broadway

"A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask, why do we stay here if it's so dangerous? We stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in a word—tradition!"

"Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof."

"Kay: I'll try to understand . . . so long as you really believe—and think it's possible for me to believe—that Time's not ticking our lives away . . . wrecking . . . and ruining everything . . . for ever . . . Alan: No, it's all right, Kay. I'll get you that book. You know, I believe that half our trouble now is because we think Time's ticking our lives away. That's why we snatch and grab and hurt each other. Kay: As if we were all in a panic on a sinking ship. Alan: Yes, it's like that. Kay: But you don't do those things—bless you! Alan: I think it's easier not to—if you take a long view. Kay: As if we're—immortal beings? Alan: Yes, and in for a tremendous adventure."

"Kay: Remember what we once were and what we thought we'd be. And now this. And it's all we have, Allan, it's us. Every step we've taken—every tick of the clock—making everything worse. If this is all life is, what's the use? Better to die, like Carol, before you find it out, before Time gets to work on you. I've felt it before, Allan, but never as I've done tonight. There's a great devil in the universe, and we call it Time."

"(Chip) Erection, erection, my unfortunate erection. Woah, it's ruining my life, ruining ruining ruining my life!!!"

"(Leaf) I like to laugh, I like to spell, I like to never hear the bell... and if the competition's hell! At least I'm finally a part, I feel my heart begin to swell. I like, no I love, to spell! I like it a lot!"

"(Leaf spoken) I forgot the word... (Panch spoken) Oh my god. Acouchi! (Leaf spoken) Right, the south american rodent relating to the other one. What was it again? A-C-O-U-C-H-I! Acouchi? (Panch spoken) That is correct"

"(Leaf) How could a flea such as me think he'd be good at spelling?"

"(Mitch) My friend you will be missed, but now go with dignity. This ends, but first on your list. You should go with pride. You've been the best looking babe we've had all day. You're a real nice babe as well. Now go and spell. Spell with patcience and care. That, babe, is my prayer."

"(Barfee) Magic foot, write that letter! Magic Foot, write the perfect letter. Magic foot, it's terrific when I make a word, with my foot, Magic foot."

"(Chip) My unfortunate erection, is destroying my perfection. It is my recollection that everything I once did I did perfectly."

"(Chip) Adult hood brings its own peculiar rejections."

"(Chip) Because of Marigold Coneybear, because there's something and not a thing between us, I don't blame my brain but I do blame my penis."

"(Barfee) Magic foot, take me to the final round. Magic foot I barely lift it off the ground. Magic foot. I do it without making a sound."

"(Panch spoken) If you start to spell a word you may start over (kids take over) but the sequences of letters already spoken may not be changed"

"(Olive) And I wrap my head around the fact that in one book is the entire language of our species which is a favorite term of Niccis Who's the great-grandfather of Christina Riccis Yes I joke, but the words in the dictionary Are the friends that I have forever More than the friends I have made in school"

"(Barfee spoken) Excuse me, I have marked this area off with invisible tape!"

"(Olive) I love my dictionary and I love its indented border. Every word is in alphabetical order Ergo lost things always can be found."

"(Barfee) Damn life bites. but I like competition."

"(Leaf) I'm not that smart, my siblings having telling me that for years. That I'm not smart. We're schooled at home they see who's bright it breaks my heart"

"(Leaf) I might be smart, my siblings can't believe that I got it right. But I got it right! Right? I didn't cheat. No, no, no, no. I saw this light and it was neat."

"(Barfee semi-spoken) Let's see what we have here foot, H-A-S-E-N, Hasen! P-F-E-F-F, a pfeff, E-R let us a go."

"(Mitch) Make your exit with care, that is my prayer."

"(Chip) Anyone for M and M's delcious and appropriate. Any one for chewy goobers inexpensive. Anyone for buying the shit that I'm selling because my stiffy has ruined my spelling."

"(Chip) My parents keep on telling me just being here is winning. Although I know it isn't so."

"(Chip) It will ruin your complexion, all because of my unfortunate erection. OH GOD"

"(Leaf) At the 25th Annual, we've memorize the manual!"

"(Leaf and Chip) She's such a lovely girl with a lovely little voice"

"(Chip) It is tradition that the person eliminated from the competition is fair game for derision."

"(Mitch) Try not to cry lord in front of your brother. Don't embarrass your mother, (Spellers) Not your mother oooooo"

"Mexican: 1)Noun A person or something hailing from or related to the Country of Mexico"

"It seems strange that all my words are South American Rodents!"

"(Leaf) At the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling game. Bee! I'll stand when they announce my name. And try to keep from shaking."

"(Logainne) We feel no animosity."

"(All) About how to spell these words. Words that require thought. People say we're automatons. But that is exactly what we're not."

"(Olive spoken) Excuse me, do you know where I sign in? (*Barfee spoken) Shut up!"

"(Rona) If you misspell a word (kids repeat) misspell a word (Rona) We will ring (kids repeat) you will ring the bell and the comfort counselor, (Mitch) Mitch Mahoney, (Kids) Mitch Mahoney, (Rona) Will escort you off stage!"

"(Olive) Because my mother is in an ashram in india. I saved a chair for her too, but it's merely symbolic. As daily she washes herself in the Ganges"

"(Logainne) And I hear that she's prochoice though still a virgin"

"(Chip) It is such a calamity where should we begin? The best spellers don't necessarily win."

"(Leaf) I knew that word (Olive) I knew that word (Marcy and Chip) I knew that word (All) Goddamnit"

"(Chip) Life is pandemonium ooooooohhh. (All) Life is random and unfair (Chip) Yes it is (All) YEEEAAAAHHH"

"(Leaf) I like my hair, no really it is pleasant to the touch, I toss my hair a bit too much, it doesn't move it simply sits, I make a part, I'm not that smart."

"Alright, everybody out for rabbit chasing."

"[singing] If you don't tell me what you told Lucy, I'm just going to SCREAM!"

"What did you say about me, Linus?"

"The only thing wrong with my big brother Charlie Brown is his lack of confidence. His inferiority, and his lack of confidence. His clumsiness, his inferiority, and his lack of confidence. His stupidity, his clumsiness, his inferiority, and his lack of confidence... ±"

"A "C"... a "C"... I got a "C" on my coat hanger sculpture. How could anyone get a "C" in coat hanger sculpture? May I ask a question? Was I being judged on the piece of sculpture itself? If so, is it not true that time alone can judge a work of art? Or was I being judged on my talent? If so, is it right that I be judged on a part of life over which I have no control? If I was judged on my effort then I was judged unfairly for I tried as hard as I could. Was I being judged on what I have learned about this project? If so, were then not you, my teacher, also being judged on your ability to transmit your knowledge to me? Are you willing to share my "C"? Well, perhaps I was being judged on the quality of the coat hanger itself, out of which my creation was made. Now is that not also unfair? Am I to be judged by the quality of the coat hangers that are used by our dry cleaning establishment to return our garments? Is this not the responsibility of my parents? Should they not share my "C"?"

"This is my report on the past: "The past has always interested people. I must admit, however, that I don't know much about it. I wasn't here when it happened.""

"We had spaghetti at our house three times this week."