“Celebrate Imperfection.” What does that mean?

More than just a saying, “celebrate imperfection” means to view the mistakes we make as a positive reminder of our humanity. A few years ago, I started toying around with the idea of imperfection as a good thing, something that marks each person as an individual and makes them special. There’s a prevalent dialogue in the media about self-forgiveness, and being able to accept the mistakes you make. Celebrating imperfection takes that a step further, asking the question, “Why are mistakes a bad thing in the first place?” I’m not talking about deliberate disregard of rules or saying something mean-spirited in the heat of the moment. Imperfections are not conscious, controllable circumstances. Maybe you forgot to take out the trash, or you cracked on the money note of a song, or you knocked a coffee cup off the table with your elbow. In these moments, we are taught to blame ourselves, to feel angry or disappointed. Instead, I choose to celebrate.

I believe celebrating imperfection is essential in the world of theatre. The pressure to have perfect auditions, interviews, and performances is unrealistic and, quite frankly, undesireable (for me at least!). We remember the mistakes we make because they snap us out of autopilot. No imperfection means no learning opportunities, and that is a world I do not want to live in. As a performer, listing mistakes and saying, “YAY!” is a lot more fun than sheepishly admitting something went wrong during the performance. As a creative team member, encouraging a cast to openly share and celebrate their mistakes creates a low-pressure environment and allows them to focus on the things they can control rather than the things they can’t (and let’s be real, the shows with mistakes are the most exciting ones!) Through both my personal and professional life, celebrating imperfection is my favorite practice.