Parenting From The Wings: Community Keeps Giving While Broadway is Dark

Thank you.

Thank you Laura Benanti for asking high schoolers to send videos of them doing parts of their cancelled shows.

Thank you Broadway World for picking up Benanti's tweet and spotlighting some of those videos, as well as canceled college showcase videos, and for the #LivingRoomConcerts and to every performer who has participated.

Thank you Lin-Manuel Miranda for returning to Twitter to engage and lift spirits...

And Andrew Barth Feldman for streaming Jackbox games with Will Roland and Kyle Selig and more...

And Ben Platt for the #QuaranTunes and for taking requests. ...

And Seth Rudetsky and all of his guests on Stars in the House. ...

And producer Jennifer Tepper who asked college performers whose showcases were canceled to send videos and promised to keep contact information on file for future projects.

Thank you to all of the voice and dance teachers and people who run workshops and masterclasses for finding a way to go online.

Thank you to all who are doing these things and modeling the importance of looking out for those less fortunate by spotlighting the Actors Fund and asking anyone who can to donate.

It has been a wave of kindness to keep spirits up, and it has the most impact on young performers who may have lost their shows, definitely can't rehearse right now or see castmates, and cannot be on stage where they feel most at home.

Every Instagram story of passing time at home, TikTok about cleaning and singing (thank you, Kristin Chenoweth) or just watching TV on Instagram Live (Barrett Wilbert Weed). It all helps. It is what will keep young fans going in the days and weeks to come and hopefully what everyone will remember most when it is over. How could fans forget? I mean Debbie Allen is doing a free dance lesson on Instagram Live. Debbie Allen!

We are living in a terrifying unknown, but you are helping these kids through this unprecedented time (and, in turn, providing parents with an incredible gift). You have your own careers, families and friends to worry about. You have your own anxieties.

It's early and it sounds like life is going to get worse for a while--the isolation, the illnesses, the economics. When you have down days, please reach back out to fans. Ask the kids if they've ever met you at the stage door or to sing part of a song from your favorite role. Ask their favorite roles. Or what they like best about performing. They will come through for you with distraction and inspiration and hope as much as you are coming through for them now.

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