On Sunday, I watched the movie of Fiddler on the Roof. Some parts I liked, some I didn't. But here's the thing, a FLOOD of memories came back to me...all connected to Fiddler. I was in a National Touring Company of Fiddler on the Roof in 1969. Yikes, that was 49 years ago. But more important than how long ago, are all of the stories for the six months I was on Tour...AND...all of the other stories that were connected, in any way, to my Fiddler experience.

I could tell you stories about my roommate and now life-long friend Jeff. I could tell you many stories about things that happened while on tour. Like the time Herschel Bernardi (who replaced Zero Mostel on Broadway) visited us on-stage at the end of the show.

There are many connected stories:

• The "Fruma Sara - Humma Humma" story; an apocryphal story that turned out to be real with my friend Margey Cohen
• Another Margey Cohen story from our Dinner Theatre production of West Side Story
• A story about a New York producer who taught me the value (monetary) of stage hands.
• The Time Theodore Bickel came to an Equity meeting and played us a concert
• The time I met producer Hal Prince and he said, "If it doesn't serve the play, take it out."
• Many connections with choreographer Tommy Abbott and other shows he had done.
• Spending six weeks in Los Angeles, with more and more connections and stories.
• My "chance" encounter with Dee Wallace-Stone (the mother in E.T.) and our "date".

The list goes on and on. I could spend an afternoon (at least) telling Fiddler-related stories. The string-of-pearls would reach from here to Broadway!

So, here's my tip:

Pick one time, one period, one event in your life. Then see how many stories are connected to that one thing. The stories may be directly connected, but then one story might branch off into another whole set of connections and stories. Make a list of the stories. Better yet, make a diagram that shows all the stories and all the connections. Now there's a plethora of personal and fact-based stories!