When I was going to high school and I was the stage manager for the first time, my mother wanted me to attend something the same night as I had rehearsal, and I told her I simply couldn’t. Theatre people, like many artists, are so passionate about their work, they often give up so much to make their art. As I went to college my mentor, Peter, always taught us about balance and how important family was. This is why I often talk about a work-life balance on this blog. I am still passionate and sacrifice time with my family and friends sometimes, but I now understand the importance of it. 
Last night my grandfather past away. He lived a good life, and I will miss him. If you know you me, once I get past my initial shyness I have a weird but good sense of humor. I owe this to my father and grandfather. In August I saw him and remember laughing at a story he told about when he worked on a turkey farm. I actually recorded these stories the last time I was home and listened to them again last night.
The things I will al
ways remember will be riding around in his pick-up and going to the bank to see my grandmother. She was a teller and would give my brother and me candy. I remember how he would never ride “The Ducks” in Branson because they reminded him of when he served in the military. I will remember that he loved the casinos as much as I did, and I will never forget his smile.
Recently my favorite Director / Choreographer team joined up for a new production, Catch Me If You Can. It is a musical adaption of the movie that started Tom Hanks. Who is that team? Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell. I was thinking back to why they are my favorite, and when I first started to follow them. I actually learned about them from a report I had to write about them in college. Yes, it was just a one-page summary on each of them, but it made me learn who they are and taught me a lesson about how important it is to know people before you “know” them. Peter Sargent made us write those one-page reports in Lighting Design class. We were assigned people in whom I assumed we might have interest one day. Well, I can’t tell you how many times Jack and Jerry (I say that like we are friends0 have come up in conversations over the years. Knowing people in the business is so important. I always ask how many students know who Cameron Mackintosh is when I teach at the Missouri State Thespian Conference. I have learned to not be shocked when no one raises a hand. I encourage you all to poke around the Internet Broadway Database and learn the names of the greats and see what they have worked on. It will make you a better student of our business.
ways remember will be riding around in his pick-up and going to the bank to see my grandmother. She was a teller and would give my brother and me candy. I remember how he would never ride “The Ducks” in Branson because they reminded him of when he served in the military. I will remember that he loved the casinos as much as I did, and I will never forget his smile. 
