BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- #Bearding

I've coined this new term. The power of the beard has not only led me to bow before it in awe and reverence, but also offer it the illustrious status of being a verb. To beard is about doing far more than simply growing it. It's about experiencing it and LIVING it.

When I first booked Fiddler On the Roof, my first thought, hand to God (no puppets involved), was how excited I was to grow an epic beard. And on top of it all, this beard had a purpose. I became part of an elite group of people who a) got paid to grow a beard, and b) weren't doing it just cuz...Brooklyn. Don't get me wrong, though. Pop culturally, the timing couldn't have been better. Every cover I've seen of GQ, Maxim, and Men's Health lately has celebrated men with beards. That's not lost on all of us men in the cast. Amongst us, another new phrase has been coined: Shtetl chic. It has also opened up a whole new world of toiletries I wasn't aware of, or was too wet behind the ears to have clocked in my more youthful bearding days in acting school. Beard oils, beard conditioners, and beard shampoos are now prominently featured centerpieces on my bathroom counter.

It all sounds like footloose, fancy-free fun and games, right? Not so, my friends. Bearding has a deep and dark side that is not for the weak and might send commitment-phobes a'runnin'. There's no other way around it. A beard must be earned. The first three weeks are the hardest, and will test your will. The itchiness of newborn whiskers is unbearable and you'll want to give up. This is the true test. Are you even worthy? If you grit your teeth and press on, you've been granted admission to the club.

As an actor, a beard is especially exciting because those of us who've chosen to be actors did so for the love of transforming ourselves. It changes the shape of your face and demeanor. My favorite course in acting school was character masks class. Bearding follows the same principals as working with masks. Subconsciously, I have physically altered myself and built my performance as Perchik in reaction to it. I've been able to explore colors and ideas in my work that I'm not given license to do in my clean shaven, affable leading man roles as of late.

Let's raise a glass and sip a drop of schnapps in honor of the great good beards that favor you. Ladies and gentlemen, I urge you...go forth and beard. The rewards will last a lifetime.

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Check back next Wednesday for more from BroadwayWorld's latest blogger, Ben Rappaport. Ben can currently be seen as 'Perchik' in Fiddler on the Roof, playing at the Broadway Theatre. Every week, he will answer questions from fans, so be sure to comment below, or tweet him directly at @Ben_Rappaport.

Ben was last seen on Broadway in Picnic with Ellen Burstyn, directed by Sam Gold. His Off-Broadway credits include: Sex Lives Of Our Parents (Second Stage),The Gingerbread House(Rattlestick/stageFARM). Regional: Alex Timbers' original production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Williamstown Theatre Festival). On TV, Ben is best known as the star of the NBC series "Outsourced". He currently appears as Carey Zepps on "The Good Wife"(CBS) and Ollie Parker on "Mr. Robot"(USA). He has also appeared on "Elementary"(CBS). Film credits include: Hope Springs opposite Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell. The Brass Teapot, Stereotypically You (upcoming), and lead of the upcoming film Landing Up. Ben trained at Juilliard, where he received the Michel and Suria Saint-Denis Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Drama.