Sorry for the absence again. Sometimes, in theater, when it rains, it pours.
The way my schedule works right now is I wake up, take care of myself (exercise, meds, self-care, cleaning,etc.), and get to writing/editing/coding/pitching/researching/etc. I’ll stop at some point for breakfast and another point for lunch. I’m watching, reading, listening, analyzing, and reaching out to people about screeners/galleys/tickets/codes and/or assignments.
Around 1 o’clock, I have to shift gears and get ready for what I’m teaching at the moment. Depending on the day, I’m getting ready for one of multiple children’s theater productions I’m music directing or tech directing. I usually juggle at least three shows, if not more. I also have to prep for a variety of private lesson students and classes I teach, as well, in voice, guitar, piano, or musical theater. I leave the house between 1:30 and 2 o’clock and don’t make it back for dinner until 8 or 9 o’clock, at the earliest.
On weekends (at this point in the year), I typically have performances throughout the weekend to accompany on piano, run lights and/or sound, and/or house manage. This is in addition to the courses and lessons I teach all day Saturday. Sundays I typically have off unless a school schedules a performance or all their performances for a Sunday; there’s usually a Sunday show.
I also typically am answering e-mails about the theater work while I’m writing and writing work while I’m teaching theater.
Don’t get me wrong. I love what I’m doing with my life right now. I just want to be clear with all of you about why, sometimes, posts don’t always go up. This was one of those rough weeks where a lot of things that seemed lined up suddenly fell through. Working in theater, shy of your show being cancelled, it’s your job to make sure it all happens. That might mean your load-in date for a massive sound and lighting package disappearing and moving to the end of a very long day, or getting asked to work tech on a show you haven’t even seen a rehearsal of with a day’s notice. You might also run into people you haven’t seen in years who also work in theater at the end of (for you) a 14 hour day and have to catch up, pitch your availability, and maybe book another gig on the spot in exchange for seeing someone else’s show. The unpredictability is what makes working in theater always fresh and interesting, but it does mean that your best plans to, say, post a heavily researched article on entertainment media five days a week doesn’t always come through.
Like what you’re reading? Consider supporting Sketchy Details today.
