Personal life of a Broadway performer — Page 3

Thanks, Brooke, it really means a lot to hear that from someone who actually knows what she's talking about!

I'll second that, bwaylvsong!!!

I've really enjoyed reading this thread for all of BrookeTansley's useful information. And I, too, appreciate the encouragement when she said "The chances, for those with the patience and discipline to keep at it, are not as low as those people who discourage you would think...."

I too often heard in my childhood that discouraging misinformed crap.

we must remember that with hard work, patience, and passion, anything's possible.

Depends on the situation, GW3. With Mann and d'Amboise, the children stayed with whomever had more time, and of course nannies and family members came into the picture to help out, just as they would with any other job where both parents were traveling and working a lot. During A Chorus Line, Mann wasn't working much, so he was the stay at home dad. Charlotte, when she re-negotiated her contract, arranged for a schedule that allowed her more time with her kids.

Not that big a deal. It isn't as if the kids are being raised by the nannies or they've been shipped off to boarding school. They spend a lot of time with their parents, often at the theater, where they have an extended family of sorts. You say "nanny" like it's a bad word. They're just people who help out when necessary.

Christian, when you questioned my asking why you would single out actors for the odd hours, you missed why I was doing that.
Of course, that was the profession you were interested in, but my point was that there are MILLIONS of people with equally or even worse hours who DO have successful relationships. My point was simply that if some rough hours prevent you from having a good relationship, it is because of YOU and not because of the particular profession you are in. Just as there is NO reason a doctor working the emergency room from midnight to 7AM every day, or a server who works evenings CAN have a relationship -- there is no reason for the hours themselves to prevent an actor from having one either. That was all I meant by that.

yes, of course. Did you read my post just now? I fully understand WHY he was asking about performers, and I thought I made that clear in my response.

My point was simply that it doesn't make sense to single out actors with odd hours as a REASON for not being able to have a good relationship, because there is nothing particularly unique about their hours being odd compared to millions of other professions as well. The hours alone are simply not a good reason to think an actor can't have a normal relationship. (Although there may be many other good reasons for the relationships to be difficult).

And I certainly never meant to imply that is was silly of him to ask about that, but merely I was responding why that particular aspect of being an actor (their hours) is not a reason to single actors out as having a dramatically more difficult time having a relationship than millions of non actors. In other words, I WAS responding to his concerns, and saying that one particular issue should NOT be a major concern.

Updated On: 2/28/10 at 11:31 AM

Throwing in my two cents!

I have babysat for two Broadway families, and, therefore, can attest that it is entirely possible to be a good parent while you are performing in a Broadway show.

Granted, there are many sacrifices made. Family A, for example, has spent the better part of the 2 years living on opposite coasts and has primarily communicated through video chat and extended vacations to either coast. Family B is a single parent, who only sees his children 2 weekends a month (and still does 4 performances those weekends...). Despite that, these parents are totally on top of things. They miss their kids just as much as their kids miss them, so when they do get time together (mornings, dinner breaks, etc) they make the most of the time.

That being said, these children are some of the most well adjusted kids I have met. I have also babysat for several families where the parents have "normal" jobs, but still never take the time to parent their kids (which is so utterly tragic).

In the end, it really boils down the the performer. If they really do value having a family, they can make it work.

So, as a Broadway actor, do you ever get the chance to see shows? Most shows have the same schedule (not all, but most) so it makes me wonder :/

I'm not in the business or anything, so I'm not sure how accurate this information is, but I do believe there are opportunities for actors to see other shows (especially new ones). It's not infrequent for shows to run on a modified schedule during previews (usually with shows on Monday nights) that changes to a more traditional schedule after opening (with Monday being the dark day), which allows other casts to check out what's new on Broadway. Also, I've heard of shows inviting other casts to their final dress rehearsals/gypsy runthroughs. And if you're working on Broadway and really want to see some other shows, you could always use your vacation to stay in NYC and catch up!

On another note, I would also like to thank BrookeTansley for what she has contributed to this thread. It's been one of the most informative that I've come across in the years I've been frequenting this board.

Your welcome, BroadwayGuy12.

Most shows seem to have an Actors Fund benefit performance scheduled at an odd time. A lot of B'way folks go to that performance. My B&theB schedule changed a lot - I got to see All Shook Up and The Lion King, both of which I loved :)

We did get invited to some dress rehearsals and previews. When I was in Hairspray I got to see Gypsy, Urban Cowboy, and Never Gonna Dance.

I usually watch shows from two different points of view - one as a regular Joe just watching a show, and one as very clinically detatched professional observer. This doesn't lessen my viewing enjoyment, and maybe it even enhances it. I have always made it a point to see other shows when I'm working, even if it means taking the night off. I want to know what my colleagues are up to/or are up against.

"...what did you do for most shows?"

I covered so many people that I was usually on, sometimes doing a split track. That means I was on for more than one person in a single performance. With the dance captain and the stage manager, you come up with best way to get the most important stuff in each track done.

Once the show was frozen I would watch one person only for an entire performance, three shows in a row. Next I would ask that actor if I could trail them for a performance. This means that you follow them around for a whole show to learn the backstage traffic and costume changes.

We had a 30 foot by about 11 foot room on the fifth floor of the Neil Simon to hang out in when we weren't on. The fellas were in the boys dressing room, but they hung out with us a lot. Michael Longoria wrote most of his album in that tiny room on the days he wasn't on. I helped Kathy Brier run lines for One Life to Live. We watched tv. We ordered steamed dumplings from China Fun. I cried over my latest dating disaster. We bonded. We prepared for auditions. We counted money or made ribbons for BC/EFA. We staged window shows for the cast of Flower Drum Song across the street. They did the same. Once a week we watched the show to keep fresh. Sometimes I sat in the pit. The bass was amazing. I spent one performance in the percussion room. Magical.

"What are rehearsals like for understudies usually?"

Understudy rehearsal was once a week for about 3-4 hours. When I wasn't running through a principal track I just picked a swing track and did that. You run through or stumble through the show, stopping to ask questions or rerun things as needed.

The first time I went on was the 3rd performance after opening. I was Tammy. I had not rehearsed yet on the stage, on the set, or with props. Good Morning Baltimore was terrifying. After we dance in our silhouette bubbles, the lights go out back there. We had a few bars of music to monkey down the scaffolding (which was speeding on a track upstage) in the dark, duck under the incoming sky drop, and line up for the next time you would see us. All while singing backup vocals for Tracy. Once I had gotten past that, the rest felt easy. It was such a rush!

"Do you get as much rehearsal time as the actor you're an understudy for?"

Not nearly. It's really up to you to do your homework and make the most out of your weekly rehearsal. Before the show opens, you usually don't get to rehearse at all unless someone has a wardrobe fitting, and even then it usually wasn't on the stage.

"Do you ever get nervous before doing a role that you are an understudy for?"

I didn't. I don't get nervous unless I feel unprepared, so I always put a lot of prep work in, both in rehearsal and at home.

You can get one insider's view by reading some of the interviews Greg Jbara has given this year. After bringing his wife to the stage and acknowledging her contribution in raising their two sons as a single parent, Greg was asked repeatedly about the effort involved in working on one coast and living on the other. And about the commitment he and his wife made to their family first and the job second. He's proof that it can be done - but only at a great cost. (Links to most of those interviews can be found on his web page.) It's interesting that some of those interviews and talks were given to various classes - both at the high school and college level.

---