When I’m at the sound board, I consider myself an artistic collaborator with the performers onstage. As such, I have a limited range of responses to requests from the performers:
“Yes.”
“I think I can make that happen!”
“Let’s see what we can do!”
“I wish I could, but it’s not possible with this rig.”
The affirmatives are as positive as I can make them, and the no’s are as gentles as I can make them.
There’s no reason not to do our best to make the people we’re working with shine. So stay positive and make some good things happen!