My second year out of school was, what us show folk call, a dry spell. The money from my Kay Jewelers holiday commercial had run out and I was auditioning up a storm to no avail. It was time to find a side job. Now, the obvious piece of advice is to apply for a server or bartender position at a busy Manhattan restaurant. What's so hard about that? Well...everything. I have many good friends who have been in the service industry for years, and I've heard every war story there is. These are highly coveted jobs in a highly cut throat environment, and only the strong survive. One hint of weakness and you're toast. Those closest to me can attest that two of my biggest weaknesses are my dislike of confrontation and my complete ineptitude in multi-tasking (also two reasons I'd make a horrible agent). I knew if I tried to enter that world, I would be DOA. I had been catering off and on, but the pay wasn't good and the gigs were few and far between. What else could I do?
The Theatre Refreshment Company (which caters to all of the Shubert houses' concession needs) was putting together a team of water venders who would walk up and down the aisles of Broadway shows at half hour and during intermission, with tubs full of $4.00 water bottles ($5.00 nowadays, I believe) strapped to their shoulders to sell. This was perfect for me! It was consistent, not too many hours, and I got to spend every night in a theatre. I applied, got the job, and got right to work.
I worked at a variety of theatres and got to see most of the first act of many shows: Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Billy Elliot, Phantom of The Opera, and of course Shrek. Shrek was occupying Fiddler's current home at the Broadway Theatre. Yup. The very same theatre where I get to be a lead on a Broadway stage eight times a week is where I would walk up and down the aisles of the house hawking overpriced water to audience members. A typical night for me would entail accidentally bumping people's heads with my tub, getting hit on by older women, and being harassed about the price. Let's call it 'shooting the messenger'. There are a few instances I will never forget. I was selling in the lobby of Billy Elliot at the Imperial Theatre, when a middle aged snooty British man approached me, 'How much for a water?' ' Four dollars', I said. 'Four DOLLARS?!' The man scoffed and walked away. A minute later he was back. He pulled four singles out of his wallet and threw them at me. 'You can buy yourself a new face with that four dollars', he growled, took a bottle and left. I guess my face REALLY bothered him? Another time, I was walking down the aisle of the house left mezzanine at Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden. A red-faced, slightly inebriated southern man in his 60's stops me to buy a water. As he's paying me, asks, 'So, you workin' your way through college?" I said, 'Actually, I graduated a few years ago.' Then he laughed, 'this was your major, then?' In a rare moment for me, I stared at him blankly and said, 'Yes. I went to college to study refreshments.'
Fast forward a year. I'm appearing as a guest on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon' to promote my brand new NBC series 'Outsourced'. He asks me about survival jobs, and I tell these exact stories. The ultimate revenge. I really hope those guys were watching that night. Folks, next time you see a water vendor at a Broadway theatre, be kind and tip well. These people work incredibly hard and could be your next Broadway, TV, and movie stars. You don't want to end up the butt of a joke on national TV, do you?
I leave you with my Kay Jewelers commercial I mentioned before. Enjoy a fresh faced, 22 year old me in my first ever paid acting job.
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.
