Rachel Spencer Hewitt

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Advocate for parent artists, founder of Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts (PAAL) at PAALtheatre.com, and mother actor-artist.

Rachel Spencer Hewitt received her MFA in Acting from the Yale School of Drama and is the founder of Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts (PAAL), a national organization that creates resources for institutions and individuals, builds community, and creates work opportunity for parent artists. Rachel earned her equity card understudying and performing at the Yale Repertory Theater. Her professional acting credits include her Broadway Debut in the tony-nominated King Charles III at The Music Box Theater, regional theatre, and off-Broadway productions, including the Paula Vogel/Tina Landau New York premiere of A Civil War Christmas. She lives on the east coast and continues to perform while creating dialogue on parenthood and motherhood in the theatre arts through PAALtheatre.com as well as her personal blog AuditioningMom.com.

***Photo by Georgina Cates Photography

Making Radical Parent Inclusion Replicable and Sustainable

Essay

Making Radical Parent Inclusion Replicable and Sustainable

5 December 2019

Rachel Spencer Hewitt, founder of the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), talks about putting PAAL’s handbook of best practices for parent support into action in collaboration with New York City’s the Playwrights Realm.

Who We Harm When Parenting Isn’t Considered

Essay

Who We Harm When Parenting Isn’t Considered

13 November 2018

Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts (PAAL) founder Rachel Spencer Hewitt discusses three crucial ways theatres can improve their support for parent artists.

Re-Defining Motherhood and Advocating for Parent Artists

Essay

Re-Defining Motherhood and Advocating for Parent Artists

10 December 2017

Rachel Spencer Hewitt, PAAL founder, kicks off the parent advocacy in the arts series with an overview of the history of PAAL and a rationale for family-friendly practices in the theatre.

Gender Disparity, Hidden Carers, and Employment Opportunities

Essay

Gender Disparity, Hidden Carers, and Employment Opportunities

PIPA Trial

22 March 2017

Contributor Rachel Spencer Hewitt reports on the Parents in the Performing Arts consortium that is working to finding solutions for caregivers in the performing arts.

Where Are the Disappeared Women of the Theatre?

Essay

Where Are the Disappeared Women of the Theatre?

17 December 2016

Rachel Spencer Hewitt talks to members of Mothers Artists Makers, a collective of feminist mothers in Irish theatre with children.

Parenting and Theatre

List

Parenting and Theatre

This list features articles that formatively highlight powerful experiences, obstacles, and calls for change that directly impact parent-artists in theatre.

Parent-Artist Advocacy

Series

Parent-Artist Advocacy

This series covers challenges faced by parent artists and builds on the work of the Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts (PAAL), a national resource hub and all-parent, all-discipline league advocating for a national standard of best practices for parents in the performing arts.