By Noa Spero
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19 May, 2020
In a recent New York Times article about Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway, Jake Ryan Flynn, one of the young actors in the musical, expressed anxiety about the many uncertainties in his life. And these are not uncertainties that you and I deal with every day. He is worried about voice changes and growth spurts, events entirely out of his control. These are normal side effects of puberty, and yet Jake is all too aware of the consequence they will have on his career. He shared with writer Michael Paulson,“My parents keep telling me to only worry about what I can control, but right now it feels like I’m in control of nothing in my life. I can’t control if I grow. I can’t control if my voice changes. I can’t control when I will see my cast mates again. I can’t control if the creatives and producers take a look at me in a few months and fire me because I’m too big. It just makes me sad.” With the pandemic halting all Broadway performances until at least September 6, Jake has no idea whether he will be able to go on with the show even at that point, as it is within his contract to be terminated should he grow out of the role. Dealing with this kind of fear—impossible to control—is no easy feat. Here at Broadway Custom, we sympathize. That is why we encourage everyone reading to take Evan Hansen's advice and remember that today, you are you, and that is enough. There are so many parts of life right now that are difficult to swallow, or painful, or nearly unbearable. For a moment, it makes sense to recognize how hard that is, how much it stinks, especially when you feel helpless in addition to it all. And then, take a deep breath and remember what is in your control: how you react to it. The future is unknown, but that doesn't mean we can't do anything about it. We can live every day with purpose. That may seem like an unachievable goal, but it is possible. There are so many writers promoting this period as the perfect time to be creative and if you are not, you are somehow failing. This is not true in any way, shape, or form. Alexandra Silber ( Fiddler on the Roof ) posted on Twitter, no matter what you are doing, "It’s all allowed. Do what you must to endure. Stop beating yourself up." Perhaps instead of conquering the world or creating some incredible masterpiece, set your sights on doing one thing per day that will make you happy. Whether that's jamming to your favorite cast album, baking some Jenna Hunterson pies, or hunkering down with some Smash and cookie dough, do that single thing. And when you are feeling down, as is inevitable in these times, remember what you accomplished. Remember that you are enough, no matter where or who or how old you are. We don't know what tomorrow or tomorrow or tomorrow will bring, but today has the chance to be a good day, and you are why.