'Life's too short' Calgary's live entertainment industry dials back killer schedule

After years of just talk, performers say Calgary's live entertainment industry has finally dialed back its expectations and demanding schedules.

Thank the pandemic for that, says TheatreCalgary director Alex Currie.

"It was just kind of a catalyst to help us move it because we were able to just stop for a minute and look at things," he said.

It was an industry notorious for working while sick, living up to the saying: The show must go on.

No longer. Now actors are expected to stay home when they're sick, and Currie says it's common for office staff to be allowed to work from home most days of the week.

Plus, actors are now enjoying two days off a week.

Currie says that out of the six productions this year, only one went with a six-days-a-week rehearsal schedule; the others were five days a week, five hours a day.

"People get two days off a week, they get an (extra) day to deal with life," said Currie.

Currie's message that the days of "the show must go on"are over was delivered to the cast of Theatre Calgary's latest production, Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville.

He told them they're his No. 1 priority.

It's a message that impressed Nathan Gibb Johnson, who just landed one of the main roles in the musical.

"A feeling of support that I think is really helpful, and I definitely felt that since Day 1," said Gibb Johnson."He said, 'we are here to help you do your best.'"

While Gibb Johnson settles into his first role with Theatre Calgary, long-time Calgary actor Doug McKeag, who's appeared in roughly 40 of the company's shows, says he's noticed a change, too.

Rehearsal schedules are kinder and gentler, easing up on or eliminating what's known as "10 out of 12s," the practice of working 12 hours a day with just two hours of break time. That would sometimes happen six days a week before opening night.

"Just the amount of rest and time off, because that becomes really important when you're putting out so much energy into a show," said McKeag.

"I've never felt more rested going into a show than this one, and I think it's just because our time is being used very intelligently. So I really appreciate that."

Bonding, closeness, checking in

A few blocks away at Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, about a dozen dancers run through rehearsal for the company's latest production, Nervous Systems.

Kimberley Cooper, the company's artistic director, says the company was able to keep going during the pandemic but on a much smaller scale without live, in-person performances. She says the whole experience brought everyone closer together, people bonded and there was a lot more checking in on everyone's well-being.

She says it led to small changes in how they work.

"I can think of times when I was dancing full time that I would come to work and I would have bronchitis or the flu and you just muscle through it. We don't do that anymore," she said.

She says the performers take more sick days to keep everyone safe.

She says the 11-week rehearsal schedule for Nervous Systems saw dancers work mostly regular eight-hour days instead of 12. They only pulled longer shifts in the lead-up to opening night.

Company dancer Sabrina Comnescu says the change has been a real positive.

"You get a little bit more rest, you get a little bit more time to recover. So that always has a positive impact on your dancing," she said.

Currie says the changes they've made at Theatre Calgary aren't just for the cast and crew, but also the two dozen or so administrative staff.

Remote work is still allowed, there's more flexibility for employees to deal with personal and family matters and the rules around taking vacations have been eased.

He credits the entire team for making the changes.

"I think people just had a chance to pause and think (about) what's important," said Currie.

"Life's too short."

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Bryan Labby is an enterprise reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him at bryan.labby@cbc.ca or on Twitter at @CBCBryan.