BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- Shtetl Diet

It's Wednesday. A two show day. 6 hours of spilling my guts out on that stage. What's that secret that keeps me going? The love of the story I get to tell 8 times a week? Discovering fresh things about the play every time? The sound of the uproarious applause of the adoring audience? My workout routine and healthy lifestyle? For me, it's a simple question: 'What am I eating between shows?'

Food, glorious food. Those close to me know that food is the passion in my life that rivals my passion for the arts. Well...food IS art, so....there ya go. Being on Broadway changes your daily routine and creates an opportunity to experiment with what foods agree with you and how your performance is affected by them. Obviously, you tailor your diet to your needs at a given time, especially if your role requires you to be shirtless and have a statuesque physique. I can tell you right now, for this very reason, I am thanking my lucky stars to be spending my time in Anatevka and Siberia where the air is very cold, so many layers and long coats need to be worn (how are those Gods and Goddesses in American Psycho doing it!?)

Don't get me wrong, I do love to exercise and am a proud card carrying Ninja at Mark Fisher Fitness. I've seen incredible results from there and have learned quite a bit about living a healthy lifestyle. But, it's about living a healthy lifestyle on YOUR terms. Mark Fisher himself is the first person to tell you that if you feel you have fallen off the wagon for a while, you can't beat yourself up about it. Choose what works for you in your current circumstances. I happen to be coming off one of the busiest months of my life, where it was all about eating to stay awake and focused. There was no time to properly plan out a well-balanced day of eating, let alone work out.

Currently, at Fiddler, I'm spending time at the edge of that wagon. I've fallen off for a few miles here and there, and I've held on tight for little spurts of time. On a two show day, I'll start with two stops on my way to the theater: Rex Coffee for my iced almond milk latte (my Perchik latte for those who read my earlier blog and follow me on Instagram) with a vegan nut, seed, and date bar, and Juice Generation for either a Daily Detox or Protein Buzz. Between shows, one of my go-to choices is Roast Kitchen for a kale mix with spicy chicken, squash, carrots, cilantro and red curry sauce. And my favorite time of day.....drumroll, please.....the POST. SHOW. MEAL! This is sort of where all bets are off. It varies from the pork chop with peppers from Becco to Pure Thai's chicken pad thai and vegetable spring rolls to my favorite Indian dish Chicken Tikka with vegetable samosas from Swagat. The other day, Gotham Pizza was on my mind and the only cure was for us to order a large one that night....that crust is so crunchy and perfect.

So...no I do NOT cook a lot right now. To all these fabulous places I've mentioned, you're very welcome for the free advertising. In lieu of cash, I accept free spring rolls.

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.