How can our industry better support parents and caregivers? For a long time, the needs of these groups weren’t openly spoken about in the theatre, but in recent years individuals and groups have begun advocating for them, pointing out that increasing access for caregivers will make our field more equitable for all. Dive into this conversation with the Parent-Artist Advocacy series, watch the archive of the 2019 Parent-Artist Advocacy League Summit, or read personal reflections on the challenges of being a parent in the theatre from playwrights Rachel Bonds and Mike Lew and Rehana Lew Mirza.
The Latest
Essay
I Don’t Know How She Hosts Lunar New Year During a Rehearsal Week
by Artist Caregiver
13 May 2026
Essay
I Don't Know How He Directs, Teaches, Raises a Toddler, and Still Finds Time to Run Marathons
by Artist Caregiver
22 April 2026
Essay
I Don’t Know How He Works in Theatre While Fighting for His Mom’s Right to Healthcare
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.
In her latest installment, Catherine Trieschmann explores turning forty, leaky roofs, advice for parents on how to save money on childcare, and what to do when you’re working from home with your child.
Nothing stirs my blood quite like the soft knock of toe shoes on a wood floor during a piqué. And so I admit, I may have exhibited a little too much enthusiasm when Laura, four, expressed a passing interest in taking a ballet class this summer.
My feelings are more complicated than merely wishing my children would share my love of theater, however, because what I really want is for my children to love the theater, to appreciate all their access, but have absolutely no desire to pursue it as a career.
A couple of months ago, HowlRound hosted a discussion about parenting and theater on Twitter hashtag #newplay, and perhaps the most interesting question to emerge from the discussion was simply: "Should I bring my kid to rehearsal?"
Maybe it stems from the being a creative personality or being behind in writing projects, Catherine Trieschmann questions whether a renewal of occupation will uplift her creative stagnation.
This month’s diarist is in rehearsals for a theatre for young audiences (TYA) show and prepping for her next freelance project. The busy work week doesn’t stop her from enjoying a winter festival with her family or hosting a fourteen-person holiday.
After moving his family cross-country to be closer to other relatives, this month’s diarist is balancing especially full home and work calendars. His tight schedule has him taking meetings during his young daughter’s naptimes and fitting in marathon training after teaching undergraduates.
This month’s diarist has been navigating government healthcare for his mother and grandmother, which requires relentless advocacy and follow-through. In addition to caring for them and working at multiple theatres, he is producing a solo show about his struggles getting his mother the care she needs.
This month’s diarist is a playwright and director with a teenage son. He’s juggling a full-time job and all sorts of appointments, yet he somehow finds time to finish writing his play.
To celebrate the launch of I Don’t Know How They Do It!, column curator Anne G. Morgan and HowlRound co-director Ramona Rose King sit down to discuss the column’s origins, their own parenting journeys, and ways our field can better support artist caregivers.
This month’s diarist is a dramaturg with a full-time job at an arts service organization and a toddler at home. With a strong support system and an even stronger commitment to getting up early, she makes time for playdates in between work travel and freelance projects.
This month’s diarist has two kids under five and two jobs in different states. When a parent needs her, too, she begins to grapple with the added strain of “sandwich generation” responsibilities.
I Don’t Know How They Do It! lifts the curtain on the often invisible caregiving labor that many artists do to support their families and their artistic practices. Each month, we publish a week in the life of a theatre professional with caregiving responsibilities. In the variety of caregiving and artistic perspectives captured—from young children to elderly parents, from tech week to school vacation week—I Don’t Know How They Do It! makes visible the range and experience of the caregiving artists working in theatre today. We hope to foster solidarity among artist caregivers, inspire advocacy toward a field where all artist caregivers are embraced in their fullness, and celebrate the hard work that makes the rest of us say “I don’t know how they do it!"
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.
