Sweeping the Stage

If you haven’t heard by now, I am now back out on the freelance stage tech market. It is kind of a challenge starting all over again at my age. But I found comfort is something that I used to get really grumpy about. I got to sweep and mop a stage. A task usually assigned to the low man on the pole or the guy with the least amount of skills. Well, I was low man on the pole, but definitely the most experienced tech. And rather than getting upset about it, I found myself smiling. When I started in the theatre almost a quarter of a century ago, I was taught that the first and last thing you did on arrival at the theatre was sweep the stage. It’s a safety thing as well as a way of showing respect for the space. The simple act of sweeping the stage helped me reset my perspective. Over the last few years, I had lost my sense of respect and joy of doing the simple act of working on the stage. I have found myself of late, rediscovering the joy of being a part of the theatre. It doesn’t hurt that the crews I have worked with I simply adore and they return that friendship. They respect me for my skills and allow me to do what I have grown to love over the years.
But I ramble on and life gets in the way.