Theater is truly a “it takes a village” activity. You can’t make theater without at least two people. And every person added to the mix brings something unique - each presence on stage, each staff member contributing off stage, each viewer. Any one audience member’s cough, laugh, gasp (or cellphone) can change the tenor of a moment (just ask Patti LuPone).

At some theaters, the supernumeraries (the spear carriers, messengers, and handmaidens with one or no lines of dialogue) are called the Essentials -because you couldn’t have a scene without them.

And, well, The Essentials just sounds cool. Don’t think a name is important, go ahead and ask the folks in The Elgins if they aren’t glad they decided to rename.