Tevye is a poor milkman in czarist Russia, where he provides for three unmarried daughters and a sharp-tongued wife. Faced with mounting financial strain and growing anti-Semitism, Tevye strives to maintain balance despite the precarious nature of his situation.

Depicts a jury of men who must decide the fate of a teenage boy who has murdered his abusive father. The jurors are from all walks of life, and bring with them their own opinions, prejudices, fears, and personal demons.