I don’t often splurge for cabs, but after a long afternoon of traveling back to the city from a short trip home to New Hampshire, I decided to switch up the subway for a cab back to my apartment. This is mostly because it was downpouring and I was trying to catch a dance class (no such luck – too late!), but the reason doesn’t really matter.
Long story short, the cab was zooming through Central Park back to the East Side and I saw groups of people heading towards a stage with large signs reading SummerStage.
Now, I have seen signs and seen the stage set up in years past, but I have never taken the time to figure out what SummerStage was all about – I just figured it would be expensive or impossible to get into. Since I was too late to go to my class, however, I had some time to look into the details about what this stage is all about.
SummerStage is put on by the City Parks Foundation, and it presents a variety of free and benefit concerts. On the list for their Mainstage in Central Park this summer is a wide variety of acts – musicians such as Public Enemy, The Specials, and other famous bands, as well as dance groups such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and other performers such as poets, comedians, and actors. I’m really looking forward to trying to see St. Vincent on August 1 and Complexions Contemporary Ballet on August 10, but hopefully I can get into the action earlier than August – there are plenty of shows to choose from!
This event happens every year, and most shows are free – but for the shows that require payment, order ahead. It’s the first day of June, and some shows are already listed as sold out! The free shows just require getting there early enough to find a spot – I’ll try to go to a show soon and see just how early the crowds normally get there. Keep in mind, too, that there are shows happening not just on the Central Park Mainstage, but also throughout the rest of the city and its boroughs. Check out the website for the full listings, and I’ll keep you posted on what I see and find out about this SummerStage deal. But so far, it looks like an amazing program – keeping the arts alive and accessible to NYC residents is a great goal, and utilizing the beautiful parks of Manhattan and its boroughs is a unique way to see the performances. I, for one, can’t wait!
-Meghan Q.
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Tags: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, central park, City Parks Foundation, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Public Enemy, St. Vincent, SummerStage, The Specials