I love New York City I admit it I do always have. I’ve been there many times for work and vacation. The city has a certain type of energy that I thrive off of, even in the pouring rain. This past week I got to visit New York for a conference for work. I crammed as much time in the city as I could after the sessions. Whenever I go to the city I always seem to find some connection back to my home state, Alabama.
On Monday night, I attended an off-Broadway NYC industry reading of 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey the Musical in a small actor’s theatre off of 54th Street. First performed in Birmingham, Alabama, the musical is based on famed Alabama author Kathryn Tucker Windham’s book 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey. Kathryn gave her blessing to the adaptation of the book to actor and producer Don Everett Garrett and composer Kevin Francis Finn prior to her death. The two together wrote and composed music for a musical based on the book which was performed at Red Mountain Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama.
My connection to this performance started with a random Facebook message sent to the North Jefferson Arts Alliance page from Glen Kinnaird a producer and director from Gardendale, Alabama, who is now living and working in New York. I am the volunteer executive director for the North Jefferson Arts Alliance and I agreed to sponsor the New York reading to support an Alabama native’s work in the arts in New York. Glen and Don Everett Garrett came up with the idea for the industry reading in New York.
It was either luck or intervention by “Jeffrey” that my conference was in New York at the same time as the reading. As expected the reading was fabulous. I find that most people do not understand the history of the South or Alabama, and maybe if the musical becomes an off-Broadway musical it will help shine a positive light on Alabama.
Tuesday night I went with a colleague from the conference to Times Square. It was pouring rain, but that didn’t stop us from taking in the area’s energy. I’ve always loved the bright lights of Times Square and have on occasion attended a Broadway play. I didn’t have time to attend a play on this trip, but just being there was enough.
Wednesday after the conference ended, I had about four hours to kill before my flight back home. I took the subway to Macy’s at Herald Square to meet my friend Glen. To my surprise Macy’s had decorated the windows for an upcoming annual flower show that celebrates spring. One of the things I am dying to see are the windows at Macy’s during Christmas, but I have to say the flower show windows were the next best thing. After I met up with Glen, we walked the 1.45 mile High Line a relatively new elevated walking trail developed on top of old elevated railroad tracks. You can see the Hudson River from the trail and read about the area’s history along the way.
There weren’t many flowers or greenery blooming, but I got an indication of what it would look like once springtime arrived. It seems that New York like Alabama has found a use for abandoned railroad tracks by creating greenspaces for people to enjoy. I often walk the Rails to Trails walking trail where I live which once was a CSX Railroad mineral line that has been turned into a 3.5 mile walking trail.
It really is amazing how many similarities you can find to your hometown when you travel. It leads me to believe that we all live in short proximity to each other, and that distance really doesn’t mean anything and knows no boundaries if you look for these similarities. For me it is about the connections to the people, their energy and to places that matter in life.
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