Today was an absolutely GORGEOUS day. This is the kind of day that makes puts that extra pep in your step. As I walked through the theater district it felt good to just be in New York City!
The day started off a little rough with Elizabeth going head to head with a homeless, drugged out woman who had her eye on Elizabeth’s dry-cleaning. The whole experience left Elizabeth a little shaken and stirred but she still has her cashmere sweaters.
The positive aspect of the whole situation is that within minutes a handful of neighbors came to her rescue. One guy who lives on the first floor even took a picture of the woman with his camera phone and then chased her down the street an performed a Citizen’s Arrest (something he said he had learned about when he came to this country.).
As she and I waited for the police to come and fill out a report, one of the men who had helped her explained why he had run to her so quickly. He said, “If you do something to one of us, you do it to all of us. This is our neighborhood. We take care of each other.”
That is probably one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. It reminds me of the story and spirit of my friend Carmen Agra Deedy’s book, The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian the X of Denmark. If you haven’t read it...or don’t know the legend…go get a copy TODAY. It is a book that deserves to be in your life. To be savored and given to others.
The police were there within three minutes and were so understanding and helpful. They took us to the police station to make a report, which took a little while, but everything was handled with great care and concern.
Elizabeth went on to work and then met up with me for the Closing of the new musical Lennon. The show had an incredibly short life on Broadway. I think it’s combination of both musical and concert aspects confused some but it deserved a better run and better reviews than it received.
This is the second time I’ve seen the show and both times I kept thinking that John Lennon’s voice is a voice that is so desperately needed today.
Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, was in attendance at the Closing. She was greeted with a standing ovation as she took her seat and then more applause at intermission. At the end of the show the show’s creator brought her on stage for the encore of Give Me a Chance.
Elizabeth and I also spotted two time Tony awards winner Donna Murphy. She is absolutely one of the most striking women on Broadway. So classy and eloquent…she carries herself with such beauty. I’ve yet to get to see her in a show but I feel in love with her work when I saw her on Tony Awards broadcast with the musical Passion (for which she won her first Tony award.). As many people know, Passion remains one of my favorite shows and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be in the Southeastern premiere at the 14th Street Playhouse in Atlanta.
After the show I met up with a new friend Valerie and her group of girlfriends. My friend Carolyn Smith back in Atlanta has been telling me for months that her friend Valerie was coming to New York and that we had to meet.
So…we did.
We all became fast friends and had a beautiful dinner tucked away on 9th Avenue. We literally said down at the table not knowing each other but within minutes we were exchanges stories, talking about their vacation, our lives in New York, etc. It was a lot fun.
