Over the last few months, I have witnessed resilience and adaptability at a level and a consistency that surpasses anything I ever saw in the corporate world. The cast and crew of ‘The King and I’ have weathered countless injuries, bumps, illnesses, physical, intellectual, spiritual and emotional strain and challenge - and yet at every single show - 8 shows a week, we go out there and tell a story that moves audiences to tears.
In more than a few instances, our swing team (these are actors hired to cover multiple other tracks within the show) have been called on to learn new choreography and go on stage within the hour. Swings and covers have stepped in for injured colleagues at a moment’s notice, switched entire tracks (including costume, props, etc.), gone on stage in a different role and and have still blown the audience away. They have held their nerve, stood singularly under the intense glare of the theatre spotlight and knocked it out of the park.
I would like you to understand just how difficult that is - in the corporate world, it would be akin to joining a new company and within the first week, be given the responsibility of negotiating a business with a client who generates 60% of your revenue and who is threatening to walk away. That is the level of pressure on our swings and covers.
“It must cost you something,” a wise mentor once told me.
And it does. And still they do it, wholeheartedly with zero hesitation once they step onto the stage. They are the backbone of this production. They stand ready every single show, never knowing what will be asked of them and they deserve all the respect in the world.
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My name is Eu Jin. I embarked on a career as a professional actor after 20 years in the corporate world. I am a big advocate of personal growth in the performing arts. I dedicate time and energy in performing arts education, specifically in the arena of practical approaches to inner health because I believe that this lays the groundwork for a sustainable career as an artiste.
If you would like to engage in a conversation about a healthy inner life practice, please leave me a message on the "Contact" page of my website and a way to contact you. Thank you.