Author Topic: "The Wind Beneath My Wings" or "With a Little Help From my Friends"  (Read 5121 times)

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Tempest

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:D  Don't throw tomatoes; I promise, I won't sing.

Our jobs can suck.  They are hard, extremely time consuming, and just flat out exhausting.  None of us could do it totally on our own, all the time.  So, tell us about the people who help you get through your day.  Put that good energy back out into the world, for them, and then go thank them!

My Mom, who never nags me about the irregularity of my calls home (or the fact that I haven't come home for Christmas or Thanksgiving in five years), and, when I do call, may not have a clue what I'm talking about, but will let me rant about it until I'm done.

I've been blessed with a wonderful series of ATD's who always check in with me, ask if there's anything they can do for me, and are, in general, just pleasant people to be around when everyone else is letting the stress get to them.

And my blessed roommate who, after watching me drop five pounds in a week, determined that if she cooks for me, and yells at me about it, I might actually eat something.  She reminds me to take a sweater because I'm always kvetching about how cold it is backstage.  And when I was doing temporal math, out loud, trying to figure out if I had time to go to the grocery store this week, told me to leave a list and some money on the counter, and she'd go to the store for me.  This woman is keeping me alive.  I have the best roommate in the world, and yes, I do tell her that.

So, who helps keep your world turning when the show(s) have you running around crazy?
Jessica: "Of course I have a metric size 4 dinglehopper in my kit!  Who do you think I am?"

Amandanellb

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My Mom is number one on my list of people. She is always there for me in whichever world I am living in at the time. She understands that theatre is my oxygen and never makes it hard on me. She listens and supports me. She brings me food when I am too tired to open the cereal box and she knows if I am not at work or the theatre, I am probably sleeping, so she waits for me to call her.

My Dad, who doesn't understand, but supports me anyway. His favorite story to tell is how he went to see a show on April 14th (he is an Accountant) just because I built 2 chairs and painted a wall... He also makes mad Sam's Coffee Runs!

I have the greatest crew in the world. They work hard and try to make things easier on me, with little to no argument. I have props people to die for and the most level headed ASM, and I would be lost with out them.

Then there is my dog, Othello, who lets strangers take him to the bathroom in the middle of the day and still loves me when I get home at midnight.

Its good to stop a minute and count your blessings.  I really needed that today, on the night of our first audience, when I might be a little psychotic...

missliz

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My parents are my biggest fans. They let me call and rant and worry, then pick up their handy Dictionary of the Theater and look up the words they didn't know. :) They assume if I don't call it must be tech, and are ok with a 7am phone call. They always have the address of the theater I'm working in to send flowers or a card for opening night.

My friend (and occasional coworker/set designer) who will go on break and return with two coffees and a pack of cookies without prompting.

My younger cousin, a 15-yr-old self-proclaimed theater dork, who puts everything into perspective. When she came to see a recent show I did, she was THRILLED to sit through load-in because it was "so cool." Right, not everybody has a job like this. It IS pretty cool.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

dallas10086

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My husband is Mr. Mom for our 3 year old son, since he's gone back to college and I've been working full-time since January. He makes dinner nearly every night, takes care of our son when he isn't in daycare, does all the grocery shopping...everything I did when I was working part-time. He could easily feel resentment at the role-reversal, or play video games all day long and still expect me to do the house-related tasks, but he's taken up his new role wonderfully. He also shields me from friends who don't understand what I do or ask why I don't have a 'normal job,' which helps more than you'd think.

When I was freelancing my mom never understood why I didn't call her on a regular basis - she would ask if I had fallen off the face of the earth. Now that I'm staff and she's gotten used to hearing "I'm in rehearsal" or "I'm in tech" for a few years, she assumes that if she hasn't heard from me in a while that I'm okay. Facebook helps there, too. She understands that I'm an East coast girl at heart, even though the rest of my family is in Arizona and I've said I can't see myself moving back just yet.

I have a friend who I also hire as my ASM when I can, who has quickly become a sounding board for me. She's helped me immensely in keeping my sanity, especially this past year.

NomieRae

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My sister and my niece are a great escape for talking about the silly things in life that are not theater related.

My best friend of 12 years who is a dancer (and an actor before that) who completely understands my job and knows that when we hang out that its best to just forget about work for a little while.

Also on my current show - my PSM and sound engineer. We are the three musketeers, the three of us do the entire show tops to tails (lights, sound, stage management, wardrobe, therapist..etc) 8 times a week and usually a half dozen PR gigs sprinkled in as well. We are as close as can be, can vent, can laugh, can always go to each other with a show annoyance. It's the most functional non-family I think I will ever have. I feel truly blessed that even on a crazy night like tonight where we have 3 subs in on an 8 person show that we all just hunker down and get it done together. (With plenty of drinking and sighing later)
--Naomi
"First, I honor life, and with it my life in theatre." -- Jacques Burdick

MusicTheatreSM

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My husband is the number one on my list. He takes care of our dog and cat when he comes home from work, runs to the grocery store, makes dinner, and even meets me by the train station to walk me home late at night (I live in a not so hot neighborhood in Chicago). He is always there for me to come home to, which is a really great feeling after a 12 hour day that might not have been the best. He is my rock and my sounding board, and probably the only reason I still have my sanity. And starting off in theatre, he was also my support system so I didn't have to work another job to support myself. He made sure I have been able to work any job I can without restrictions of another responsibility.

My dog and cat are probably second. Only because they know when I come home from a long day to come and cuddle and give kisses. They sleep in with me on the bed after my husband leaves for work. My dog especially, who when I leave the house, pulls on my sleeve, she doesn't want me to go for another long day, but it is my reminder that she loves me even thought I spend a lot of time away from home.

My parents come in at third. They are finally starting to understand my choices and career path. They weren't so supportive starting off or through college, but now are there for me to rant when I need or just a short escape is always nice when needed.

 

riotous