«"Step, kick, kick, jump, kick, touch - again.".
The famous chorus from musical "A Chorus Line"« It could very well be the motto of a Broadway actor. Eight shows a week require a grueling cycle of performances and recovery, including physical therapy, gym workouts, dance and vocal lessons, all squeezed into sleep, food, and everything that passes for life offstage. At this time of year, this intensity is compounded by Broadway awards season, with the Tony Awards ceremony looming large on an already hectic schedule.
«"They're like Olympic athletes," Tony-nominated director Bill Rauch tells me at the New Dramatists spring luncheon in New York City. "What they do on this stage is just incredible. The fact that they perform eight times a week is extraordinary, and I admire all of these artists.".
Beyond the physical challenge, there's the emotional weight of embodying characters in turmoil. Tony Award-nominated choreographer «Ragtime» Ellenor Scott says the troupe needs to regularly unwind from the weight of the play, which is steeped in racism, the pursuit of the American dream, and social upheaval. "I always say: take care of your body eight times a week. Maintaining those emotions also affects your muscles," she tells me over lunch. "Take a bath, relax, have a drink of your choice, tea or wine, and at the end of the day, do something that makes you laugh. Watch your favorite play, text someone, or send a meme.".
The combined physical and emotional stress can create the perfect conditions for fatigue, injury, and burnout, even for artists doing what they love.
Ana Gasteyer, Richard Thomas and Shoshana Bean told The Independent how they unwind after a performance (Getty).
Ahead of the Tony Awards ceremony on June 7, 13 nominated actors shared their post-performance relaxation tips. From de-stressing with a cocktail to walking on the treadmill, here's what they shared.
Ana Gasteyer — nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in the film «"Schmigadun!"»
Ana Gasteyer plays Mildred Leighton in "Schmigadun" (Getty).
«"I scream a lot. It's funny because I'm going to play a comedic role and it's going to be so easy, like I'm just going out for a drink with my friends, but I scream so much it's almost like Elphaba," Gasteyer said, referring to her role on Broadway. musical "The Wicked Witch".
«"I've had to be very, very careful with my voice. I spent a lot of time in vocal rest last week. Warm-ups, cool-downs, all those boring monastic routines. I've only been drinking non-alcoholic Guinness for the last two months. So, hopefully, on Tony's night I'll be able to indulge in champagne with my friend Rachel Dratch, but overall, I'm living like a musical theater nun.".
Ali Louis Bourzghi — Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for "« "Lost Boys".
Ali Louis Bourzghi plays the role of vampire leader David in the film "The Lost Boys" (Reuters).
«"I have a specific training program. I listen to a saxophonist named Ben Webster, I think from the fifties, and I often turn on his tenor saxophone. It relaxes me. The saxophone music reminds me of melodies from «The Lost Boys »"Then I use a foam roller, stretch, and take a hot shower. I need to pay a lot of attention to my body, but I treat it as if it were exercising, which it is. I often take cold baths and do whatever athletes do.".
Sam Tutty — Nominee for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in the play "« Two Strangers (Carry the Cake Across New York).
«"Sleep is the only thing you need to prepare for the next show," Tutti said of his post-show routine (Reuters).
«"That's a great question. I eat a lot. About 4,000 calories a day. I watch some TV show, whatever it is, then play video games, and try not to go to bed too late, because sleep is the only thing I need to take the next step.".
Christiani Pitts — nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in "« Two Strangers (Carry the Cake Across New York).
Christiani Pitts plays Robin opposite Sam Tutty in Two Strangers (Carrying Cake Across New York) (Getty).
«"I'll eat, which is kind of weird considering it's late, but I'll have a good soup, a really filling soup, and I'll watch some trash TV: «Real Housewives, Love Island» , »Well, just something to calm my mind and then I’ll go to bed.”.
Shoshana Bin — nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for the film «The Lost Boys.
Shoshana Bean plays Lucy Emerson in The Lost Boys (Getty).
«"This time, I just went straight home, took a sleeping pill, and went to bed. There are nights when Paul [Alexander Nolan] and L.J. [Benet] and I sit and have drinks backstage after the show, when it's not quite so crazy," Bean shares.
«"My favorite way to come home is to come home, eat, watch TV, maybe take a bath. Now that the weather's nice, I have a terrace, so I can go outside and sit under the stars—even though you can't see them, of course, but yeah, those are my favorite ways to relax.".
Konstantin Rusuli and Marla Mindelle, «Titanic»
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Rusuli: Nominated for two Tony Awards, including Best Libretto and Best Musical.
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Mindell: Nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Actress in a Musical, Best Musical Score, and Best Musical.
Former roommates Konstantin Rusouli and Marla Mindell are nominated for an award for the film "Titanic" (Getty).
In a joint interview at the New Dramatists luncheon, the co-stars «Titanic» And former roommates shared their secrets. Speaking about Rusuli, Mindell says, "He comes home, cooks eggs—four eggs with beef—and eats it standing up with potato chips. Then he goes to bed around 12:30 and wakes up at 8.".
Meanwhile, Rusuli jokingly criticizes Mindell for eating chocolate and watching reality TV "in her disgusting pajamas" and for falling asleep "in her socks.".
«"But that's how we relax. We're basically losers, and we go to bed," he says. She adds: "When you're in a Broadway show, there's not much you can do. You have to go straight to bed.".
Hannah Cruz — nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in the film «"Chess".
Hannah Cruz earned her first Tony Award nomination for her work in the musical "Chess" (Getty).
«"I come home and take a shower right away—right away. I do a face mask and microcurrent therapy two or three times a week. It really helps relieve jaw tension and other issues that come with singing. And, oddly enough, I stand on my walking mat for 20-30 minutes every night before bed. I don't know why—I just have a bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder, and I need to walk 10,000 steps. My job isn't very physical, so I make sure to get them in. I like to stretch a little before bed. I feel better just lying down.".
Betsy Eidem - nomination for an award «Liberation» for Best Supporting Actress in a Play.
«"I prepare myself very carefully and try to remove my makeup, take off my clothes and lie down as quickly as possible" (Getty).
«"Well, it all depended on whether I had anyone I knew there to go out with afterward, and then it was just bourbon and some fries. That's how I unwind. If I was going home alone, I usually took the train instead of a cab. I'd come home, make coffee for the next day. I plan everything very carefully and try to remove my makeup, undress, and go to bed as quickly as possible.".
Bryce Pinkham — Nominee for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role in the film «"Chess"»
«"You can see me running down 8th Avenue, dodging bicycles and stuff," Pinkham says of her post-performance routine (Getty).
«It’s funny, but after the show, I run to the bus because I have little kids, which means I’m up at 6:30 every morning, no matter what I did the night before. So after the show, I run out of the theater. You might see me running down 8th Avenue, dodging bikes and everything, but once I get on the bus, I go through a tunnel. I get in the car and drive. Once I’m in the car, the relaxation kicks in. I put on a podcast. I listen to music that has nothing to do with musical theater. And then I come home, have a cup of tea with my wife, go to bed, take the kids to school, and then go back to bed. So, you know, it’s all about sleep.».
Nicholas Christopher — Nominee for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for the film «"Chess".
Nicholas Christopher plays Russian chess player Anatoly Sergievsky in the film Chess (Getty).
«"Sometimes I sit in my dressing room for five or ten minutes and just breathe, but what really helps me is that every night I go out, take photos with people, and meet with people who were in the audience that night. It really helps me stay sane. The fact that people get this and we can talk about our experiences from the evening is really important to me.".
Suzanne Flood - nomination for an award «Liberation» for Best Actress in a Dramatic Performance.
«"I have a three-year-old at home, so I go in and check on him, and—it's funny—I count his breaths," Flood says of his post-show routine (Getty).
«"I really needed to remove my makeup. So I had this herbal facial spray, and I'd spray it on and pause. Also, there were a lot of people standing at the stage door who were overwhelmed by the performance. So I went out and talked to these people, and many of them said very personal things. It really helped me get my mind off myself because I was listening to other people, and they wanted to share that experience with me. It brought me back to life, where you connect with other people as they are, in a very ordinary way. So that helped," Flood shares.
«"And then I'd go home. I have a three-year-old at home, so I'd go in and check on him, and—this is funny—I'd count his breaths. I'd walk into the room, put my little hand on his tummy, and count his breaths for a full minute. And then I'd get back to what's important to me, my life, my routine, letting go of the character.".
Richard Thomas — nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for the film «"Balasts".
Richard Thomas plays Elliott Emerson in "Balusters" (Getty Images for Tony Award Prod.).
«"I just come home and smash my house with balusters, because after 70 years of abusing the scenery, now I can abuse it too.".