Last week, I took a "just for fun" day trip to New York City, and it ended up being a wonderful celebration of performers of color.
After arriving on the Greyhound bus in Port Authority in the middle of Manhattan, my first stop was the Broadway ticket booth in Times Square. I randomly picked a show and ended up seeing "The Great Comet of 1812."
This musical period piece ended up being a great choice - pun intended. It's an interactive experience, with performers coming out in the crowd and literally dancing on seats and up and down the aisles. The best part is the cast is totally diverse, featuring in prominent roles African-American actors Denee Benton, Amber Gray and Okierete Onaodowan (an alumnus of the smash "Hamilton").
Later that night, I ventured to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe's open mic night. This show turned out to be another celebration of diversity, with people of all different cultures getting onstage in the intimate, hip venue to share original poetry and songs. Each performer was backed by the three-piece house band who improvises beats to accompany each piece.
The next time I go to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, I'm going to work up the nerve to put my name on the sign-up sheet and perform something of my own. Presenting my work in the Big Apple will certainly be a dream come true!
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