Boredom Busters: A Theatre Person’s Guide to Snow Days

Yesterday in London, Ontario, we got a pretty big dumping of snow overnight — enough snow to have to cancel our 10 am performance of Dr. Dolittle Jr., and to cancel all the rehearsals for the day. Bummer!!!

So what’s a theatre person to do? Read on for a veritable smorgasbord of boredom busting ideas… theatre-style!

Listen to Broadway showtunes on Live365
Watch a DVD of your favourite Broadway-show-turned-film (Les Miserables, Rock of Ages, Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, and so on and so on)…
…and then watch ALL the special features (“An alternate ending to Rent? Yes please!”)
Organize your Playbill collection
Create your dream cast of your favourite Broadway show with all your friends (“Me as Eponine… Susan as Cosette… John as Marius…”)
Practice your lines/music/choreo for your next rehearsal
Organize your rehearsal bag
Order tickets online to a show you’ve been wanting to see
Browse Playbill.com and Broadway.com for all the latest buzz and gossip
Update your resume
Play Be A Broadway Star
Put on your favourite show albums and sing along
Stretch out (try to see if you can improve your split!)
Play Karaoke Revolution Glee on the Wii (duet on “Defying Gravity”!)
Paint yourself green, a la Elphaba from Wicked, or try to re-create the makeup from Cats
Watch the entirety of Legally Blonde: The Musical on Youtube and perfect your “Bend and Snap”
Make a list of all your dream shows and dream roles
Start writing that play you’ve been talking about
Take all of your random costume pieces and put them together in a bin to make a “Tickle Trunk”
Make a mask
Make a puppet
Dig out your sewing machine and make yourself some new costume pieces
Convince your family to take photos of you (“Mom, I really need new headshots!”)
Research performing arts schools and universities and see if you meet the entrance requirements (If you currently don’t meet the requirements, figure out how to do so!)
Check out GuilbeauxFan’s Youtube channel and immerse yourself in Tony Awards performances
Read scripts
Watch reruns of Bunheads and sigh over the perfection that is Sutton Foster
Watch reruns of Smash and sigh over everything (Megan Hilty, Christian Borle, Katherine McPhee, Debra Messing… the list goes on!)
Sing your favourite showtunes at the top of your voice
Brave the elements and go to your best friend’s house and re-enact all of Shrek: The Musical
Sing “Snow” from White Christmas
Watch the Glee episode “Tina in the Sky with Diamonds” and lament over how unrealistic Rachel being cast as the lead in Funny Girl on Broadway is
Plan your thank-you speech for when you win your first Tony Award
Run outside, dance like a maniac and sing the lyrics of “Singin’ in the Rain” but change “rain” to “snow”
Read about how Broadway performers handle holiday schedules
Find your favourite actors and theatres on Twitter and follow them (especially Theatre Kid Problems)
Read What Theatre Should Call Me and agree with EVERYTHING
Give yourself a facial to repair all the yuckiness from wearing too much stage makeup
Bake Broadway Brownie Bars
While you’re at it, figure out how to make a Toledo Surprise
Start your own theatre blog
Organize your show photos into a scrapbook
Re-write the lyrics to “My Favourite Things” with all of your favourite things (“Instagram photos and trips to McDonalds, shopping at Target and eating pink Mentos…”)
Create an audition tape for American Idol or The Voice
Email or call all your old castmates and see how everyone’s doing
Practice speaking in different accents
Complete a theatre crossword puzzle
Create some theatre-themed nail polish art
Perform an interpretive snow dance
Take a nap and enjoy your unexpected day off!