By Maggie Margolis
As I conclude my third summer working at SummerStage, I can’t help but reflect on each summer and how very different they have all been.
My first summer was in 2009 and I was an Operations Intern and an usher for SummerStage. Through this position, I saw the behind the scenes work that goes into every season. I was able to see the immense amount of work that goes into each season in the office and then watch it come alive for 5,000 New Yorkers at each Mainstage show.
Last summer, I worked as a programs assistant for what was then called CityParks Kids. I was now exposed to yet another aspect of the City Parks Foundation. Unlike our shows in Central Park, the kids program does not have a permanent venue. Our staff was responsible for traveling all over New York City to set up and take down our own performance space. We were accountable for all aspects of the show. Some mornings, we would show up to a park where there would be almost no kids and then by show time, hundreds would arrive. It was amazing to see parks, playgrounds and basketball courts become a stage where New York City kids could learn about all different art forms and cultures.
This year, I am working with SummerStage Kids again. I can say it has truly been a different experience from my previous year. No show is ever the same. I always had to be prepared for whatever that morning’s performance was going to throw at me. I worked with several artists across different parks throughout the city, and it was always remarkable to see how the different audiences would respond.
I have returned to SummerStage year after year because I am continuously learning about different genres of music, dance, theater, storytelling, puppetry and more through the eyes of thousands of New Yorkers. Whether it’s at Mainstage where patrons wait in line for hours to get into a concert or kids getting up in front of 300 of their peers for a dance contest.
Maggie reading before a SummerStage Kids performance
