Road Life Advice

[TechGal]

I am about to go out on my first tour!  I know there are a few of you on here who have done quite a bit of touring and was wondering if you have any advice about life on the road.  I'm actually going out as an assistant electrician (don't hate me, just needed a break from sming for a while), so I'm more interested in general tips on how to stay sane when the days get long, the locals don't know the difference between SR and SL, or etc...  Thanks! 

[loebtmc]

what kind of tour? union or non, big cast musical or 2-person straight play, venue sizes, flying or bus/truck - etc - that info will inform a lot (I rarely hit houses where our local crew weren't theater pros, altho there were a couple of folks in one city... but they also know the best places to grab quick lunch or a drink after)

others who tour more often will be better than me at this but in general, this is what I learned: 1) bring things you like to do - knitting, long books, etc - things that require time that you otherwise wouldn't have time for 2) research your stops ahead of time and plan to see some highlights in each city 3) bring a bike or go for long walks and get to know the place 4) as SM we created a little tradition for each new venue that made us feel at home 5) bring something that makes you feel home - whether it's a photo album or your favorite blanket or a cuddly animal or something for "those" times.

Set aside something every week to save for later - it's too easy otherwise to spend the whole per diem on silly stuff and end up broke.

and most of all, enjoy yourself!

pat

[Mac Calder]

Make sure that before you leave you have dealt with EVERYTHING at home - checklists are good. Nothing ruins a tour more than worrying about things at home - did you turn off your gas main and electricity? empty the house of things that could go off? arrange for your mail to be either re-directed or for someone to collect and forward it? Have you organised for someone to look after your yard (if you have one)? Do all of your friends and family know you are on tour and how to contact you? Do businesses who frequently contact you know you will be on tour?

When you know that everything is good back where you live, you can sleep so much better at night.

Also - make sure you take some alone time or a way to "get away" regularly on the tour. If you don't, you will probably want to kill someone sooner or later, or they will want to kill you. Tours can cause you to focus on nothing more than work for a number of weeks, and if you get too involved and don't take some you time, you will go mad.

[SMrose]

Don't be too hard on the locals that don't know SL from SR.  You're a visitor/guest in their "home".  I treat local folks/house crew especially nice since they can make your visit good or not so good.  When you treat them nice, they're usually more willing to go the extra mile.
Make notes of places you'd like to return to and see more of.

[NomieRae]

I did a pretty small tour, and had a blast. I agree with all the advice already given (don't blow your perdiem, get some alone time..etc)

My biggest thing on tour was just being open to new people/experiences. Why bother eating at an Applebee's when you can eat at a hometown diner? Always ask the locals for places to eat/drink. Network with the local crews, it's a small theater world.

things that come in handy: iphone or other smartphone with google maps. laptop with instant netflix. deck of playing cards. liquor.

Hope you have a great time

[Libby]

I agree with everything above...

Some tips I've gotten from touring:

If possible, arrange for someone to receive packages for you.  No matter how much you think you're under packing, 9 times out of 10 you're over packing.  You will want to lighten your load.  Shipping home is a great alternative.  

Keeping two suitcases on you isn't always a bad thing.  I personally opted to travel with two half-empty suitcases.  They were light and easy to manage, and I never had to worry about wrestling them closed. Also, you will buy things and this leaves room for those things you pick up along the way.

You will lose your vanity quicker than you think.  You will all see each other in the same clothes over and over.  You will stop caring. Also, I tend to bring clothes in one color theme (for me it's gray, black, and blue) so that everything matches with everything.

Make sure you introduce yourself to the locals you will deal with in each city and realize that you might have to explain things a little more in-depth then you usually would. While they probably do know SL and SR apart (and a whole boat load of knowledge about the area) they do not know anything about your show.

Ziplock bags are key. Not only will you need them if you are flying for any carry-on liquids, but they also keep that shampoo bottle from bursting in your suitcase and ruining 3 days worth of clothes. Also, having a laundry bag can be crutial. No one likes it when the dirty underwear is right next to the clean pair.

Budget yourself, but don't be too strict. Down time might be far and few between, so treat yourself knowing that maybe for the next few days you'll eat a little cheaper (or only have 1 drink  )

Try and sightsee a little. It may not work in every city, but being able to get out and explore is the only chance you might have to "get away" from work. After awhile you'll realize that while you've "been" to a certain city you don't remember anything about it except what the hotel carpet looked like.

Technology that has gotten me through: my iphone (music/maps/all the apps), a Kindle (no lugging around a ton of books), a camera (touring is crazy which makes for the best moments to capture), also a skype account is free and has been a great way for me to talk to my loved ones while away.

If you aren't one of the people who use their phones as alarm clocks (I am, but there are plenty on tour with me now who aren't) invest in a small travel alarm clock. I've seen power outages take out the clocks in the hotel rooms and you just can't always trust a wakeup call.

As said before by others: be open to everything and have a blast. Touring IS hectic, but do what you need to make it not just a 24-hr job for yourself. Work hard, play hard, and have a great time!

[Beatr79]

Pack yourself a plastic plate, bowl, and some real silverware.  It's so sad to buy a box of cereal to feel like you're eating "normal food"  only to discover to you have eat it out of the plastic cups in the hotel bathroom, with your hands.  Even fast-food tastes a little better on a plate.  Just adds a little bit of civility to hotel-room living.

[BlantonRK]

I always traveled with a scented votive candle. Even the worst hotel room is just a little better if it smells like home.

[TechGal]

what kind of tour? union or non, big cast musical or 2-person straight play, venue sizes, flying or bus/truck - etc - that info will inform a lot

Thanks for all the great advice guys!  I'm going out with CATS. It's a non Eq, bus & truck tour.  The IA portion of the contract is modified pink.   

[loebtmc]

oh yeah - I always take 1) an oversized towel (the hotel towels are never big enough) 2) my favorite big spoon 3) my big 12 oz mug and YES take a candle or three!

[LCSM]

5) bring something that makes you feel home - whether it's a photo album or your favorite blanket or a cuddly animal or something for "those" times.

pat

I always bring the pillow I use at home and a couple of my favorite pillowcases. It's so much nicer to walk into a strange room at night and be able to curl up on something familiar; if I could I'd bring my entire bed with me! Likewise, I always bring my own shampoo, soap and - as Libby mentioned - alarm clock. I tend to make a little ritual out of organizing these in my hotel room the first night in any new accomodation. It helps create a personal routine for me - one that's not related to working.

Good luck! Have fun! Tell us how it goes!
LCSM

[loebtmc]

As it's a bus and truck, don't be afraid to bring a bike! And, something we loved - everyone brings books they don't necessarioy intend to keep forever, and these become a lending library to share//lend among the cast/crew and if they get left behind no one panics. ALSO, things like Trivial Pursuit or other easy, q&a based board games help pass time in the bus. Believe me, sleeping and playing games will be premium options!

[centaura]

Never put your stuff into hotel room drawers, always use your own alarm clock (never use a hotel alarm clock), be conscious of hygiene and strong scents when on the bus, get used to showering at night - most bus and truck shows the crews don't get their showers until the end of load-out, and then they get onto the bus and go to sleep.  Its the last thing that I wait for at my venue before locking the doors - for the last of the crews to get out of the showers.  Get out and explore each city!  Ask the locals where a good place to eat is.  Never talk bad about a theatre unless you are on the bus or two towns away, be polite to the venue folks (they remember you when you're not! - I was on a tour of badmouthed actors, and then did a one month replacement gig when on hiatus - ended up back at a theatre I had just played and they went on and on about how badmouthed my actors were - thankfully the had liked me.  But they remember bad experiences, and can be less than nice if they have a bad memory of you when you return).  Someone already mentioned the plastic bags for liquids.  I also carried a variety of teas, hot cocoa, instant oatmeal - they could all be made with hot water from the coffee pot in the hotel room.  You'll have a bus, so might have a small fridge - but have some sort of emergency snack for those times when you just can't get out to eat.  Especially breakfast - get boxes of oatmeal bars or something to start your day with, it helps give you energy to deal with the stress of tour.  And get as much sleep as possible!  Folks always commented that I was always in a great mood on tour and that I rarely got sick - I slept as much as possible and ate on a regular basis - even if it was just my own snacks.  But its amazing how quickly you can deteriorate with lack of sleep and poor nutrition.

Also, read menus completely - there are healthy food choices out there, you just have to look for them.  Order salads instead of fries, etc.  If you take care of yourself, you can deal with whatever the road handles.

-Centaura

[loebtmc]

oh yeah - keep an eye out for "by 7 get the 8th free" kind of deals - we collected them for the different people thru the tour so we could give free meals to everyone on crew at one point or another (esp our costumer, wig master, pyro master, "prop tart" and a few other folks on very limited budgets and who rarely got breaks

they really appreciated it and made it fun in each city to find and really nice to share -

[Candy0081]

I'm on my third tour this season and in our office we have a few rules that we all try to live by.
1. Don't be a jerk.  To your company members, to the locals, to the bus driver, to the truck drivers, or to yourself.  Remember you are going to be annoyed by everyone at some point and everyone will be annoyed by you at some point. That is just the nature of so much together time.
2. Drink lot of water.  It will help you adapt to anything.
3. Bring a hoodie.  I am rarely out of mine, unless it is getting washed. 
4. If in doubt, review rule #1.