I don’t tell many people this–because it rarely comes up in conversation–but I have a deep love for theater and anything that touches a painted canvas. This fact still holds true despite my choosing to go into a field more business-oriented than anything. Advertising has little hints of art and creativity. Unfortunately, it mostly boils down to leveraging psychology for profit. So whenever I get the opportunity to see a show or walk through a gallery, I am gifted with an intense sense of admiration for everyone who was able to achieve their dream.
This is a result of careers in the arts being highly coveted–given its near oppressive restriction on anyone who dares to pursue it.
If you choose to pursue a degree in the arts and go forward with a career, you must defeat the “six evil limitations:” Performance pressure, limited career paths, demanding schedules, location restrictions, high competition, and lastly an unstable income.
Landing a position with the Blue Man Group, though, pales in comparison to most other art employment. Roles are much more stable and expectations are balanced, making it an exceptional opportunity in the arts. For those who make it, the balance of work and life in art is not just a rare benefit–it’s a reward hard-won.
On Oct. 8, 2024, the Crimson Times was invited to interview the creatives behind the performance art company, Blue Man Group. At the interview, I was able to ask Eliot Mohrmann, the wardrobe and makeup supervisor, about their work-life balance.
Mohrmann joined the company “a little over two years ago” and has practiced theater for a while but has concentrated on costume design. However, they’ve always known that they’ve wanted to “work backstage rather than design costumes”. When asked about their ability to handle a good work-to-life balance while working in the arts, they said their “work-life balance has improved a lot [compared to their last work].”
It’s common within the performance art world to give your all. Due to limited positions, everyone is encouraged to give 110 percent sacrificing themselves for any art-related post.
As Mohrmann put it: “In a lot of performance arts–and arts in general–it can be really easy to fall into work, work, work, work, work [schedule] because you don’t know when your next paycheck’s coming.”
Mohrmann provides an example from their last job, stating how their “work-life balance wasn’t very good” and they were working beyond reasonable hours. In fact, most of their free time was during the day. Most adults with full-time jobs can’t go out on a Tuesday afternoon if they’re all working and when they would be able to on a Friday night, Mohrmann would be working.
However, with the Blue Man Group, the difference is clear. ”The stability is important,” Mohrmann says.
Interesting in seeing Blue Man Group? Save up to 20% on tickets for groups of 10 or more. Contact [email protected] to book your school group and receive your discount today.
