Sunday, September 06, 2009
Big City - Sharon Wheatley on Juggling Babies and Broadway
NYTimes.com: "Not long after the actress Sharon Wheatley wrote her first parenting column in the Actors’ Equity Association’s newsletter, a reader e-mailed her to say he had heard about a parent support network for actors a few years earlier — but it turned out to be for people who were transitioning out of theater."
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9 comments:
This kind of movement would be good for the theater world. I don't know how realistic it is but it is an important issue to address. The same sort of crazy schedule effects actors, designers and technicians alike. I know that the theater world will not suddenly change or that every theater will instate a daycare service but it is something that we should all keep thinking about and working on. To have to put having a family on hold until you prime years are over is not ideal. Even if you do know what you are signing up for that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.
I've had either the fortune or misfortune of working on a few shows where one of the female leads recently had a child (within the past 2 years). It's a tragic side-effect of the industry that we have such irregular schedules and the rest of the world doesn't always fit into ours. Coordinating babysitters even just during performances, let alone rehearsal/tech, has to be expensive and difficult to coordinate. I think the program they are trying to set up in NY sounds like a fantastic idea. Daycare exclusively for children of theatre professionals makes sense. Not only would it be a reliable way for parents to ensure that their children are properly looked after, but it allows kids to bond with other children who have a similar lifestyle (and the potential for the parents to share advice as well).
Considering the tremendous impact that the theatre industry has in New York City, I think it was only a matter of time before childcare for theatre professionals became an issue. I hope that they are successful in their quest to provide childcare to parents with such odd hours, because putting off having a family just because you aren't sure about who will watch them while you're at work is a lousy reason. This is a great idea.
Given the irregularity and intensity of the hours required by this industry for all the people working in it, and given the transitive nature of the work, especially for actors, directors, and stage managers, it is very difficult to raise a family. Before reading this article, I was unaware that AEA had a parenting committee. This news is interesting and presents promise for the theater parents of the future. The child care center in NYC is a really important step, but what about child care outside of the city and on tour? Is it good parenting to bring your child on the road with you, often for at least a month at a time if not much longer. Or are the theater families required to coordinate their schedules so one parent is always home with the kid? All of these are important to think about when discussing the family in theater.
I think setting up theatre child care is a great idea and one that should be implemented in many places. Although they say there are not many moms on broadway, there are certainly a lot of moms in regional and small theatre. Many things I have seen is getting their children roles in the show so they could bring them to rehearsal. If there was a place for children to go who had parents who want to do theatre, then it would take the pressure off parents who want to stay involved in theatre. However, in the small theatres, it can be a good way to get the smaller children involved and interested in theatre.
I'm glad that the issue of childcare for theater professionals is being addressed, because it has definitely occurred to me from time to time that it would be really difficult to raise a family and lead a rigorous career in theater. Hopefully this idea will take off and garner more support over the next few years, because theater life is crazy and stressful enough without worrying about who's going to watch your kids day to day.
I definitely agree with this article to help transition theater into a more family-friendly environment. The schedule's for theatre are hectic and crazy, and I'd hate to have to sacrifice my passion for theatre if I ever wanted to get married and have children. It is possible to do both, though extremely difficult. I know people that choose to take time off to raise children and come back, or battled through the crazy schedule and raised children at the same time. The hectic schedule is inevitable and necessary for our fast-paced industry, but means could be improved to help talented actors and technicians continue their work while still raising families. I think more and more people are managing to do both passions in their lives, and hopefully more and more progress can be made for families to have time for each other and their work.
The theatre world needs this kind of program, it is not fair that women who want to have children are normally forced out of the business. Women in theatre are still humans who want to start families just like everyone else. Women shouldn't have to choose a career or children, we should be able to have both.
I think it's a wonderful idea to start including daycare in the theatre industry. I have often felt discouraged to think about having children when I'm older because it feels that the theatre industry monopolizes one's time so much. This is a very positive development.
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