Spending the holidays in a show
By Sami DeSocio
The holidays are about getting together with friends and family, going over to someone’s house or having people over and being together. But if you’re in a show, its not always possible to be with your family. While that leads to homesickness, if you and your cast are close, there are ways to beat the holiday blues.
While I’ve never been in this situation, I know people that have, and even though they can’t be with family, the cast they’re part of gets together to celebrate themselves. I’ve seen potlucks done and I’ve even seen one cast make a gingerbread house together! There are ways of celebrating the holidays with your theater family.
Another fun thing you and your cast can do is a secret santa. Everyone pulls a name and then on Christmas Eve or Christmas, everyone can exchange gifts. This serves as not only a way to spend the holidays, but its also a great bonding moment for the cast as well.
If your cast is kitchen-savvy, maybe someone will even make some holiday treats (warn the costume department, costumes will need to be let out!). Cookies, cakes, brownies and other things of the season could litter the dressing rooms and common areas backstage, putting everyone in the holiday spirit!
A musical cast could get together and sing Christmas carols, or even make up their own versions! Some casts even get together to participate in Carols for A Cure for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. For some casts, though different people, recording for that CD becomes the show’s traditional holiday activity. Almost like a holiday right of passage for some.
Although most shows make an effort to not perform on Christmas Eve or Christmas (usually there is a show one of the two days, but rarely both), some shows just have no choice. In times like that, it’s great to know that the homesickness that everyone in the cast is feeling can be quelled if you come together as a family in your own right.
Have you ever been in a show during the holidays? What did you do to beat the holiday blues?