I absolutely love when I get to travel for work. It allows me the opportunity to experience new places while still doing what I love and making money. I’ve had the honor of working with Camp Broadway for a couple of summers now. Basically what we do is travel to different cities and teach a group of 50-100 children a shortened version of a Broadway musical in 5 days.
It’s a demanding week for the both the campers and the staff. We work from 8:30am to 5:30pm every day. We assess their skills, cast the show, teach workshops, and ultimately give a performance at 4:00pm on Friday. Family and friends of the campers flood into the theatre to cheer on their loved ones. As what we call a “Featured Player”, I not only work alongside the Director/Choreographer and the Music Director to ensure the week goes by smoothly, I also perform in the show. This year our show title is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and I played “Caracatus Potts”.
Balancing work with play
After going through the entire week of the camp in Atlanta, Georgia we headed to Tempe, Arizona to do it all again. Thankfully we arrived on Saturday evening, so we had a little bit of time to breathe before our company meeting and prep day on Sunday afternoon. So after getting some much needed rest on Saturday night, a few of us woke up early and decided to go on a quick hike Sunday morning. I am a preparation junkie, so the night before I did some research on nearby hikes in the Tempe/Phoenix area. Originally, Camelback Mountain jumped out at me as the perfect and picturesque place to visit, but after reading a lot of reviews about how strenuous the hike can be and simultaneously nursing what I think might be a meniscal tear, I decided I’d better find an alternative.
Paradise in Papago Park
Thankfully, Papago Park was the perfect solution. It’s less than a 10 minute Uber from the Graduate Hotel (which by the way is such a cool place to stay) so getting back for our 2:00pm company meeting wouldn’t be any problem at all. The park features tons of striking geological formations as well as a variety Sedona Desert vegetation, including the giant saguaro cactus. Had I had more time, it would have been easy to spend all day wandering around and exploring the nearly 1500 acre park. When I go back, I will definitely be visiting the nearby Phoenix Zoo and the Botanical Gardens.
Oh, don't forget about the food!
While Papago Park was undeniably a highlight of my trip, I’d be remiss not to at least mention some of the great restaurants I attended while I was there. Probably my two favorites were Culinary Dropout and Macayo’s Depot Cantina. Culinary Dropout had such a cool vibe. It was in this warehouse-like building that seemed to go on forever once you got inside. It has private rooms for parties or graduations, a main dining room with nice big screens to watch your favorite game, an area to play corn hole and hang out, and an additional bar in the back that is exclusively for the 21+ crowd.
Oh, and the food was out of this world. I loved it so much we went twice! The first night I had a signature margarita and the steak tacos. Then later in the week I enjoyed a tequila variation of a mule with an awesome burger. I was very pleased with my choices on both evenings! Macayo’s was also outstanding! I had one of the best shrimp and steak fajitas that I’ve ever had there, actually. And let me just tell you, their Patron Margarita was among the best as well. Another perk of getting to travel for work is that you can write off all of your meals while you’re away!
Can't wait to go back
All in all, my first trip to Arizona was wonderful. It was definitely a whirlwind, but it certainly whet my appetite and I will definitely be returning to the Southwestern United States very soon! I truly love and am very passionate about theatre, working with kids, and travel, so it was incredibly nice to be able to combine all three with this short but sweet trip to Arizona. Sometimes you have to travel for work, but with a little planning and a sense of adventure, you can always find ways to explore new places. For business trips like these, flights and accommodations are often covered and you’ll likely have a per diem, so it’s a perfect opportunity to enjoy a new place and save money at the same time!
Helpful advice! Thanks!
Helpful advice! Thanks!