NEW YORK, NEW YORK!
I just returned from a most amazing weekend in New York City. What a metropolis of energy, enthusiasm, and culture! We stayed at the Cornell Club on “Club Row” where Ken Blanchard’s “Lead Like Jesus” Board meetings were to be held on Sunday and Monday. My friend, Nancy Cobb from Chicago, joined me on Friday afternoon to share in the excitement.
That night, after a very late flight, we ate a quick deli sandwich in the room and then took a cab to the theatre to see “Into the Heights,” a musical about a Spanish section of the city. It explored differences, yet similarities, among three different generations, with the themes of community, acceptance, and following one’s dreams interwoven. I highly recommend it!
The next morning we slept in and then walked to Times Square, stopping to enjoy part of a Labor Day parade with bands, floats, and bagpipes. We loved watching the plethora of different kinds of people, the unusual little shops and delis, and seeing landmarks that make NY famous. The streets were amazingly clean, and we felt no concern about safety any time we were there, thanks to Rudy Guiliani.
At 2:00 we had tickets for “Billy Elliott,” one of the most delightful musicals I have ever seen. The young boy who played Billy (there are three different children who alternate) was truly extraordinary as a dancer, able to master everything from ballet to tap to jazz and was only about 11 or 12 years old. I just kept thinking, “What could one possibly do in life to top starring on Broadway at that young age?”
Like the musical the night before, the story was one of struggle to follow his dreams but also one of the joy of community and the blessing of hope. It takes place in England in a mining community during the time that Margaret Thatcher was electing to privatize the mining industry, and this small town of miners had been on strike for one year. It truly deserves all the Tony awards it has received, and even though our $126 seats were not very good, we would both go back to see it again!
While waiting in line to get into the theater, we learned that if you stood in line two hours before a performance, many times you could get “standing room only” tickets for $26.50. Since we had not made plans for the night, we decided to get in line for a play at 8:00. It was “God of Carnage” with a superb cast – James Gandofini, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis, and Jeff Daniels. It was just 90 minutes with no intermission, and we stood at the back of the main floor with a 4 foot high wall in front of us to lean on. It was actually more comfortable than the tiny, crowded theater seats! The play was delightful, and it was a treat to see these fine actors in person.
The next morning we walked back to Times Square to see if we could get half price tickets for a matinee since Ken’s meetings did not start until that evening. When we arrived, there was a huge crowd in the Square and after inquiring, we found out that once a year they do a free show called “Broadway on Broadway” when they bring out the cast of every show that is currently playing, and they each do one number from the show. Of course, they had huge screens and for two wonderful hours we watched the best of the best on Broadway – FREE!
Afterwards I was able to get tickets to see the re-created version of “South Pacific” which was superbly done and brought back many memories. I had forgotten a lot of the specifics of the story but of course, I could sing along with almost every musical number.
The Lead Like Jesus National Board meetings began with a lovely dinner that evening, and as always, they were challenging and inspiring. The movement (books, training, Bible study, simulcasts) has just celebrated its tenth year, and amazing things are happening all over the world as people learn to lead as Jesus did with their Heart (values), Head (beliefs), Hands (actions) and Habits (staying connected to the source). I am honored to be a part of it.
On Tuesday I left this bustling city of culture to speak in Chicago (another of my favorite cities) and then on to speak in Louisville, KY. Although I love traveling all over the world, I can hardly wait to return to NYC and more of Broadway!
For more information on Barbara and her work, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.
(Pictures to be added later.)
