As an actor, I have spent all of my adult life leaving...
On average, I have done approximately 4-5 plays a year... and that has necessitated leaving home for long stretches of time. And then, after establishing some sort of out-of-town home, I have to leave that and re-acclimate to my real home...
While this can sound and sometimes BE a bit unnerving, it's also just my life.
And I wouldn't trade it for the world.
The knowledge that this leaving will be for 10 months is a bit daunting... but very exciting. Nothing equals the thrill of doing Shakespeare... and knowing that these two shows will be seen by audiences a continent apart adds to the thrill. In my age group (and that's a whole other story!) I'm getting to tell these tales from another perspective. One of the great joys of an actor's life is being allowed to revisit these stories many times. This will be my third time in Much Ado About Nothing, and my second time in Richard III... all in different roles.
I'll have lots to tell you as rehearsals and performances get going... and lots of food to fuel me for the work ahead...