Today was a terrific start to LEAVING IOWA. Yesterday was the first rehearsal, technically, but it was the nuts and bolts paperwork, the union votes, schedule discussions, read-thru (which went great), and some light tablework on Act I.
Today, we put the play on it’s feet, and started staging the first few scenes. A ton of fun, and a ton of challenges… but working with a great cast and quality stage managers turns every challenge into an opportunity, and that made today a joy!
And at home, despite having one car that’s decided to not work, we had a nice night. Some homework done with the kids, followed by some housecleaning/dishes while dancing to the soundtrack of Kim Possible (one of our favorite supercool spy- kid cartoons!)
There are days that I, as a Dad and as an Artistic Director, wonder “Can I really balance it? Can I be the Dad and Husband my family needs me to be and still give the theatre the Artistic Direction that it needs effectively?”
Not sure I know the answer, yet, but I know I’ll keep trying. Days like today give me hope, though!
Tony Caselli 
I think about the same thing, with one key difference. I don’t have a wife and two kids. I think sometimes it’s easier to just give up on balance all together when the only one to suffer the consequence is you.
It is easy to become a machine that eats, breaths, sleeps, talks, walks and thinks only theatre.
Ultimately though, that is a disservice to the art. When theatre feeds back into itself and becomes self-referential it starts to die.
If anyone can find a way to balance life and work, I think it’s you Tony. So I’m counting on you to figure it out, and then tell me how to do it, ok?
If I figure it out, I’ll let you know! And you’re right, I really do think it’s unhealthy to not balance things out – unhealthy for the individual AND the theatre. The trick is actually doing it… Thanks, Kate! 🙂