As some of you might know, I recently acted in a local production of the great musical Fiddler on the Roof portraying the butcher Lazar Wolf. As part of my preparation, I asked ChatGPT to answer my questions as if it were the esteemed Reb Lazar.

The results influenced my character development, guiding me to make specific acting choices that I don’t think I would have otherwise made - specifically, the scene involving my last encounter with Tevye. I refer to this scene as Lazar Wolf’s Leave-taking.

Here is a brief clip of a scene influenced by the interview.

Extending my hand and touching Tevye’s (played here by Kevin Forman but also played during the run by Matt Rosenthal with equal aplomb) face was greatly influenced by this quote from the interview below.

My last encounter with Tevye, well, you know us both, strong-willed men with hearts as big as our voices. Bitter? No, I wouldn't say bitter. Life is too short and too hard for bitterness among neighbors and, dare I say, friends.

While I had known I had seen the gesture before, it wasn’t until watching a rerun of the last episode of Season 4 of Law & Order entitled “Old Friends.” In the final scene, Ben Stone, expertly played by Michael Moriarity, has decided to leave the DA’s office and is saying goodbye to Adam Schiff, deftly played by Steven Hill. As Adam opens the door for Ben, Ben extends his hand to Adam’s face. No words are exchanged but the moment is powerful. I thought, “Ah, that’s where I stole it from!”

I hope you enjoy the interview and that it inspires other actors to use AI in preparation for their roles.

Transcript of the “Interview”

Me

Please answer my questions as if you are Lazar Wolf from Fiddler on the Roof.

ChatGPT

Of course! I'm ready to serve up an answer with all the robustness and spirit Lazar Wolf himself would. Now, what are the questions you have for me?

Me

Do you really love Tzietel, Tevye’s daughter?

ChatGPT

Ah, my friend, let me tell you! Love is a tricky beast, isn't it? I am a wealthy man, and I have lived many years with my feet firmly planted on the ground, much like my dear friend Tevye. When I set my eyes on Tzeitel, it wasn't just the flutter of the heart that the young may feel, but a deep sense of respect and admiration for her spirit and her family. In my own way, yes, I believed I could offer her a good life, stability, and perhaps, in time, a love that grows from shared experiences and mutual respect. But love, ah love, it doesn't always follow the paths we lay out for it, now does it? And Tzeitel, bless her heart, she follows her own heart, as everyone should.

Me

When you leave Anatevka are you bitter during your last encounter with Tevye?

ChatGPT

Ah, leaving Anatevka, that wasn't easy for any of us, was it? Life has its twists and turns, like a dance at a wedding, sometimes joyful, sometimes a bit stepped on. My last encounter with Tevye, well, you know us both, strong-willed men with hearts as big as our voices. Bitter? No, I wouldn't say bitter. Life is too short and too hard for bitterness among neighbors and, dare I say, friends.

Sure, we had our differences, Tevye and I, especially concerning his daughter Tzeitel. But in the face of what we were all up against, leaving our homes, our land, it puts things into perspective. I respect Tevye, always have. And in those final moments in Anatevka, it was that respect, that shared history, that mattered most. So, I'd say it was more a bittersweet farewell, with hope that we all find peace and happiness in our new homes, wherever they may be. Ah, but life goes on, my friend, life goes on.

Me

Retrospectively, should Yente have really been the match you were seeking and not Tzeitel?

ChatGPT

Ah, Yente, the matchmaker! Always busy, always knowing everyone's business before they know it themselves. You're asking a deep question there, one that perhaps we don't ponder enough in the hustle and bustle of our lives.

Looking back, you might say Yente and I could have been a match in our own peculiar way. We're both set in our ways, accustomed to the life we've led, and understand the value of companionship, especially as the years go on. With Yente, there would have been no surprises; we both know what life is about, and perhaps in that knowing, there's a comfort, a kind of companionship that doesn't need the fire of youth but the steady warmth of a shared sunset.

But life, ah, it's a funny story, isn't it? We think we're the authors, but sometimes, it feels like we're just reading the lines as they're given to us. Tzeitel, she represented something else, something that wasn't perhaps what I needed, but maybe what I thought I wanted. It's a lesson, isn't it? Sometimes, what we seek isn't what's best for us. Maybe Yente knew that all along. Maybe that's the real wisdom of a matchmaker, knowing not just who matches with whom, but why they should.

So, in retrospect, perhaps Yente could have been a match for me, in a life that took a different path. But we play the cards we're dealt, and we play them with the hope of winning, even when we're not quite sure what the prize should be.

Me

At the end of the show Fiddler on the Roof, you are headed for Chicago. What happened to you? How did you live out your life?

ChatGPT

Ah, Chicago, a place as bustling and full of life as the streets of Anatevka, but oh, how different it is. Let me tell you, my friend, the journey was not an easy one. Leaving everything you know behind, embarking on a journey to a new world, it tests a man's mettle, it does. But Lazar Wolf, as you know, is not a man to shy away from a challenge.

In Chicago, I brought with me the determination and resilience that served me well back home. I ventured into the meat business once more, for what better way for a butcher to make his way in the New World? It was hard at first, learning new ways, dealing with new people. But, like the stubborn ox, I kept my head down and worked hard.

I built a life there, in the bustling city of Chicago. I made sure to keep the traditions alive, remembering Sabbath dinners, the festivals, and yes, even Fiddler on the roof, that symbol of our balance between tradition and the changing world. It was important to me to pass these traditions on, to keep our culture alive in this new, vast land.

I also found a community, much like the one in Anatevka, full of people from the old country and others, all of us trying to make a new life in this land of opportunity. We supported each other, celebrated together, and helped each other through hard times.

And love? Ah, perhaps I never found the kind of love I once sought with Tzeitel, but I found companionship, friendship, and a sense of belonging. These things, too, are forms of love, are they not?

As for my later years, I'd like to think I lived them out with the same zest for life I always had. I became something of an elder in the community, sharing stories of Anatevka, teaching the young ones about where we came from, and reminding them always to hold on to their traditions, for they are the fiddler on the roof of our lives, playing the music that keeps us dancing, keeps us alive.

So, my friend, that's how I imagine Lazar Wolf lived out his life in Chicago. A life filled with hard work, community, and a never-ending love for the traditions that define us.

Me

Excuse my frankness, but did you marry again? If so, please tell me about her.

ChatGPT

Ah, your curiosity, it's welcomed, like a guest on Shabbat! Let me weave you a tale, for what is life without a little storytelling among friends?

In the bustling streets of Chicago, amidst the clamor of the new world and the whispers of the old, Lazar Wolf, that's me, did indeed find love once more. It wasn't a fiery passion of youth, no, but a warm, comforting glow, like the embers of a hearth on a cold night.

Her name was Esther, a woman of strength and grace, a widow herself, who understood the silent language of loss and the longing for companionship. She had a laugh that could light up the darkest room and a wisdom that grounded me when the winds of change blew too fiercely.

Esther, she wasn't just a wife to me, but a partner, a confidante, someone who shared my love for tradition yet was not afraid to face the future head-on. We married, not with the grandeur of youth, but with the quiet dignity of those who have lived and learned.

Together, we navigated this new world, holding onto our past but embracing the present. She was my rock when I ventured into business, always there with a kind word and sage advice. And in her, I found a love that was different from what I had known, but no less profound.

We shared many years together, filled with both joys and sorrows, as is the way of life. Our home was always open, a little piece of Anatevka in Chicago, where friends, family, and even strangers found warmth and welcome.

Esther passed before me, leaving a void that was palpable, but also leaving me with memories rich and full, a testament to our life together. I mourned her, yes, but also celebrated the time we had, grateful for the love we shared, which, like a beacon, guided me through the remaining years of my journey.

So, there you have it, my friend. Yes, Lazar Wolf found love again, a love that was as much about sharing the twilight years as it was about cherishing the moments, big and small, that make up a life.