"Without our traditions...

...our lives would be as shaky as...as....a Fiddler on the Roof!"

Last night Chuck and I went out to celebrate our 4th 'mesaversary" (our 4th month of marriage--mesa is month in latin) and this month he agreed to indulge me. See, a few weeks ago I started seeing TV commercials for the tour of Fiddler on the Roof which was coming to the Pantagus Theater in Hollywood. Most of you know I adore musicals--ok, I'll admit it, I have bordered on obsession at times in my life. I've seen these 48 different shows, some several times, and I never, ever get tired of hearing familiar songs move an audience through a story.

I've seen Fiddler a couple times (my dad, who has seen probably more musicals than I have, claims this as one of his all time favorite, so everytime it was near Sacramento we would go). I adore it as well, but realized it's been years since I've seen this particular show. For those who have seen Fiddler, you know that the show centers around the protagonist, Tevye, a Jewish milkman with 5 daughters living in the small Russian village, Anatevka. This show is made amazing by whoever is playing Tevye--his character is central to just about every scene. Playing Tevye this time around was going to be Chaim Topol, the actor who first played Tevye in London in the late 60s and who was cast as Tevye in the motion picture of the musical. He is an unbelievable actor and while he has done plenty of other shows he is going to be forever known as Tevye. He is now 74 years old and has played the role over 2500 times across this globe, on almost every continent. I've seen the movie several times, and knew I wanted to see him in his "farewell tour." Chuck agreed and tickets were purchased. Since he'd never heard of Fiddler on the Roof, muchless know any of the music, I had him watch the movie this week to bcome familiar with the story and songs. After about 20 minutes of the film he looked at me and just said, "wow, this is a beautiful community, this is awesome." He loved it--as I knew he would! Tevye is one of those characters you can't help but love--he has honest conversations with God throughout the show that are hysterical and so real. He wrestles with holding fast to the tradition of his people versus allowing his daughters to break traditions in order to be happy, and throughout the show this is the constant tension.

Last night did not disappoint. The second Topol walked onto the stage the audience went nuts, barely allowing him to get his first line out, the famous "A fiddler on the roof...sounds crazy, no?" and from that moment on, Topol held us spellbound. If you haven't seen the movie, it really is spectacular, add it to your Netflix list and spend a couple hours catching glimpses into a beautiful Jewish community.

And now, just because these lines were cracking us up last night, here are our favorite quotes from this amazing show:

Tevye: As Abraham said, "I am a stranger in a strange land...”
Mendel: Moses said that.
Tevye: Ah. Well, as King David said, "I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue."
Mendel: That was also Moses.
Tevye: For a man who was slow of tongue, he talked a lot."

"I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can't You choose someone else? " Tevye

"He loves her. Love, it's a new style... On the other hand, our old ways were once new, weren't they?" -Tevye

"Money is the world's curse" ~Perchik
"Well then may God smite me with it! And may I never recover!" ~Tevye

Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize there's no shame in being poor...but it's no great honor either. So what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?
-Tevye

"You're honest and decent, even though you are a Jew." ~Constable
"Oh, thank you, Your Honor. How often does a man get a compliment like that?" ~Tevye