Glenn Cook

Stage Dad: ‘Young Adult Author – Tim Federle – Teaches Lessons About Broadway Life’ by Glenn Cook

Of all the people we have met during our family’s “reality show,” Tim Federle is one of my favorites. Tim was one of the choreographers on staff for the Broadway production of Billy Elliot when our...

Stage Dad: “Life in the ‘Dead Zone’ by Glenn Cook

My son and I seem to be in a “dead zone” career wise, and neither of us is too happy about it. The difference, of course, is that Ben turned 16 in December and, as of mid-January, I’m one year shy of...

Stage Dad: ‘So Long Billy! It’s Been Good to Know You!’ by Glenn Cook

No question, it’s time. I knew those words would come at some point, so it’s not a shock to the system, but I’m somewhat surprised by how much emotion accompanies them. Our son, Ben, is leaving Billy...

Stage Dad: ‘Talking to Other Parents’: Part Three: ‘Parents Give Their Best Advice’ by Glenn Cook

Over the past two columns, I have written about what other parents have to say about raising a child in show business. We’ve looked at challenges they face and what they wished they had known. In this...

Stage Dad: ‘Talking to Other Parents’: Part Two: ‘What Other Parents Wish They Had Known’ by Glenn Cook

What Other Parents Wish They Had Known… One of my favorite television shows is Friday Night Lights, a beautifully written, small-scale drama that focuses on a small Texas town and its obsession with...

Stage Dad: ‘Talking to Other Parents’: Part One by Glenn Cook

Balance is something every parent wants. Vertigo is what we can get, if we allow it to happen. That’s true for all parents, but the juggling act that parents of child performers face is a constant...

Stage Dad: ‘The Art of Sacrifice That Olympic Athletes and Actors Know Well’ by Glenn Cook

Being the parent of a child actor comes with a learning curve that has the potential to throw your life into chaos at any point. If you’re not willing to endure the ebbs and flows that come with your...

Stage Dad: ‘A Better Dad Now’ by Glenn Cook

I became a better father when my dad died. It was five years ago this past week – a lifetime in many respects. Dad had been ill for some time, thanks to a slightly toxic gene pool that forced him to...

Stage Dad: ‘At This Performance the Role of Billy Will Be Played by Ben Cook’ by Glenn Cook

I still get nervous when I see my children perform. It’s almost a reflex, a parent’s prayer to a higher being that they will enjoy it, that they will do their best, that nothing will go wrong and, if...

Stage Dad: ‘Jace Casey: Finding a ‘Mindset’ at The Capital Fringe Festival’ by Glenn Cook

For teen performer, escaping the ‘dead zone’ requires a certain ‘Mindset’ Many child actors who start their professional careers in the Washington, D.C., area take the same path that my son did,...

Stage Dad: ‘Ben Finally Plays Billy’ by Glenn Cook

Child actors face an inevitable reality – growing up. And that inevitable reality means they likely will be out of a job. Think about it: Have you ever wondered why people obviously in their 20s or...

Stage Dad: ‘Four Kids: Four Stars’ by Glenn Cook

It’s still somewhat difficult to fathom that I’m the parent of a college student and, in a few months, three high school students. Somewhere along the line, I blinked, and they grew up. My son,...

Stage Dad: “What I Wish I Had Known…” by Glenn Cook

Occasionally, I get questions from others whose children are interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts. Usually, they want to know how to pursue an agent or manager, and what they should...

Stage Dad: ‘A Lesson From Dance’ by Glenn Cook

Like many parents with school-age children, a standing feature on many of our Saturdays is toting the kids to various lessons. For all of our kids, those precious weekend hours have revolved around...

Stage Dad: ‘A Triathlon in Chunks’ by Glenn Cook

Being the parent of a professional child actor has a lot in common with triathlons. Sometimes you run, sometimes you spin around in circles, and sometimes you work heroically just to keep your head...

Stage Dad: ‘Three Simple Rules’ by Glenn Cook

Everyone has heard horrible stories about stage parents. Reality shows paint the worst pictures in vivid, cable-ready HD. Tabloids are littered with tales of the Lindsays, the Brittanys, the Mileys,...

My New Column ‘Stage Dad’ by Glenn Cook

“I saw my sis go pitter pat. Said I can do that. I can do that.” Five and a half years ago, my little boy Ben was dancing in the basement of a woman’s house in Maryland, showing off his gymnastics...