Fiddler On the Roof, High as A Kite!!

I can honestly say that I have reached a new level of happy! Oh my gosh! Tonight my friend Sarah and I went to go see Topol (the original Tevye in the movie The Fiddler on the Roof) on stage in providence, in the play version of Fiddler on the Roof.

OK, I've always been a musical junkie. If a movie had sung dialogue, I was all about it. Watching live shows always made me giddy.....but I had NO IDEA how exciting this experience would be for me.

The first time I saw the movie I was five years old, and even at that age, I was mesmerized by the humor and the imminent sadness that was woven throughout the film. As I got older, it was one of those movies that I had to watch at least four or five times a year. When I met my husband who is a movie fanatic, I found myself not only watching that movie all the time, but it would be in my DVD player every night as I fell asleep to the music. Granted, some people would say it was an obsession.........alas, I am comfortable with obsession.

Needless to say, even though I knew I would be in this state of amazement once the show started, I did not expect the tears. I literally cried when Topol stepped out onto the stage. I can't explain it. I really can't. This man's voice is such a remarkable instrument and he is sooooo awesome, I don't understand how he doesn't kiss himself repeatedly.

The play was better than I could have ever imagined. So of course, before I left the house, Jeff hands me a Sharpie just in case I need to get an autograph from Topol. I was a bit irritated because why would Topol sign anything for me? Why would he wait around on a Sunday night for Whacky McQuacky me to get an autograph? So I put it in my purse to appease him, and went to the play.

After the play, Sarah and I waited in the lobby for Jeff to bring the car around, and since we're in the middle of Providence, there's traffic up the wazoo, so it's taking a while. Sarah and I get antsy, so we decide that we are going to walk the few blocks to meet up with him. After walking a block and a half, we see a group of about fifteen people huddling on the street corner and the entire road is barricaded with police cars and trucks. At first I thought someone had gotten into an accident.....so I ask the police officer, "What's going on here?"

His response was a nugget of gold: "If you want to see him, you have to get in the back of the line because these folks were here first". Seriously.........seriously. So you know I jumped in that line, grabbed my Sharpie, put my phone on picture mode, and thought I was going to pee from excitement.

Eight minutes later, my friend and I were ushered into Topol's dressing room, and it took everything in my power to stop myself from jumping on this very pleasant, smiling man. I walk up to him and I whisper as I hand him my playbill, "I have loved you since I was five years old." And then I did my happy dance. He laughed, signed my book, (turns out he had his own Sharpie) and said "Come close, get close to me" and with one arm around each of us, we got the picture I never thought I would ever get in my whole life.

I just laid my head on this man's shoulder like it was meant to be there from day one. He laughed at my enthusiasm, told me it was nice to meet me, thanked me for going to see him (ummmm.....yeah, NO!!! Thank YOU, Topol!) and we were on our way. I giggled and sighed happily all the way home.

I am still giggling and sighing....................

~T