Hi Fran, It genuinely was one of the best nights of my life. I often read or hear people talking about their experiences and how amazing they were and how words can't describe how they felt etc and to be honest I would think thats a bit dramatic and over the top but since that night I totally understand how difficult it actually is to describe how 'amazing' it is when something that you have wished for does come true. Oh and on the subject of 'buttah' Barbra also said that in a Liverpudlian accent ha. Thank the Lord for Barbra Streisand..! Just her name makes me smile..!

Hello everybody here and thank you for the topic!
My English is not so good as yours, I´m not a native speaker but I also had a chance to speak to Barbra. And not only to speak but also watch her work for almost six weeks. You ask how this was possible? Well nowadays I´m asking myself the same as well. But almost 30 years ago (for me it´s like yesterday..) Barbra "coincidentally" chose my (and your country as well) to make her dream film come true - Yentl.
I never understood why I was so lucky, that the person I admired and loved most came to my place (the former Czechoslovakia) when I couldn´t go to her place - the U.S.A. because of the iron curtain... On the other hand without it I would probably never be able to see her, meet her, speak to her, if I lived in a country with open borders for the western paparazzi to come in ...... There would be bodyguards and restrictions for the public, but then there was almost nothing and you could just walk in the street and meet Barbra!
I was an extra during the shooting and I watched most of the exterior scenes being made. It was magic and Barbra was a magician, charming us all. I knew very little English at that time so I exchaged with her just a few words concerning one private "fan matter" and she gave me some instructions what to do as an extra.

Hi Jiminy Snap and thanks for your comment. I have given a hard task to myself and you are helping me with it by encouraging me to say more. 6 weeks is a time long enough to create lots of memories but 28 years is also a little long, so some memories are forgotten...
But I want to share what I remember because a few months of browsing through Barbra´s forums didn´t bring me to any other extras from Barbra´s films and their eperiences. I don´t understand why it is so, because at least in my situation and in my country there were lots of people creating the crouds in Yentl, some of them certainly fans - where have they gone? And the other extras from Britain and from other films made in the US where are they if not on Barbra Streisand forums? I think I am going to look for them.
Today I´m going to describe the most important moment from the shooting - for me. The moment when Barbra noticed that I exist and what followed. I can imagine every fan dreams about it - as I did once myself.
It happened during the shooting of the scene where Barbra sings "This is one of those moments" and walks down the steps of the Beshew yeshiva which are full of students and she gives the best answer to the rabi´s question. The scene was done in one small Prague courtyard right below the Prague castle. Hardly anybody from the people who walked the neighbouring streets knew who was just a few meters away from them, hidden behind an old door.
We spent one whole day in that courtyard. It was very special because the space was small and I could feel Barbra´s presence all around. I - a yeshiva student - a girl dressed as a boy - had my position down in the courtyard below the stairs so I couldn´t watch Barbra walking down the steps and playing, etc. The magical moment came when "Steve" - I don´t know his surname - wanted me to stand in a certain position and certain angle which I couldn´t grasp and I was twisting around my axis, probably funnily enough so hen I stopped I was looking in Barbra´s eyes and they were laughing. She was one big smile. You can imagine how I felt. It was just a moment but it ment a fortune to me. And next? Nothing, the work went on.
But still I was encouraged and I stopped Barbra on her way during the break and asked her to sign two of my LP´s. This time she didn´t smile and seemed disturbed unpleasantly, but she gave me the autographs. And I felt horrible, from the top to the bottom. But the day had some hours left...
Here I have to explain something. Months before the shooting, when I had learned about Barbra possibly comming to Czechoslovakia I started preparing my present for her, an oil painting. I believed that the present would help me to get her attention - just for a minute, but still it was someting! Unfortunately I din´t find a way how to give her the present personally, somebody from the Czech film crew promised to give it to Barbra. She got it and I just knew she got it but I didn´t know if she liked it and I lost the chance for the personal moment I wished for.
So back to the day in the courtyard. There Barbra already had my picture and she didn´t know who it was from. And I felf horrible because I bothered her with the autographs when she was busy and working so hard! Well, anyway, later there was another break and somehow we - the extras - understood that Barbra had some important visitors, maybe friends there. And then it happened.
I was chatting with a group of other girls dressed as boys when somebody tapped me on my shoulder. And when I turned - it was Barbra, she gestured to me to follow her and I stepped towards the people who where the visitors and Barbra was showing me to them! I wish I could speak English better then because I didn´t understand anything except the word "interesting". But I took a chance and when Barbra was alone again I spoke to her. I asked if she liked my picture. She was probably surprised that I "could" speak English and it needed some explanation in basic English till she understood what picture - painting I ment. I remember she asked me if I did it myself and how old I was (I was almost 18) and then she thanked me and shook my hand. I don´t remember more or whether she said she liked my present or not but I hope she did a little, because the Czech translator who worked for her told me later that day that Barbra mentioned me and said she had already thanked the person who had sent the picture.
So this was my first encounter with Barbra and the shocking fact for me was that even without the picture she would still notice me for some reason and show me to those people.... As if something wanted to fulfill my dream..
Now, I have a question for you Jiminy Snap: did you create the picture in your profile here? I find it quite amusing and interesting, and one more thing - what do you think about my story?

No personal experience except entering this world on Barbra's 40th birthday.

I wrote this letter to Barbra 13 years ago. Her words and music have been an inspiration for my life!

I sincerely hope that one day she is able to read this so that she can know how she has impacted my life.

Thanks, Barbra!

o.m.g, your storys are amazing! im only 14 and i have had 0 encounters with my idol: barbra. i would classify myself barbras youngest, biggest fan! please tell me if anyone wants to have a barbra fest. i will create a topic titled 'barbra fest' in the forums. if no one replies to this post i will not do so. *_*