Always Waiting for Snow

Snow everywhere but here.  Late in the day, a 30% chance appears back in the forecast.  But as the sky darkens I can see the moon and the stars.  It's not snow, but it's pretty.

For every nine works-in-progress performances I go see, I'd really like to see one show that knocks it out of the park.  I enjoy seeing the process of artistic vision being birthed, and I'm glad it's happening, and there is a lot of talent here.  But I'd also like to see more work where all that talent comes together in a unified vision of what they are trying to present: artistic director, tech director, sound/light/set designers, costumer, stage manager, writer, and actors sitting down and saying this is the story we want to tell with this show.  And working through all the permutations and experiments of rehearsal, and right before (or during) tech week agreeing again what that story is (even if it's changed since the beginning) and eliminating elements that distract from that, weakening the narrative whether that be gratuitous words, movement, sound, nudity, visual, whatever isn't needed to tell the actual story, and egos contained within the bigger picture rather than being able to distract from the common story.  It does happen.  A pleasure and an exhilaration.  When it happens, I get fired up for art.  For three hours and $50/ticket, I wish it would happen more.  Everything that happens on that stage when the audience is there, in the service of the narrative that you want to present.  You know, I'm rooting for you anyway (generic "you"), but I like having my socks knocked off.

I think most people who go see the work are on your side, we want you to succeed.  Let yourself.