Yesterday was Ryan Murphy's 40th birthday, and while I haven't personally met the manager of the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, I've seen, and admire, what he's done for the culture of St. Johns County.
Two weeks ago, when news of a new, larger and similar venue popping up just 50 miles away broke, The Florida Times-Union looked to get a reaction from Murphy, whose shed would hypothetically compete with Daily's Place (the new 5,000-seat venue next to EverBank Field in Jacksonville). His reaction was so calm and even-keeled that it felt inspiring.
“We’re going to continue to do what we do. Will we lose shows here and there? Maybe. I don’t see that happening. With the capacity they have, they’ll be going after different shows anyway,” he told Stuart Korfhage.
"There’s definitely room for all of us. They’ll bring something that maybe we haven’t been touching on. I think it’s not really going to affect us.”
It was a quiet reminder to keep being good at what you do. To keep your focus on doing the best for the audience you serve. That sentiment can get lost in these days of information overload and online chatter. Murphy made it so plainly obvious.
"I’ve never known Ryan to be anything but positive. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone around here who doesn’t think he’s done a great job with the Amphitheatre. The place is well-run, clean and has a great diversity of shows every year," Korfhage told CL in an email.
"I know he’s worked hard to cultivate a relationship with the artists when they come here, which is why he gets so many repeat acts. He’s also a huge promoter of the arts scene in St. Augustine. You can tell just by talking to him how much he loves this city and how he wants to highlight all the unique things about this place."
A related guest column in the St. Augustine Record echoed those sentiments and lauded Murphy's hard work. In it, Matanzas Riverkeeper Neil Armingeon shed light on the way the amphitheatre works with visiting artists to help improve the ecological situation around the venue. Amingeon's non-profit has been a beneficiary of eco-friendly efforts by the likes of Jack Johnson and the Alabama Shakes. He's visited Atlanta's Botanical Garden, The Ryman in Nashville, and New Orleans's Satchmo Fest.
"None of the venues showed the environmental ethic, or commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly events produced by the Amphitheater and its programs," Armingeon wrote.
The praise on social media goes on and on. It's a testament to the community Murphy serves. It's also a great reason to throw a little more shine on a guy who so obviously deserves it. Thanks for inspiring us Ryan, have a good one.
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This article appears in Sep 8-15, 2016.