BWW Blog: 8 Ways to Spend Your Time While Stuck at Home

Like many other college students, I have spent this week hunkered down at home, waiting to resume classes via distance learning and wondering how long it takes for a global pandemic to end.

I've realized that worrying and wallowing in self-pity are unproductive; instead, I've been trying to stay informed and take action to protect myself and others.

I've also been determined to find the silver lining in this time of crisis.

In this spirit, I've compiled a list of 8 things I've especially enjoyed this week. I hope they inspire you, spark joy, and drown out your sense of impending doom just as much as they did for me.

1. Stars in the House

I'm amazed by the way the arts community is coming together to support and uplift each other! As a fundraiser for The Actors Fund, Seth Rudetsky and his husband James Wesley are hosting a daily online mini-show featuring live performances and conversations with theater and film stars. Recent guests include Kelli O'Hara and Lindsay Mendez.

2. PBS Great Performances

I especially recommend the PBS recordings of She Loves Me and Holiday Inn! If you don't subscribe to PBS, you can stream many of the same Broadway plays and musicals by signing up for a free trial of Broadway HD.

3. Met Opera Live Streams

Last night I watched Puccini's opera La Bohème, which was offered for free on the Metropolitan Opera's website. The lineup for the rest of this week includes Il Trovatore, La Traviata, and La Fille du Régiment. Even if you don't think opera is your thing, I really recommend giving it a try; the singing, acting, and production values are top notch.

4. Reading

I've challenged myself to work my way through the second-hand plays and theater books I've accumulated but never read, starting with Shakespeare's Cymbeline. I'm hoping to find some new monologues along the way.

5. Podcasts

My most recent podcast favorites are The Spark File's episode with Kelli O'Hara (called "Having a 'Voice,' Doing No Harm, and Love of the Game") and The Ensemblist's ongoing series on COVID-19 in the Theatre.

6. Jessie Mueller Singing Videos

Here are my specific recommendations: Jessie Mueller singing "Every Night at Seven," "What Baking Can Do," anything and everything in Carousel, and an epic mash-up on Seth Rudetsky's Playbill show "OBSESSED." What a voice!

7. Coursera

Coursera offers free online classes from colleges around the world! This week I completed a short course from the University of Virginia on personal branding, and I'm looking forward to other classes on marketing and transmedia storytelling. Offerings aren't limited to business and the arts; topics include the social sciences, foreign language, and personal development.

8. Finding Balance

Finally, I've been enjoying activities completely unrelated to theater, namely baking, running outside, and watching YouTube videos about minimalism.