Creating Your Own Rhythm: Finding Balance Beyond Structure

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When the curtain comes down and the structure of a show disappears, what rhythm do you choose for yourself?

In this preview with Broadway actor Nick Barasch (Hadestown, She Loves Me, Big River), we explore how to create a personal foundation—your own rhythm or recipe—that sustains you when external schedules fade. Instead of relying on rigid routines, Nick shares how self-led projects, small rituals, and mindful recovery can turn free time into stability.

We talk candidly about the toll of a physical role and the surprising journey of becoming a dancer under Warren Carlyle’s guidance. Nick reflects on the exhaustion that follows a long run and the lessons he’ll carry forward: train for the demands of the part, take recovery seriously, and protect energy with boundaries. From solo hikes upstate to classes taken purely out of curiosity, he reveals how creative agency can transform downtime into a steady anchor.

This is a conversation about authorship—choosing work you love, building momentum without waiting for permission, and crafting a life that stays intact when the industry pulls you in new directions.

✨ Creative takeaways:

• Choose one project you control from start to finish.
• Create one daily ritual that grounds your nervous system.
• Foster one weekly touchpoint with community.

Think of it as writing from your own recipe. The stage may define the show, but you define the life around it.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:23):
Hey there.
There are so many incrediblenuggets from these conversations
I have with these wonderfulcreative artists.
And it occurred to me as I wasediting my upcoming episode with
Nick Barash that before the fullepisode drops, I just wanted to
share a little glimpse of ourrecent chat.
We talked about what it means tofind your rhythm again after a

(00:46):
demanding eight show week andhow structure, balance, and
creativity can look verydifferent once the lights go
down.
Here's a short excerpt from ourconversation.
What's the rhythm of your daylike?

SPEAKER_01 (01:09):
Yeah, true.
Uh yeah, I'm I'm still findingthe rhythm post eight show week,
which is like, I don't even knowwhat that is.
It's just a blur of runningaround and surviving almost.
I mean, in this show, I mean, Idon't know if you know this.
I am not a dancer.

(01:29):
I mean, I oh come on.
Everybody's a dancer.
I I, you know, I faked it well,and Warren Carlisle turned me
into one.
But I was just exhausted all thetime.
I mean, the next time I havesomething that physical, I'll
know that I need to like reallywork out, take care of my body
in a way that's so so no, I'mjust finding my rhythm now.

(01:51):
I'm loving the freedom, thespace.

SPEAKER_00 (01:53):
Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 (01:54):
Uh, to not have every minute accounted for is a
luxury.
But I told myself after thisshow that I I need more
structure in my life just ingeneral.
And so finding that and morecommunity too, and just um
entering spaces that maybe Iwould have been afraid to, or

(02:15):
joining some class, or just youknow, giving myself uh structure
that's so that it's not just theaudition or the the act or you
know.

unknown (02:28):
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (02:28):
It's interesting.
The word I sorry, I I harp onthe words with my clients.
I'm like, structure, that's aninteresting word choice,
especially for someone who'slived such a structured life,
structured by everything else.
So if you were to to maybe, Idon't know, reframe that word as
something that really worked foryou, about what you really what

(02:50):
what would that be?

SPEAKER_01 (02:52):
I mean, right, yes, struggle.
I I think honestly, like givingmyself projects, things that I'm
passionate about, things that Ican look forward to working on
every day, um, so that I'm notat the beck and call of some
force that might grant me a job.

(03:13):
But you know, it's like so.
I think it's more about, yeah,if if structure is not the word,
then it would be like, I don'tknow, self-actualization in my
days, like, you know, somethingthat I set out to do that I
don't need anyone's kind ofanyone to sign off on, you know.

SPEAKER_00 (03:35):
Yeah.
It's interesting because whatI'm hearing underneath what
you're saying is is balance thatwon't be disrupted.
Yeah.
So so I understand what youmean.
Like it would make sense,knowing you and knowing just
even what you've just told me,that you're used to structure,
you're used to the structure ofan eight-week show or of an

(03:57):
agent, or you know, your wholelife has been structured.
Yeah.
Um, and I and I understand thatyou don't want to be at the back
and call.
However, you also acknowledgethat that is the life of an
actor.
Yeah.
So, but but when you saystructure and your brain knows
all that data, uh, you couldhave been talking about what you
do, right?

SPEAKER_01 (04:16):
Right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (04:18):
You said projects, you said work, yeah, passion.
That's exactly what you do,Nick.
Yeah, you work on projects,you're passionate about.
And what I'm hearing, and youtell me if you think this is
true, because I could be totallywrong.
But what I'm hearing is thatyou're you're yearning for
something that you create thatwon't go away when, right?

(04:42):
That honor it's like somethingyou honor and value, yes, that
doesn't go away when when youget drawn that way.

SPEAKER_01 (04:49):
Yeah, totally.
That's it.
That's it.
I think it's yes, finding um,yeah, more consistent kind of
outlets.
And they don't have to becreative.
I mean, it could be a sillyhobby or it could just be, you
know, doing things with friendsthat I mean, I took a hike the

(05:09):
other day, you know, upstate,and that felt so, you know, I
didn't tell anyone, you know, itwas out by myself, you know.
I and it that in a way felt likestructure.
It could be that, you know, itfelt like um something that I
could go do that where I'm I'mthe leader, and I'm saying,

(05:30):
okay, we're going, we're goingon a hike now, you know.
Totally.

SPEAKER_00 (05:34):
You're the chef.
Yeah.
What I don't know if you cook orwhatever, but I'm I what came up
for me was it's your own recipe.
You want to plot from your ownrecipe.

SPEAKER_01 (05:42):
Love that.
Love that.

SPEAKER_00 (05:43):
Yeah.
So that was a moment I justwanted to share with you from my
chat with Broadway actor NickBarash.
He's an incredible actor,storyteller, singer, and an
all-around creative soul.
And he was so open and curious.
And well, it was such a funchat.
I can't wait to share it withyou.
The full episode drops nextweek, so be sure to follow the

(06:04):
podcast wherever you listen.
And in the meantime, maybe askyourself what's one way that you
can create your own recipe forbalance today?
I'm Lisa Hopkins.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone,and remember to live in the
moment.