Today I got to run a regional theatre.

Every now and then, I get reminded of how freaking amazing that is.  Today was one of those days.

I woke up this morning, and I was a little sore from my long workout on the elliptical machine the night before, and a little sleepy, and another few minutes of sleep felt like a better plan than getting up, despite the buzzing of the alarm I’d set on my phone.  So, I hit “Snooze” on the screen of my iPhone… that worked for 3 minutes.  When it went off again, I held my finger over the snooze button for a second, but then grabbed my phone and silenced it.  I opened my calendar app (Sunrise) to look at the schedule of the day, and Evernote to check out The List (my name for my to-do list).  Most of the items on there were things like “Staged Reading rehearsal at 1”, and “Get production schedule to designers for the last few shows of next season” and “Read the 2 scripts on your desk” and “Call so-and-so about this project and that”.

As I lay there, thinking “Ow, my legs are sore” and “Maybe another 10 minutes of sleep”, I also started thinking about all the things I was going to get to do today.  And you know what?   Most of them sounded pretty darned great.

That’s when the reminder hit me.

Holy crap.  I get to run a regional theatre.  How did I get lucky enough to get this fabulous gig?

And that’s when I decided – I need to borrow a time machine for a few minutes.  There are a few times that I need to poke myself in the head… 22 year old me, 28 year old me, 35 year old me… I can think of a few moments when I want to just pop in and say “Dude.  Guess what I-you-we-did today?  Made some theatre.  At a theatre that you run with a great team of people.  It’s not all smooth sailing between here and there – not by a longshot, but there’s good people and good Guinness and good laughs to get you through the bullshit.  Remember this: Trust your gut and GO.  Don’t forget it!  The first time you get killed in a review, remember it.  That moment when you REALLY realize that not everyone has your best interests in mind, remember it.  And when it’s late and you’re tired and you’re talking with Jeanne about paths and kids and the future… remember.”    “(Also, remember Jeanne’s always right.)”

I dunno.  I’m not sure what I would’ve done if a chubbier, grayer version of myself showed up a dozen years ago with that kind of speech.  But when I think back on who I was then, with the fears and insecurities and giant questions I had about the world… and then I compare that to where my life is now…

I think the biggest thing I can take away from that is this:

Today I got to run a regional theatre.  I can’t WAIT to see what tomorrow brings.