Maybe There’s No Business Like Show Business For a Reason | brokeGIRLrich
Fair warning, friends, I’m kind of in a #rant mood today.
Entertainment is a really weird gig.
I’m in rehearsals right now for a touring musical, something I’ve wanted to do for a while, since college really, since there’s a certain amount of prestige to musicals that you just don’t really find with… Clifford the Big, Red Dog (not that I don’t love the heck outta Clifford).
Running a musical is usually a little more complicated, so there’s that. But our rehearsal days are 9 hours long and since I’m the stage manager, I’m usually in at least 30 minutes before and about as long after, so that’s a 10 hour day. I’m commuting into NYC from NJ, so that adds 3-4 hours to my day.
I pretty much just work and sleep.
And sit on NJ Transit and ponder…
I think there’s a pretty crazy workaholic pride in the arts. For instance, we have a lot of one nighters coming up on this tour, and since it’s bus and truck, that means we load out, get on the bus to sleep and then arrive at load in the next day. We’re currently projected to finish load outs around 2:30 AM and start loadins the next day around 8 AM. So that’s several days in a row of about 5 hours of sleep. Lots of crew are psychopaths who boast about living like that.
I don’t actually think there’s any pride in being able to survive something like that. I sort of think it’s madness. Maybe I’m just getting old and crabby.
Even these 6 days a week of rehearsals, I mean, really, how did that come about? Were we so much less competent as an industry we need an extra day to achieve a full work week of work? That’s pretty much how I feel.
Why didn’t someone stand up ages ago and say, hey, why on earth don’t we have 2 day weekends like normal folks?
Seriously though, someone has got to have written a theater history dissertation on how our work weeks evolved, because the entire thing is really just madness.
I do think it’s also worth noting that opera is pretty much the epitome of stage management prestige and they get it done in 6 hours a day. #agmaforthewin …though still 6 days a week. Why are we hating on weekends? Weekends are awesome.
Or maybe it’s been three years in this other blogging industry where freelancers pretty much build their own lives and work the hours they want to achieve the income they are happy with.
I think it’s ruined me.
Personal finance blogging has ruined me for stage management.
Or we’ll just chalk this up to train thoughts after a long 6 days of rehearsals.
At least it’s Monday!
I’m with you, Mel. I don’t understand why so many people brag about their lack of sleep on the road. Lack of sleep and constant stress really damaged my body. Even two years after quitting the music business, I’m still trying to lose weight and find a healthier work life balance.
Kate @ Cashville Skyline recently posted…How to Survive on a Bare Bones Budget
Ugh, tell me about it. Even just trying to do simple things like scheduling a doctor’s appointment become nightmares with these schedules.
Your schedule sounds like a nightmare! It’s hard to believe everyone can perform well on such little sleep. I’m sure you love what you are doing though – and that must be what gets you through this! A good rant though!
Vicki@Make Smarter Decisions recently posted…Making Assumptions Can Cost You Thousands of Dollars When It Comes To College
I was raised doing community theatre, and feel you on the schedule. All of that plus no-pay. I miss theatre, but I have not had time to do it since I began college nearly 15 years ago. It’s hard on a body and mind.
ZJ Thorne recently posted…The Downsides of Co-ops
Ugh, I seriously can’t imagine doing this for no pay. I want to punch people who talk about the love of the art and whatever in the face or tell them to go do community theater and leave my paycheck alone. …which was not an attack on you in any way – and there’s a lot of really great community theater – but there’s also a lot of abuse of power and people’s passion for their careers in the arts too.
I love your blog and it makes me feel less alone. I currently work in marketing/event management after many years of freelance stage managing. I first told myself that I needed a break, that I would get back to theater after a brief period of 9-5 work. That was 2 years ago. Being on the road, days with no breaks, periods of unemployment and all the crazy personalities were fucking with my sanity. I’m still learning to accept that it’s ok to walk away from something you love if that something is detrimental to your physical and mental health at times. I enjoy what I do now, am working on paying off my student debt, and actually have time for a social life. Whichever you pick, there are sacrifices to be made. I miss theater all the time, but I had to realize how burnt out I was. I needed to find a better work/personal life balance, and SMing made that pretty hard. Props to you for sticking with it, wish I could’ve!
Also, I wrote this post a while back, made me think of you: https://fuckmatchmakers.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/a-love-letter-to-my-college-training-that-gets-me-through-the-week/
Oh my gosh, I TOTALLY understand walking away from it sometimes too. There have been a few periods where I really felt like I should’ve for my sanity, but the longer I do it, the less “real world” skills I feel like I have.
It also seems when I reach me total breaking point, the next gig always winds up being something I love… so I guess as long as that keeps happening, I’ll stick around.