Life update: Back to school

Hello, friends! You may have noticed things have been rather quiet around After the House Lights and today I’m writing with an update that gives a really good reason why.

I’m excited to let you know I’ve been accepted to the University of Alberta’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, starting this fall. I’ll be doing the program part-time while continuing to work at my new-ish job in commercial lending at Canadian Western Bank. I’m so excited for the program, the people I’ll meet and the caliber of in (and out of) class education I’ll be receiving. When I moved from working in marketing to working in commercial lending last year, it was with the goal of diversifying my experience and skill set, and the MBA is a further continuation along that path. I fully anticipate the next couple years will be a whirlwind in absolutely the best way.

As I prepare for this next adventure, I’ve realized that a few things in my life will have to change: my DIY home renovations, the frequency with which I meal prep, and unfortunately, the work I do blogging about the Edmonton theatre community. With that in mind, I’ve decided to put After the House Lights on hiatus, potentially just while I’m in school, but maybe longer. I’m not saying goodbye forever – you’re still going to find me in theatres across this city because there is no feeling in the world like snuggling into a comfy seat in a dark theatre with 100 other strangers not knowing what journey you’re about to go on. From time to time I may post about plays I’ve seen, but without really understanding how my life will change once I’m in school, I’m leaving the door open that you may not hear from me on After the House Lights for a while. That said, I’m sure I’ll still be active on social, and I’m committing to maintaining this domain so that the archive of what I have been able to write about over the last 10 years can live on.

I’ve blogged about theatre in Edmonton for the past decade, first with Sound + Noise and later here on After the House Lights. It’s been hard to make the decision to stop doing this thing that only started because I was curious about theatre and eventually grew into something that’s become a core part of who I am. Theatre and blogging have both enriched my life in so many ways over the last 10 years. Theatre has opened doors, conversations, friendships, spaces, and worlds for me. Getting involved in the theatre community changed Edmonton from a place I just lived to my home. Seeing shows and and writing about them has always been a way of refreshing and recharging. I know no matter where I go from here, theatre and this community will always be a core part of who I am, having forever changed the lens through which I see the world and this city. I’ve seen so much more of the world from the seats of a theatre than I otherwise could have. Our Edmonton theatre community is full of incredibly talented artists, audiences who are willing to take a risk on a show, and sponsors and funders who provide invaluable support. In the time I’ve been writing about Edmonton theatre, the arts journalism landscape has dramatically changed (remember when we had 4+ papers that covered the scene?!) and I’m excited to see what the next generation of media coverage of theatre looks like.

I’d love to keep in touch and hear about what you’re seeing. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram – pop on over to say hi!