Whiskey and Pineapples: the sweet elixir that can save the tired voice from cracking on those precarious high notes. I learned this trick in theater school, and it stuck with me to the point of becoming a tradition. Now, when I'm opening a show, I religiously bring out my can of pineapple juice and a shot of whiskey. The whiskey coats the throat, and the pineapples cut the mucus. Sure, the logic seems sound. However, I know that whiskey can dehydrate me before a show.  Why not drink honey and lemon, or some warm ginger tea?  Back off.  That's just the way I do it.  OK?  It's just a tradition I hold on to for better or worse. It is debatable whether it helps or hinders my acting or my ability to communicate on stage, but it leads me to ask a variety of questions:

• As creators of theater in Austin, to  what traditions or habits do we cling most tightly?
• Do they help us communicate more effectively with our audience or not?
• Do they help us to make the experience of theater a positive one for all of those involved?
• Do they help us to succeed as professional artists or do they keep us wallowing in with our talent?
• Are we brave enough to examine and critique our practices to see if there is a better way?

In this blog, I will spend my mental energy exploring these questions, and hopefully with some work and a lot of good comments we might discover some answers.