Sometimes, Life is Hard

I've met a ton of wonderful people while on tour, and many of them seem to be slightly charmed when I explain what I do. "Oh," they say in their delightful Midwestern accents, "you do a musical for children? That's so nice. It must be so much fun!" And, while I hope this blog usually reflects the fun and adventure that comes with touring, there are days when you wake up, roll out of bed, meet your company members in the hotel lobby, look at each other and say, "Life is hard today."

There's not always a particular reason why a certain day is hard. Occasionally, you can peg it on an early call, or a string of days off that have taken your body out of the Theatreworks touring rhythm. But, usually, it comes about as part of some mysterious "group think," when the constant travel and energy required by the show catches up with everyone, all at once.

Admittedly, I love it when "life is hard." Sure, load-in feels like a haul and folks can be a little testy, but the fact that people are feeling a little off-kilter often brings a new and interesting energy to the show. Since, at the end of the day, this tour is "a job," we, as employees, run the risk of falling into the trap of feeling like it is "a job," where we perform a rather repetitive task day in and day out, comfortable in the routines and following our "track" (for you non-theater folk out there, that's the theater-speak term for "part," and somewhat fitting for today's post) blankly. And, when you're "not feeling it," the only way to reconnect with the material and bring that fresh, live performance we are expected to produce is to reengage with the show in a new way. And that often means you give one of your best performance.

Our performance at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry is a good example. Loading in, and up, two floors on a freight elevator and down a ramp was a chilly and strenuous beginning to the day. Nobody really spoke to each other as we built the set, placed our costumes, checked the sound and began our pre-show routines. There were the obligatory “good shows” and “have fun out theres” while waiting in the wings, but I could feel from everyone (myself included) a sense that this was going to be a labored show. Music started, we headed out onstage and it began. And, slowly but surely, everyone started coming to life.

First, Nic’s “Good morning livestock!” at the top of “Duck for President” came with such gusto that it was hard not to latch onto his energy. Then, Courtney, as Chicken, started doing a full-out Macarena as we wheeled her offstage. Matt started hitting his key words in new, and fun, ways during his campaign speech and Kristen “raised the roof” like nobody’s business once Duck became president. The energy was infectious! The fun was back! We were all working our butts off to stay focused and keep the show fresh, but it was working. The show wasn’t easy – everyone was already drenched in sweat and panting – but it was there, and that’s what mattered.

After breaking down, we spent some time exploring the museum (I rode the coal mine experience, a “ride” I made my dad take me on three consecutive times when I was 6) and the headed back out into the cold to load out our set. Traffic out of Chicago was heavy as we headed to our still-sorta-under-construction Econolodge in Kalamazoo, MI. Everyone was still feeling the weight of the day, until Courtney (seated in her front-center seat) perked up: “Hey guys, check it out! Our hotel is on Easy Street!” It must have been a sign. After a “life is hard” day, we’re sleeping on Easy Street.

(However, a martini with dinner also helps)

Call tomorrow: 8am, Econolodge, Kalamazoo, MI. Snow is in the forecast.

Kid Quote of the Day: During Fancy Nancy, the appearance of the "parfaits" brought a chorus of "Ice Creams!" from the audience-right section of the house. However, when they came crashing down on her, another chorus emerged: "They're not real!"

Adult Quote of the Day: (This one is a little PG) The front-middle seat and front-passenger seats have buckles in the same spot. The new cheer for when both people go to buckle up at the same time? "Hand orgy!!"