Here is the transcription of my most recent video blog:
(And here’s the audio on AnchorFM)
Hey, this is Queen Mab, and I am going to talk to you today about taking care of myself…or yourself…when you are doing a solo show OR doing any other kind of big performance.
Now, I’m getting ready to do another performance of my solo show, “Yes, No, Maybe So” at the Santa Monica Playhouse on October 19 at 7:30pm. And I’ll put a link below. You can watch it streaming, or you can go in person if you live in the LA area. And I’m tired! Okay? I had a tech rehearsal a few weeks ago. I had to miss work and drive to LA to do it. It was really exhausting, and when I came back, I was just kind of low on energy for the rest of the week, and I had to really work to get caught up. And so I’m feeling really apprehensive about going and doing this on a Tuesday, because my tech rehearsal was on a Thursday, so I only had to go back to work on Friday. But the show’s gonna be on a Tuesday, and then I have to come back and do Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
On…last Thursday, I had a run through with my director, which I did after teaching my two most exhausting classes back to back. I got through it. There were a few small slip-ups, but I mean, it went better than I could have hoped given the energy level that I have. But I realized that I am still making up for the energy that I lost doing that. Like, I’m still really, really low on energy or “spoons,” okay? And I’m just kind of concerned about how this week is gonna go.
I think that for me, the key is going to be to know that I’m depleted and to give myself the space to say “no” and set some boundaries. To be honest with you, I probably did some things this weekend that it would have been better not to do, but it’s hard, because I want to live my life and enjoy myself…and yet, I have to face the reality that 1) I have a disability, 2) I teach middle school, which is exhausting, and 3) solo theater is very exhausting. And that’s hard for me…like, I don’t want to have limits. I want to be able to do everything.
So anyway, I’d like to know what YOU do to take care of yourself, especially if you are a solo performer…or anybody else who does these big, very taxing performances. What helps YOU? Let me know in the comments. Thanks so much for tuning in. If you’d like to see more of my content, you can visit queenmabmusic.com. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe, and I hope to see you at the Santa Monica Playhouse or virtually on October 19. Bye!