The Rothschilds has a book by Sherman Yellen (Oh! Calcutta!) and music and lyrics from the dynamite team of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick ( Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello!, She Loves Me). It is based on the novel of the same name by Frederic Morton. The story is a dramatized depiction of the life story of the Rothschilds family, from patriarch Mayer's humble beginnings in Germany to the family fortune eventually amassed, due to Mayer's sons' successful efforts in securing a declaration of rights for European Jews.
On October 19, 1970, The Rothschilds opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, directed and choreographed by Michael Kidd (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). After closing, the musical enjoyed a second run in San Francisco. On February 10, 1990, an Off-Broadway revival, directed by Lonny Price, opened at the American Jewish Theatre. It ran for 435 performances.