A Tree Grows in Manhattan

A Tree Grows In Manhattan: The Gate 

By John S LES

Last Friday I attended an outstanding play in New York City, that was literally "off Broadway" at the Times Square Church at 51st and Broadway.  The play was put on by members of the Times Square Church, a modern, soulfully powerful, Christian Evangelist group.  The play was entitled "Rewind" and was written by playwright, Mrs. Victoria Griffin.  Although I would like to speak on the details of the play (because it was phenomenal and had an immense but timeless message) it is really the overall brilliance that the Church has been able to create this oasis on Broadway, for young adults to patron on a Friday night.  Whether you are a member or not, you could come to this theater and see all of the positive activities that they have and either become a part of it or simply be a warmly welcomed visitor like I was last Friday.  Here's a link to their YouTube video: The Times Square Church.

Many of today's social clubs and lounges for younger adults usually cater to all of the vice laden usual behaviors: alcohol, smoking, drug use and sex.  Yet when I stopped by the Times Square Church, there was simply an air of camaraderie, brother and sisterhood and a willingness to simply socialize and talk with familiar faces or complete strangers about positive things.  The same way that you would socialize at a normal lounge or club, but with a positive view of life.  I must not forget to mention that one of the actors was leaving the city soon to go to medical school out of state.  Yet he committed his personal time to help put on this play.  Amazing!

As far as the play "Rewind" goes, it was an excellent story about the parallel ascension of two teenagers, Charles or "Chuck" and Samantha, or "Sam".  They were living completely different lives and had completely different upbringings.  Both had reached the stage of graduating high school and attending college, a pivotal time in many peoples lives.  How they got there, their different lives and individual struggles were well portrayed between the actors playing the parents/guardians and the two teens.

Chuckie was raised by his aunt as a single parent after both his biological parents died while he was in his early teens.  Their deaths were due to complications with their drug addictions and AIDS.  After fighting his way through grades, athletics and the sacrifices his adoptive aunt made for him, Chuckie still found himself feeling loyalties to old street hoodlums from his youth.  It's a relationship that rings a bell in all of us, as we grow up past some of pitfalls of our immediate surroundings and strive to do better for ourselves.

As for Samantha or Sam, she came from a very religious, and fairly strict, two parent household.  She was actually admitted into college and proved to have a very rebellious behavior towards the restrictive way that she was brought up.  Ironically, she was given a roommate who had an open upbringing, but self-disciplined herself and embraced her conservative and religious background.

I don't want to give away the play, but their stories start just as both teens have reached pivotal points in their lives.  Their struggle to see their dreams carried through is yet to be completed.  They both need to battle through their own inner issues and personal choices, in order to completely fulfill their dreams.  This "moment of truth" is at the heart of the play and as the characters struggle in their respective moments, the viewing audience can easily relate to the examples of additional life pitfalls laid in front of the two teens.  The cast delivered a remarkable performance.  

What was even more remarkable about the play was that it was put on by a very humble and seemingly ordinary, but extremely talented cast.  I was fortunate to meet a handful of them after the play was over, including the playwright, Mrs. Griffin.  Most of the cast member were under 30, but all of them were just such a pleasant and appreciative group to talk to. 

All of the above leads me to this conclusion:

"If you build something positive and place the right amount of care, love and direction in it - the people will come."

That's a little bit of an expanded paraphrase from the movie, "Field Of Dreams"

Yet the truth in that movie is still as real and as true today as ever.  Now I know that real estate costs money and building things requires financial resources, along with a half dozen other things to fall into place.  However, when you're talking about something to actually build a culture for your hometown, for your city, for your state..?  There should be no limit as to what you can do, or are willing to do to make it succeed.  The Times Square Church has done it since it's founder dreamed of it in the late 1960's.  Here it is in 2014 and going strong.  All communities around the our country should be willing to do the same.  You have to be willing to plant the seeds now to foster the positive growth in your young people within your community.  Then you just sit back and watch the "trees" grow over time.

What can you do for your own town or city?  What can you build that's positive for people in your community to turn to and gather around for information, social support, family support?  Something that does not cater to people's vices and that helps uplift your community.  Last Friday I sat in a theater filled with people of all ages, but with mostly young people.  They were all good people, looking forward to doing positive things with their lives.  If these people can do that inside a busy and sometime distracting New York City, then everyone can do this just about in any city or town anywhere.

Many thanks to my friend Vita for directing me to see the Times Square Church in action with my own eyes.  I am further inspired to do the same wherever I live.

Elevate your world my friends.

Here are some more pictures from the "Rewind" play and here's a link to the church's home page: The Times Square Church.