The final bow includes work the audience never had reason to identify.

GRATITUDE

WHAT THIS MEANS

A bow is taken by a few people on behalf of many. Everything the audience is applauding was assembled by wardrobe, technicians, understudies, and somebody who fixed a door hinge that afternoon, none of which is visible from the seats. The moment of thanks is necessarily a summary, and summaries always leave people out.

Wherever you are being credited, name someone specific rather than thanking everyone. And when you watch a finished thing, spend a moment guessing at what had to happen for it to appear so smoothly.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

Who would you name if applause could list everyone involved?

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