha.com online journal, '' American Theater'' magazine, '' TDR – The Drama Review'' journal, and others. Solomon is a member of the leftist anti-racist organization

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

(JFREJ).

Awards

In 1997, Solomon won the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism for her book ''Re-Dressing the Canon: Essays on Theater and Gender.'' In 2014, she won the Theatre Library Association's George Freedly Memorial Award for her book ''Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof.'' In 2015, she won The

Prize for her book ''Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof.''

Works

Author

* Solomon, Alisa (2013). ''Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof''. New York: Metropolitan Books. . **Won a Theatre Library Association's George Freedly Memorial Award. **Won a

Prize. * Solomon, Alisa (1997). ''Re-Dressing the Canon: Essays on Theater and Gender.'' Routledge. . **Won a George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism award.

Editor

* Solomon et al. (2019). ''Women Mobilizing Memory,'' published by the

Columbia University Press Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's la ...

. . * Solomon et al. (2011). ''The Reverend Billy Project: From Rehearsal Hall to Super-Mall with the Church of Life After Shopping,'' published by the

University of Michigan Press The University of Michigan Press is a university press that is a part of Michigan Publishing at the University of Michigan Library. It publishes 170 new titles each year in the humanities and social sciences. Titles from the press have earn ...

. . *Solomon et al. (2009). ''Theater and Social Change,'' published by

Duke University Press Books Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 Duk ...

. . * Solomon, Alisa; Kushner, Tony (2003). ''Wrestling with Zion: Progressive Jewish-American Responses to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,'' published by the

Grove Press Grove Press is an American publishing imprint that was founded in 1947. Imprints include: Black Cat, Evergreen, Venus Library, and Zebra. Barney Rosset purchased the company in 1951 and turned it into an alternative book press in the United S ...

. . * Solomon, Alisa; Minwalla, Framji (2002). ''The Queerest Art: Essays on Lesbian and Gay Theater,'' published by the

New York University Press New York University Press (or NYU Press) is a university press that is part of New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 ...

. .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solomon, Alisa 1956 births Living people American women writers American journalists Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism faculty 21st-century American women Jews for Racial and Economic Justice members Jewish American journalists 21st-century American Jews