During quarantine, I've been asked to give advice to Theatre Students and Recent Grads  quite a few times. (Virtually! Obviously!) Here are the Top 10 things I've found myself talking about, in case helpful for anyone who is a student or knows one. [THREAD]

1. During this insane time, your #1 priority should be your own health and well-being, including mental health. Figure out what you need to get through everything going on, physically, financially, mentally, etc. and ask for help if you need it. Take care of yourself.

2. What's going on in our country is of utmost importance to pay attention to & take action about. Obviously there are a million reasons why you should vote, do everything you can to get others to vote, and raise your voice about the issues plaguing America in every way you can.

One of these reasons is the future of the arts and the future of artists. Do your research about what's going on at national, state, and local levels and find out which candidates and movements you can support and how.

3. One of the best things I did for my future self in middle school, high school, and college was assign myself things I wanted to learn about, separate from anything I learned in class. There's a huge opportunity for everyone to do that during this time.

Listen to the cast albums you meant to learn about & didn't have a chance to before. Assign yourself 1 theatre book per week that teaches you about a new topic. Gather a group of friends virtually to watch a theatre-related movie, documentary, or pro-shot each week and discuss it

Give yourself writing prompts or acting assignments or design projects that are what YOU want to learn about. Find whatever your own version is of this and structure it so that it helps you learn and take advantage of the time we have.

4. The years in college & immediately after as a theatermaker are so much about finding your tribe. About finding the people you want to collaborate with and forming bonds w them. Even though technology is no match for in-person connecting, finding your tribe is not cancelled!

Figure out ways to connect with other artists, especially folks your own age and see what seeds you can plant during this time, whether it's starting to work on something together now, or just getting to know other folks better who you want to work with in the future.

5. Find the stuff that you love to do and are passionate about OUTSIDE the arts, and develop those interests and skills too. Even in the best of times for the arts, almost every artist needs other types of work they can rely on doing, in between jobs and shows.

Whether it's graphic design or social media management or baking or photography or non-profit activism or teaching or anything else, hone those skills that it will be helpful for you to call back on in the future, that you can find authentic passion for.

6. On the flip side of that, find the stuff WITHIN the arts that is different from what you've already focused on & learn about it. Are you an actor who has always thought about learning to play guitar? A scenic designer who has always thought about learning to design costumes?

Are there skills within the arts you can learn during this time that will make you better, more informed, more employable, a better part of a team no matter which position you're occupying on a show when we return?

And then similarly, are there elements within your main chosen arts field you can learn MORE about? Are you a choreographer who can educate yourself on new choreo technology? A theater marketer who can learn video editing? A stage actor who can learn more about on-screen?

7. Find out what kinds of theatre-related projects are happening locally near where you are in college or in your hometown. Is your local regional theatre doing virtual programming and is there a way for you to offer to intern with them and help with it from your dorm room?

Is there a park near your childhood home doing socially distanced outdoor performances and do they need a PA? Is there a theatre near you that is planning for their next indoor season once live entertainment returns that you can somehow help with in advance?

Figure out if there are opportunities near you that you can participate in, even if they might not LOOK like the internships and jobs you would have originally planned on having during school and right after graduation.

8. It is no secret that there are barely any opportunities for arts jobs at the moment, and that's likely to be true for a significant amount of time. We all know that realistically when theatre finally returns, it will be a gradual return.

We all know that during the next era, the arts job market will likely not be as robust, as every organization and theatre struggles to raise the funds needed to reopen and continue to exist. There is no point in burying one's head in the sand about this.

We are all worried about it and we might as well name it and be honest about the thing we are worried about.
DO NOT LET THIS SCARE YOU AWAY FROM PURSUING THE THING YOU LOVE. THAT CAN LOOK LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

In addition to all of the above, the next era is ALSO going to be an incredibly fertile time for new, scrappy, and creative ways to make theatre happen, ways that are hybrids of digital and in-person, ways in outdoor spaces, ways in unconventional venues, etc.

Young theatermakers have always had to carve out their own opportunities. Some of the most exciting theatre in history has started with a bunch of emerging artists making something they believe in in a small way that grows and grows.

Audiences are going to be hungrier for that than ever. Power players are going to be looking for who is doing these things successfully, and be eager to bring them to higher levels. So there will be space for new artists to make their way and build toward successful careers.

It is just going to take unique initiative and resourcefulness and creativity. YOU GOT THIS.

9. So much of #ArtistLyfe is having no control over your own schedule, not being able to see family or friends as much as you'd like, not being able to go home to visit for holidays or otherwise. If you can do so SAFELY, get in that quality family time.

If you are able to travel and quarantine and all the rest, go spend 3 months with your parents, your cousins, your camp friend, whatever. If you can't do this safely, do it virtually as much as you can.

I recorded a bunch of family history interviews with older members of my family during quarantine. I finally had the time to do this, as did my family members. It was the best!!

Take advantage of the time we have as it pertains to the humans in your life that you might wish you had more hours to spend with, when it's 3 years from now and you're on a tour doing a 10-show holiday week.

10. Practice gratitude. Say thank you to your TEACHERS a million times because they are doing the impossible right now. In general, try to practice gratitude toward everyone who is teaching you and working with you at school right now because there was no way to prepare for this.

And chances are they are doing their best with an extremely challenging situation. We all are. But things are not always going to be how they are now, and there is going to be a really exciting next era to come.

So let's treat each other with extra kindness no matter how frustrating things are. That includes treating yourself with kindness too!

Some days none of the things in the list above are going to feel doable and you might just stay in your bed and eat cookies. That's fine! I have been there! We have all been there! We will get through this time.

Extra bonus number 11: Be as sad as you want to be about the things that are cancelled or postponed. If this pandemic happened when I was a student and my senior musical/ thespians/ graduation/ etc. got cancelled, I would be DEVASTATED. Feel how you feel. You are allowed! <333333