At 7am this morning I was sitting with my cup of home-brewed Starbucks and reading The New York Times. Suddenly—wham!—a BIG idea hit me right in the eye. A story with the headline: "It's Not 'American Idol,' but Subway Station Auditions Draw Crowd in Washington."
The Times article reported that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority had been holding 5-minute auditions for an eager group of would-be "platform musicians." The artists ran the gamut from a trumpet-wielding performer to players of traditional Bolivian Andean music. There were gospel singers, jazz musicians, and African dancers. Artists competing for the 50 winning slots lugged along instruments like trumpets, guitars, banjos, electric keyboards, cello, and gourd rattles. The panel of four judges may not have included a cantankerous "Simon" but the article explained they had strict standards. During the first sixty minutes of the 3-hour audition, 30 acts came and went, dismissed with a quick smile and a "Thank you."
Fifty winning acts will be paid $200 for each regularly scheduled two-hour platform performance. Upside-down hats soliciting tips will not be allowed. But the big reason the winning performers want to do this is for the chance to turn a subway platform into a stage—and gain exposure to Washington's 700,000 daily commuters. Ah, fame... sometimes it's the best reward of all.
My congratulations to whoever thought up this Big Idea. There's no question in my mind that it had to be "pictured" in the innovator's mind to bring it to life.
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