Update from Hot Brevard

So it's gotten hot here up in the mountains of North Carolina! Not as hot as Montreal currently - which is simply weird - but still darn tootin' hot!
Being stuck with a cold hasn't helped either. It started in the first week and simply won't let go of me. I tried sleep, tried lots of liquids, tried over-the-counter meds, tried beer, tried starving it, etc. Nothing has worked. If anyone has any great ideas for getting rid of a summer cold - please send them my way!
In it's first three weeks, Janiec Opera Company has produced the musical "TinTypes", taken part in the von Stade concert, and performed a rather large scenes program off in Hendersonville. The scenes program went quite well, considering that the students were cast on just the second day of the program and had little time to prepare the scenes. But as many of us know, if you have two weeks, it'll take two weeks; if you have two months, it'll take two months. That's a good lesson for all.
But it does beg the question: When is something ready (as in ready to perform)?
When it's perfect? No, nothing's ever perfect.
When it's almost perfect? Well, if you're measuring against something that doesn't exist, then how can you know you're "almost" to it?
When someone in authority (a coach, conductor, or director) says it's ready? No, how should they know when something outside of themselves is ready?
It's a difficult question to answer. Perhaps we shouldn't be looking for "ready", perhaps we should be looking for something that's ready to be shared that has as much information in it as possible. Information like text and character, vocal colors and line, physical gestures and content, musical thoughts and subtextual emotions. Stuff like that is great to share. One doesn't have to be "ready" to share these things. One has to be WILLING to share these things.
It's a choice, really.
Wanting to share all that important information, by entertaining an audience (I tire of my colleagues who don't get that we're ENTERTAINERS!), is what motivates me to be "ready".
The quote from Maryanne Williamson comes to mind as well: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be?"
Pirates starts staging this Friday. Can't wait...