I’m a grateful audience member when I can count the rings.
Dendrochronology is this thing when people examine the rings inside a tree trunk. It’s not just about counting the years of life. Dendrochronologists can tell what happened each year the tree was alive because each ring shows evidence of rainfall, tree parties, etc. Dendrochronologists also know when a tree was cut down because it was them that did it.
I feel like I’m in deep dendro watching incredible performers. Every gesture, new decision, and response is proof of what a great entertainer has experienced. The gifts they give to every audience are the confrontation of the moment and the story of their fibrous leafy past. You can see that they know what to do when a child runs up on stage calling them gorgeous, or when a bat flies into the room. They’re ready and they’re bulletproof.
It’s this skill that sets me in awe watching many greats. They are the sequoias of the stage.