Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Race Goes On

Track & fieldfrom Joseph Mitchell Parks, Associate Producer

As I sat and read my colleague Christa Kimlicko Jones’s latest blog post, I realize we are in the exact same boat, and furthermore it is the same boat that most of us as artists sail through life in. We do anything and sacrifice anything to be a part of the theatre community that we all love. 

Right now I am in the middle of the rehearsal process for Othello running at The Secret Theatre the end of this month.  In addition to playing Cassio, I am also co-producing the project.

My day begins at 6am with my morning coffee and a sensible breakfast. I have always treasured my mornings since I was a little boy. I have never been one to wake up and go; I need time and caffeine to ease myself into the day. For this very purpose,
I get up early and I usually even try to squeeze in a little bit of a favorite film or television show.  My castmate (and roommate), Valerie Redd, often teases me about my morning dramas. It is not unusual to find me drinking my coffee while watching Revolutionary Road, The Reader, The Hours, or any other gripping drama. These types of films always give me perspective on my life and I appreciate my life so much more when I watch them. It’s a true catharsis.

Following my morning ritual I try to make it five times a week to my gym to get in a good workout, which always improves my day. Then I am off to work a full day for The Acting Company, where I am the Producing Assistant and Resident Company Manager, which entails problem solving and helping take care of other artists all day, which is wonderful. It is gratifying to spend my whole day working for a classical theatre company.

Rehearsals begin at 7 and I cannot eat between work and rehearsal, otherwise my stomach will be in knots. I try to shrug off the day and be completely present in the studio, but at this point it has already been a long one and I have a few more hours to go. It is a challenge we all face everyday.

At 10pm we end our rehearsal and my Co-Producer and Director and I debrief and then I head home. Like Christa it is now midnight and it all starts
again at 6am.

It is a fascinating thing how we choose this life, but I would not give it up for anything in the world. 



Othello opens October 25. Buy tickets at www.secreattheatre.com 
or visit the company website at www.wanderingbarktheatrecompany.org

Photo by Olli A

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