A Cruise Ship in a Sinking Industry
Left on an empty stage to find a new audience.
We all remember the time when Covid-19 got real. For me, it was seeing Diamond Princess cruise ship announce their rapid outbreak of the virus and the mandated onboard quarantine. Calling it a petri dish for Covid, I began to panic. I began to panic because I too was working on a cruise.
It was my first performing cruise contract and at the time there were so many unknowns…
Who did this virus affect? What if it spread to our ship? How long would we have to stay on board? Would we be allowed to return back to the states?
Looking back on it, these questions now seem silly because, in fact, this was just the beginning.
On April 12, 2020, Broadway closed its doors, and the cruise industry announced a halt on further operations. In the blink of an eye, I was on a flight home with a career that had disappeared in a matter of seconds.
As time went on and we learned more about Covid-19, we slowly saw other industries pick back up. With creative solutions such as working from home, adopting digital conference tools such as Zoom, American sports teams creating ‘Bubbles’, and outdoor dining and limited seating establishments, most industries seemed to overcome their hindering’s. Unfortunately, the theatre industry wasn't as lucky. Working in such a unique industry, we just weren’t able to adopt the technology like others while producing the kind of art that we are used to.
And today, over a year later, we are still closed.
I didn’t want to pity myself, but I missed it so much. The live performances, meeting new people, sharing the stage with people I love, and challenging myself to bring the best performance each night to our audiences. A part of me was missing. I’ve dedicated my whole life to the industry and all of a sudden it was gone. No shows, no audience, no performing. I was desperate to find that connection with an audience again.
As artists, we share ourselves fully with the audience in hopes to receive something back (applause, laughs, tears, anything!!) and that exchange is simply unlike anything else. So how could I recreate this in my daily life without performing and without an audience?
Oddly enough, the answer was right in front of me.
The pandemic separated and banned thousands of long-distance couples from the United States and most notably Europe from traveling to see each other. I myself was in a long-distance international relationship and I knew there had to be others that were navigating the hardships of these new restrictions.
So I took to Instagram and started a new profile that was focused on long-distance relationships, tips for distance, and traveling during a pandemic (@anamericaninsweden). The growth and impact were more than I could’ve anticipated, and within the first 3 months, I had 600 followers and was growing exponentially each month.
I quickly realized that this form of connecting with an audience felt the same as it did on stage. Hearing other’s stories, sharing mine, and genuinely feeling a connection with others was what I had been missing, and social media gave me the creative outlet I had been craving.
I quickly realized that this form of connecting with an audience felt the same as it did on stage.
After that I dove headfirst into the world of social, and it has changed my life. I found my niche for design through creating graphics for postings (hey, Canva!), creativity and expression in content writing, and community within the accounts that I manage. I am now a Social Media Director for a privately owned company and manage all their social platforms.
It’s been over a year since I lost my job and as I’m writing this today… the United States is still closed to Europe, theatres are still closed, and the cruise industry just announced a temporary relaunch date.
Although navigating my career without an alternate game plan in mind was terrifying, I realized there is always a silver lining and something to spark creativity even in the malady of times.
I’m no motivational speaker nor do I think I have it all sorted out; however, I know thousands of actors who are struggling with this same feeling right now and are often discouraged from having a ‘Plan B’ (as it can make us seem like we aren’t as dedicated as the person next to us). Truth is, a background in the arts is our superpower and you have all letters of the alphabet for alternate plans. We may have lost our industry overnight, but the opportunities and the possibilities for us are limitless and I encourage you to go find your offstage stage.
x Avery
ig: @avesallyce & @anamericaninsweden
