Sometimes, one show just isn’t enough! Or unusual circumstances come up and suddenly, you find yourself juggling multiple shows, rehearsals, and life all at once.
Don’t. Panic.
You’ve got this.
(The exact words I said to myself when I realized I would be performing in one show while finishing rehearsing another!)
But really, don’t panic. With a lot of work, some extra caffeine, and kind people, you can absolutely do this. As I’m currently dancing in Rodger’s and Hammersteins’ “Oklahoma!” and rehearsing “Swan Lake”, I’m getting in some good practice balancing things!
1. Communicate with your directors
Communiciation is everything. Let me repeat that: communication is everything. Talk to both directors as early as possible in the rehearsal process about any conflicts that may arise (or, if you’re jumping in last-minute like I did, give them the full extent of the situation and schedule as soon as possible). This gives them time to potentially work with your schedule and keeps them in the loop about your ability to honor your commitment. Keep communicating with them throughout the process; there’s no such thing as too much communication!
The moment my director of “Oklahoma!” started talking about bringing me into the show as a performer, I gave my ballet directors a heads up; when my new part was confirmed, I explained the situation to my ballet directors again and we worked out a way to honor both commitments while still being ready for “Swan Lake”. They were very encouraging and understanding because I constantly kept them informed on everything with the other show!
2. Get organized
Get yourself a calendar, planner, whatever you need, and make sure to write down or type up your schedule for both shows. This will immediately show you if there are any scheduling conflicts and will help you see visually what you have going on for both shows each week. This will give you the ability to plan more effectively!
I already had a calendar with both schedules included when I started as a cast member with “Oklahoma!”, and I refer to it constantly to make sure that I’m attending as many ballet rehearsals as I can around the performance schedule. For me, having that visual of where I’m expected to be when is really helpful for planning out each week or weekend. Which brings me to…
3. Plan ahead, especially for long days
Knowing your schedule isn’t enough; you need to have a plan for days when you have commitments to both shows. What items do you need? (Dance shoes, costume pieces, hair stuff, makeup, etc.) When will you have time to eat? Do you need to bring snacks? Where are you supposed to be? How much time do you need to get from one place to another? Do you have time to go home in between or do you need to bring everything with you all day? These are the questions you need to be able to answer to ensure that you’re honoring your commitments without running yourself into the ground.
For 3 of the 4 Saturdays of the “Oklahoma!” run, I’ve also got 7 hours of ballet rehearsal before the show those days. That’s a looooooooong day! But I have a packing list for rehearsal and the show; I pack for the entire day, including lunch, a hefty snack/dinner, a gallon of water, and my Dude Wipes to clean up a little before the show. (Sorry, TMI! I feel less gross that way!) The 45 minutes that I have in between rehearsal and the show just isn’t enought go home, so I plan ahead as much as I can!
4. Focus on your health
I’ve been focusing a lot on my physical health throughout the multi-show run this spring! This means eating right, especially during the week, getting enough sleep, drinking a lot of water, and keeping up with exercise during the week. A hectic schedule can quickly run our bodies into the ground, so it’s more important than ever that we take good care of ourselves in order to stay in show-shape!
In the past, when I’ve let myself go right around a show, I almost always developped a lot of soreness/pain in my body, fatigue, and got sick the moment the show closed. This time, with a longer show run of “Oklahoma!” and continuing rehearsals for “Swan Lake”, I’ve worked really hard to stay on top of my health. Better health during a show run also means stronger performances, and that’s all we could ask for!
5. Schedule in rest days
I am actually writing this on my scheduled rest day; a Monday. I just had three days of shows in a row, plus a long Saturday of rehearsals, and I’ve still got classes to teach tonight, work to do, choreography that needs to be finished, housework that needs catching up, and classes for me to participate in coming up tomorrow and Wednesday. I know myself, though, and I scheduled around today being a “rest day”. I’ve still done some work and some light housework, but nothing too strenuous mentally or physically, and I’ve allowed myself to skip my workout with the promise that I’ll hit my step goal today around the house.
A “rest day” looks different to everyone, but it can be very effective for keeping you going. Your rest day might be sitting on the couch binging a show; it might be taking care of everything and running errands all day. Just do yourself a favor and give yourself a day to do whatever you need. Do what will help you relax and feel a little bit rested so you can jump back on the wagon without missing a beat the next day. This one may be a little bit more for your mental health, and it might mean you have busier days throughout the week, but we all need a rest day sometimes.
6. Don’t be afraid to enlist help
I couldn’t have gotten this far into this run without help. Absolutely not. I couldn’t have done this without my husband, who helped take care of the house and made dinner while I was rehearsing or performing. My “Oklahoma!” director for helping me schedule a couple of extra rehearsals for my dance partners and I so we all felt really confident. (Oh, and constantly giving positive affirmations! Those are always wonderful!) My ballet directors for being willing to work with my extra crazy schedule and checking on me throughout the week. My castmates for tying my bow, zipping up my dress, and being ready to practice with me backstage. My ballet castmates for taking/sending videos of choreography that I’ve missed and being willing to go over it all with me.
It takes a village, and there’s no shame in asking for help. And when you’ve got kind, helpful people in your corner, don’t be afraid to lean on them a little bit. With good planning, good health, and a little help from your friends, you’ve got this!
Have you ever navigated two shows at once? What would you add to this list?
Jess Hill Dances 
Leave a comment