worst week ever, this is not hyperbole

First there was my dad getting laid off on Thursday...

On Monday I heard through the grapevine that 4 people had been laid off in the main offices of our theatre.

On Tuesday the 5 or so people left in the main offices kept being really nice to me and asking if I was okay. It did not take me very long to piece together that my position was going to be eliminated. This was confirmed... luckily they want to keep me on part time. I mean, I had no choice. I could have completely screwed them over and left them with 3 people to run the box office, but I need the money. So, my pay cut is pretty extreme. I am HOPING that there may be a part time position in the costume shop that I can take as well... but that might have been eliminated, too.

While I was in my "official" meeting telling me I'm getting my pay cut by $2.50/hr (AND my hours are cut), Chris was in a meeting with the artistic director who told him that they needed to eliminate the Equity contracts. If they get rid of ALL of them they can never get them back so they're probably keeping a few... Chris is not included in that list. He's been here longer than the people who will probably get to keep them, but his is still gone. ACTUALLY, he would have had more seniority than all but 1 other actor in the company. 5 years and the most rewarding artistic experience of his life and instead of being able to leave on his own terms like he was going to at the end of next fall, now he is unemployed as of April 1st.

I mean, unless he takes a non-equity contract out of desperation, we have to move. We don't have any MONEY to move, but there is nothing for us here. I don't know that any theatre is in a good situation right now... but we can't stay in this awful town. I don't know what to do. As long as we have friends we have a place to live for a while... I just can't believe this is happening. I mean, theatre, as a whole, will survive. It's survived EVERYTHING. I just have to wonder if it will be a career or just a hobby for the rest of my life.

... and if I am going to be miserable because of that for the rest of my life.