Bits and Snatches

Most of us, upon hearing the term amuse-bouche, instantly think of food. But in some situations I often think of programs which offer a collection of short plays -- or a retrospective of a composer or lyricist's career -- as a long string of amuse-bouches. Some are tastier and have more heft than others; some have an almost ethereal appeal. Taken together, the whole often becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Yet it is the program's individual ingredients, like spices balanced against each ...