BroadwayWorld: At around 34 weeks pregnant, Kaleigh Cronin said farewell to her fellow Schmigadoonians in the Broadway musical Schmigadoon! — but felt so good, she could’ve stuck around for more.
“Honestly, up until the day I went into labor, I was like, ‘I could still be doing this,’” Cronin, now mom to six-week-old Charlie Joseph De Simini — whom she shares with husband John De Simini — exclusively tells BroadwayWorld.
5 comments:
It is really amazing to see how an accommodating and welcoming cast and crew can make all the difference. Performing on Broadway dancing, singing, doing all kinds of flips, etc is crazy. But to do all that until you are 34 weeks pregnant is even crazier. It is really heartwarming to hear how the staff continuously offered support to actress Kaleigh Cronin, accommodating to all her needs while the costume staff continuously adjusted her costumes to fit her belly. That kind of work environment is so crucial to an actor or actress's mental wellbeing, to be in a space that is welcoming and accommodating can really set the tone of how you experience a show. It is a really beautiful thought that a soon to be mother can keep doing the things she loves while sharing it with her baby. For so long there was this misconception / stereotype that women can only do one thing. Kaleigh proves that wrong with her joyous work and new found parenthood!
To see both Kaleigh Cronin's endurance and joy in being able to have a child, let alone be pregnant while performing on Broadway, is heartwarming. Even more in such a dance-heavy show - it reminds you of the physicality that performers need and yet also the support backstage and elsewhere they need to be able to do a show 8 times a week. In Seeing and Discussing Theatre, we were able to go see In Clay, a new musical at City Theatre - it was a one-woman musical starring Alex Finke, who was pregnant. I found that experience to be able to connect to the one I read about very relevantly. As parenthood goes in general, it is always inspiring to see theatre professionals have the ability to have a family and experience parenthood - in the industry, it can feel nearly impossible to even own a pet, so these stories are great reminders of the agency we all have.
In an industry where we are told pretty much out of the bat that juggling it and a family is basically impossible, this article is truly so uplifting. No woman should have to choose between starting a family and her dreams, point blank period. So to see her being accommodated, and even celebrated for it is truly beautiful. Also, she mentions in the article that she is quite literally being flipped and spun around for the entire show, which is just so insanely impressive and cool to think about. Seeing this example of this amazing woman living out her dreams of performing, while also having time to start a family, all while being sown into a different dress each week gives me hope for a future in this industry that is not entirely centered around my work, it gives me hope that i can live life a little too.
I have been following Kaleigh Cronin’s journey with Schmigadoon for a while because I found out she was a Carnegie Mellon alum, so I was really excited to read this interview! It is honestly so heartwarming to see how an entire Broadway company rallied together to make sure Cronin was safe, comfortable, and supported during the remainder of her show run. The company even made sure to make her feel loved long after she delivered her baby (The Schmigazette story was so adorable!). I really enjoyed learning more about how the costume team was able to help Cronin adjust throughout her show run. I also thought that this entire story just goes to show how powerful the swings and understudies of Broadway are, because Cronin was able to cover multiple roles and maintain the physically-exhausting 8-show week throughout her pregnancy. The amount of resilience and willpower that must have taken is absolutely awe-inspiring.
I think this story is a wonderful example of defying expectations that have been set for people in theater for so long. Many of us have heard that in order to be successful in theater, you can't have a family. It's one or the other. Cronin's lived experience is proof that having a family and being successful in theater is possible, and it is also so special. I can't even begin to imagine performing 8 shows a week while dealing with all the side effects that come with pregnancy. I also think that it was awesome how accommodating the creative team was for Cronin. The wardrobe team was amazing for being able to work so quickly to accommodate Cronin's ongoing pregnancy. This is really a story of how everyone benefits from accessibility in theatrical spaces. I hope Kaleigh Cronin is able to spend a lot of time with her family, and that she will be back on stage performing when she is ready.
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