>>> BACK IN THE 1980s AND 1990s,
NEW YORK'S BROADWAY 42nd STREET
WAS A PIT, CALLED ONE OF THE
SLEAZIEST BLOCKS IN AMERICA AND
RIGHTFULLY SO.
WHEN A NEW 42nd STREET WAS
REBUILT AND REVITALIZED THE
MAGNIFICENT HISTORIC THEATERS
THEY RESIGNED THE BLOCK TO
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING AND
NONPROFIT PRODUCTION AND ART
SPACES CALLED HOME.
DAO, THEY'RE DOING MORE TO
TRANSFORM LIVES IN NEW YORK
CITY.
PART OF CHASING THE DREAM IN
AMERICA, WE INTRODUCE YOU TO TWO
PEOPLE TO MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN.
CORA KHAN IS THE NEW PRESIDENT
OF 42nd.
AND ALBERT IS A NEW FELLOW.
WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> WE ARE.
>> WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
THERE MIGHT BE VIEWERS OUT HERE
WATCHING.
REALLY?
42nd STREET WE KNOW MARVELOUS
NOW, THE SLEAZEST BLOCK IN 1990?
GIVE US AN IDEA.
>> WHEN I CAME TO WORK THE ENDS
OF 1990.
THERE WERE 87 ADULT USES ON 42nd
STREET INCLUDING IN THE STATE OF
TODAY THAT IS KNOWN AS THE NEW
VICTORY, IT WAS THE ONLY TRIPLE
EX-PORN HOUSE ON 42nd STREET IN
ONE OF THE BLOCKS EIGHT HISTORIC
AND AS YOU SAID, MAGNIFICENT
THEATERS.
>> IT'S ASTONISHING WHAT IT HAD
BECOME WHEN YOU SEE IT ON THE
MARQUEE BOARD.
>> IT WAS CALLED THE 42nd STREET
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND THE CITY
SAID WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
7TH AND 8th AVENUES AND WE
BETTER FIND SOMEBODY EXPERIENCED
IN THEATER.
THEY CREATED A NONPROFIT.
I BECAME THE FIRST EMPLOYEES
WITH A BRAND NEW BOARD OF
DIRECTORS.
WHAT IS THIS PROJECT?
HOW WILL WE DO THIS?
>> THE TINY STAFF OF FIVE CAME
UP WITH IDEAS, AND ONE OF THEM
WAS A STUDIO FOR KIDS AND THEIR
FAEMSZ ON 42nd STREET IN THE
CROSS WITH WAY OF THE WORLD TO
PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY WORK HOPING
TO MAKE THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF NEW
YORK FALL IN LOVE WITH LIVE
PERFORMING ARTS AND MAKE IT PART
OF THEIR LIVES FOREVER MORE AS
CITIZENS.
>> I WILL ASK YOU ABOUT SOME
MORE PROJECTS.
I WANT YOU TO GET INTO THE
CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE BENEFITTED IN
THESE PROJECTS IN A BIT OF A
DIFFERENT WAY.
YOU ARE CURRENTLY A NEW 42nd
STREET FELLOW.
>> YES.
>> DESCRIBE FOR US WHAT THAT
MEANS AND WHAT YOU DO.
>> THE FELLOWSHIP IS A YEAR LONG
PROGRAM WITH ONE OF THE MANY
DEPARTMENTS THE U-42 HAS.
I CHOSE ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING AND
WE ARE DIVERSE AND INNOVATED.
IT INCLUDES GOING TO
CONFERENCES, WHICH HAS BEEN MOST
INCREDIBLE.
THE PROGRAM IS REALLY ABOUT
SUPPORTING THAT INTEREST THAT US
AS YOUNG NEW YORKERS HAVE IN THE
ARTS AND PUTTING US IN A
POSITION TO THRIVE.
>> YOU'VE HAD A MORE EXTENSIVE
INVOLVEMENT AS A FELLOW.
YOU STARTED AS AN APPRENTICE.
>> WHEN I STARTED, I WAS A HIGH
SCHOOL APPRENTICE.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME WORKING IN
AN OFFICE AND FIRST TIME WORKING
IN THEATER ADMINISTRATION.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANT.
I KNEW I PERSONALLY LOVED THE
ARTS.
FIGURING HOW CAN I PUT MY FOOT
IN THE DOOR.
I GOT A LOT OF RESPECTS ON THE
BACK END PATRONS DON'T USUALLY
SEE WHEN THEY THINK OF THE FINAL
PROJECT.
>> YOU WERE WORKING AS AN USHER
IN THE USHER PROGRAM.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT STARTS AS JOB TRAINING.
WE GOT PAID FOR TRAINING, GOING
TO PROFESSIONAL LETTER WORKSHOPS
AND COVER LETTER WORKSHOPS AND
GETTING PAID TO LEARN SKILLS.
>> WHAT A FABULOUS DEAL THAT IS.
>> AND TEACH YOU HOW TO OPEN A
BANK ACCOUNT AND DO A BUDGET FOR
YOURSELF.
>> IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS
GETTING A REGULAR PAY ACADEMIC
AND TAUGHT MONEY MANAGEMENT.
>> LET ME JUMP INTO SOME THINGS
IF YOU WOULD, A VAST REPERTOIRE.
ONE IS THE CREATION OF THIS
ENORMOUS REHEARSAL SPACE.
>> YES.
>> TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> WE BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP A
14 STUDIO, 10-FLOOR BUILDING
WITH THE BEST REHEARSAL STUDIOS
IN THE CITY PROVIDING PERFORMERS
EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO DO THEIR
BEST WORK, NOT JUST THE
MANAGERS, BUT THE COMPANIES HAND
CHOREOGRAPH FERS AND DESIGNERS.
IT SAYS ON THE CORNERSTONE,
DEDICATED TO THE PERFORMING
ARTSTIST 20 AND 21st CENTURIES.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK
YOU'VE DONE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR WHAT
YOU'VE DONE AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU
BECAUSE CLEARLY, YOU WILL BE
SUCCESSFUL.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NEW
42nd STREET, NEW PROFIT PROGRAMS
AND OUR CHANGING THE INITIATIVE,
LOG ONTO "METROFOCUS."
