“Look before you leap” can be a dangerous practice.

When confronted with uncertainty, most of us have learned throughout our lives to stop and evaluate the situation, measure the risks and take the action that seems most prudent. In fact, sometimes we’re so prudent that we stop leaping and taking chances altogether. But when we do that, we often lose – the partner we never thought would fall in love with us slips through our 踀ngers, the job we never thought we could handle vanishes, the new, life-changing venture is ignored and lost forever.

I‘d like to encourage a different approach to personal risk management. Examine the challenge or opportunity in front of you, weigh the risks and then consult your heart. If it feels right, embrace the risk and work towards the reward. I’ve noticed that my personal heroes are those who embrace risk, but still manage to stand tall regardless of whether they succeed or fall short of their goal. And in those times when they do fall short, they learn from the experience and prepare to leap again.

That’s how our shows work, too. There are shows you know you’re going to love this season and then there also the shows that carry a little risk. I’ve sat at the kitchen table, considered the risks and picked my shows. I’ve considered the risks of the name I don’t recognize or the show that might challenge my ideas and even effect personal change.

To me, that seems like the American way. Those are the kinds of risks our great leaders have taken and like those my heroes have chosen. Every show here is remarkable in its own way – maybe a different cultural spin, artistic format or style of performer. So be a hero. Look not just at the brochure, but inside yourself and...leap!

See you at the show!

Steve Carignan, Executive Director