We’re at a time in the calendar where you don’t know if you should break out your heavy coat, or if you’ll be okay with just some layers. The important thing is that you have that choice. Not everyone does, but thanks to the members of SQAd more members of the NY community will also have that choice. For the month of January SQAd placed boxes around the Sardi’s building and 520, to allow Shubert employees to drop off a total of 83 coats and winter accessories for the 37th Annual New York Cares Coat Drive. Some intrepid employee even knitted items, as there were several brand-new scarves and hats inside the donation box. 

Thank you to all who took the time to donate. Donating doesn't have to be a once-a-year event, as needs are ongoing.  

Carolyne Jones-Barnes was a well respected and beloved figure in the Broadway community. She started her career in 1966 in the world of non profit theatre, joining the Negro Ensemble Company where she played a key role in helping the company gain national recognition. Carolyne’s Broadway journey began in 1976 when she became the Company Manager of Bubbling Brown Sugar. After touring with the production, she brought it to NY, where it opened at the Anta Theatre on March 2nd, 1976. She later joined the Jujamcyn Organization as House Manager of the St. James Theatre, overseeing productions such as On the Twentieth Century, Broadway Opry ’79, The 1940’s Radio Hour, and Barnum.

In 1981, Carolyne returned to her role as Company Manager, joining McCann & Nugent, where she managed productions including The Dresser and Good. She continued her work on national tours with shows such as When Hell Freezes Over, Dracula, Satchmo and Sing Mahalia Sing.
In 1989, she joined the Shubert Organization as House Manager for the Golden Theatre, a position she held with distinction until her retirement in 2016. Known for her professionalism, grace and unwavering commitment to the theatre, Carolyne became a mentor to many and guiding presence backstage.
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She will be deeply missed, but her legacy will live on in the stages she helped build and the communities she inspired.  

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to explain something to someone that they could have easily Googled. Or found yourself arguing a point with a self-appointed “devil’s advocate.” These situations can be draining—and there’s a reason for that. It’s called emotional labor.

​In these moments, you’re doing the heavy lifting in conversations and interactions. Emotional labor is the process of managing your feelings to meet workplace or social expectations—like delivering “service with a smile” or maintaining composure under pressure. It often involves either surface acting (faking emotions) or deep acting (adjusting your internal response to match what’s expected).

Think about a time you had to smile in the face of an angry patron—even when they were clearly in the wrong—while still maintaining professionalism. Or the moment when you wake up not feeling well, but you have to appear upbeat, positive and energetic, even if it's the last thing you want to do.  These are everyday examples of emotional labor, and they take real effort.
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Emotional labor, in excess, can also lead to:

• Cognitive Dissonance: When people display emotions that aren’t in line with their true feelings, it can create cognitive dissonance. Internal inconsistencies can increase stress levels and cause mental distress.
• Burnout: In the workplace, studies show that emotional labor negatively impacts job satisfaction and employee well-being. In addition, when employees experience symptoms of burnout, it can also lead to a decline in job performance. Some research even suggests a link between surface acting and employee turnover.
• Poor Physical Health: Emotional labor takes a mental toll, and the stress of hiding your emotions can also impact your physical health. Emotional labor can increase the risk of health complications like high blood pressure and heart disease. This is why people need to find healthy ways to deal with the stress that emotional labor can cause.

​So, what are some healthy ways to deal with the stress that comes from emotional labor?  

• Practice self-awareness
  • Acknowledge how you are feeling
• Take breaks when you need them
  • Take deep breaths and if you can go for short walks
• Seek support when you need it
  • Reach out to some trusted colleagues, friends or a therapist

What are some ways that you deal with emotional labor of life? 

*Trigger Warning/ Content Warning