Suffering from what I call "theatredox"

[SM_Maddie]

I'm in high school as well, and I know exactly what you mean. Once the shows over, you're done. It's not like you go and find another job, you actually have to wait around until the next season show or if it's the last show of the year, until next year (unless you have a summer program, of course). This is when I usually take a week or so to just recover from the chaos of High School theatre, and simply relax. Because as much as I love stage managing, managing 160+ students as a peer is challenging.

Then of course, I try and focus on my grades. Which take quite a blow when you're working until 8-10:30 for two months straight. And then you find yourself submerged once again in a whole different kind of work.

[Samazon]

Being in college as a stage manager seems to be about the same as high school concerning between show times.  My last show assignment in a busy semester ended a couple of weeks before finals. During the downtime, I focused on homework, hung out with friends and dorm mates that I hadn't seen in awhile, caught up on tv shows, worked my technician job, and did a few projects (having time work on sabre fencing really helped). Now that I'm home before my internship, I mainly catch up with family and friends I haven't seen, enjoy the outdoors and get household stuff done that I won't have time for.  I also try to network and try to explore theatre resources in depth, like this site for example.

I definitely agree with the above though. Having time to be human or a little lazy is nice.

[Jessie_K]

After my last gig (full-time unlimited contract with large scale production) ended, I took 6 months off to travel in Asia.  I also did a lot of knitting, crocheting, reading and catching up on TV series.

It was awesome!  I would love to continue this pattern.  Work for 2 years, take a few months off to travel.  Next agenda, around the world southern hemisphere.

[BalletPSM]

I just have to comment on how this thread is about time OFF between shows...and yet (with the exception of a few posts), everyone talks about all the things they DO during time off!  We stage managers are a funny bunch.  Can't just enjoy the time off by doing nothing, we have to fill the days with something!

But, I think that's one of the personality traits that drive us to do what we do in the theatre! 

[BeccaTheSM]

I definitely spend the first few days off after a contract doing as little as possible. I will marathon a television show or a large number of movies. If I can manage it, I try not to even leave my apartment. After a few days of pure laziness, then I'll start doing things like cleaning the apartment, reading books, seeing friends, seeing shows, or whatever else I want to do.

[loebtmc]

I always reserve that Sunday nite after the last show to eat ice cream or watch TV or some such....