From Broadway World:Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP), an iconic structure from the 1964 World's Fair, celebrated the completion of a $27 million renovation and expansion with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception on Thursday, September 23, 2010, attended by dozens of the borough's elected officials and invited guests.
QTP recently completed a $27 million physical transformation of the Theatre with funding provided by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and The Council of the City of New York. This major capitalinvestment has added a 75-seat cabaret performance space with a full service cafe and kitchen facility; created a dramatic new 3,000 square foot lobby/reception area; provided new visitor amenities and improved the facility's accessibility.
"The Queens Theatre in the Park is one of the pearls in the unique necklace of performing arts centers and cultural institutions found here in Queens. The Theatre also has a unique challenge - to satisfy the entertainment needs of the most diverse audience in America. That's why as your Borough President, I was proud to allocate approximately half the funding needed for this renovation and expansion. It would not have happened, however, without the support of Mayor Bloomberg, our City Council and the generous support of private individuals and partners, like the Bank of America and many more. Their generosity and support have helped to make this former World's Fair site, which provides world-class entertainment, ready for the world of tomorrow's theatergoers," said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.
"On behalf of the Members of the City Council, I am pleased to note our active participation in securing much needed funding to improve and beautify Queens Theatre in the Park. The Theatre is one of our City's premiere showplaces for arts and culture. Knowing that over 100,000 adults and children visit the Theatre each year, the Council responded to the Theatre's urgent request to improve public amenities at its venue. The new lobby and reception area are a beautiful gateway to the performances taking place inside the Theatre's three performance spaces. The new cabaret will serve as a catalyst for the Theatre to engage more contemporary and emerging artists and provide these artists with an important showcase for their work," said NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn.
Think of how many other landmarked theaters could have been saved with this money and converted into performance spaces. Instead we pour money into something that's not even all that accessible by public transportation. There's also a decent chance that pieces of the NYS Pavilion will fall onto it and damage it. Amazing.
20 comments:
Yeah, that 7 train doesn't go anywhere near there. So unaccessible. *eye roll*
Crappy, you want the city to pay more attention to Queens, and here you are shitting on something being done in Queens. Yes, there are plenty of other things that money could have been spent on, but still. Be happy something has been done here in Queens. Besides, QTP is a very popular destination for class trips.
At least the money finally came to something in Queens not somewhere else. Sure other other things could have been done with the money like creating more bike lanes and taking away all the parking in Queens but luckily it wasn't. Be happy they spent the money on this. Why is the article bashing something done in Queens for the residents of Queens.
Instead we pour money into something that's not even all that accessible by public transportation.
The Mexican tent encampment residents in this park need someplace to go in the evenings and they reside directly next to this facility.
Who else will go to the theater walking into the park and leave after a performance at 11PM? Only the girls who work the single laborers who live in the tent encampments. Plus it's getting colder outside and the need to wash inside is favorable to washing in the green streams of the Park.
Hey anonymous #1, the QTP is not near the subway. You have to walk through the park. And since most performances would be happening at night, that's not really a practical thing. They have to run a "shuttle trolley" from the subway to the venue. A big waste of money. And most performances do not come close to selling out.
"At least the money finally came to something in Queens not somewhere else. Be happy they spent the money on this. Why is the article bashing something done in Queens for the residents of Queens."
You think this was done for the residents of Queens? Holy shit are you dense. You like getting tossed crumbs you'll never benefit from and pretending it's wonderful?
And there, in a nutshell, is why Queens has become a joke.
Community boards have to beg for sewers, we have laid off cops and firefighters, still don't have nearly enough schools, yet the Queens biddies that run this borough needed this theater in the middle of nowhere updated.
Yep, that sounds about right.
That's right!
When we humbly asked then borough president Claire Shulman to support NYC buying the historic RKO Keith's Flushing theater or seizing it under eminent domain at a "Queens Unity Day" event which was held in 1987 at the old "Reception House" in east Flushing she replied, "But you've got Theater In The Park".
I guess she didn't want to step on that notorious convicted criminal Tommy Huang's lines...or deny "Theater In The Dark's "executive director Jeffrey Rosenstock a lucrative patronage job.
Could Huang have supplied Shulman and her fellow clubhouse pals with generous campaign contributions over the years?
Time will tell as Shulman's political power soon winds down for this aging Donald Manes stooge.
Queens Theatre in The Park = The Claire Shulman Theatre.
A bit of engineering news:
Theater In The Park is built on temporary pilings!
It will slowly sink along with the millions of taxpayers' dollars poured into it!
And unless an armored jitney is provided to safely transport attenders to the "theater" you're taking your life in your hands with the increasing crime level in FMCP!
Meanwhile, the NYS Pavilion continues to crumble.
Jeff Rosenstock must be some higher up's "pussy boy" to warrant that kind of graft!
Talk about a proverbial money pit!
Theater In The Park (LOL) or the Claire Shulman Theater.
It's really THE BLOWHOLE THEATER folks!
There's a theater in the park? Who goes there?
There's a theater in the park? Who goes there?
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The limousine-laden elite!
It's really THE BLOWHOLE THEATER folks!
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In this case, more like a rat-hole.
There's a theater in the park? Who goes there?
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The limousine-laden elite!
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That's right....my 75 year old parents from Bayside, who attend regularly, are the limo-laden elite! We don't want no faggy arts! "Real" Queensites like beer-fueled farts!!
I luv it..."BEER FUELED FARTS"!
So that's where the Queens machine gets all its wind power!
Homer Simpson's got nothing on them!
QTIP is the Microsoft of theatres - sucks the life and attention and funding away from all of the other small theatres in Queens who are unable to compete - and there are quite a few good ones too.
As the guy above said
This info is worth everyone's attention. When can I find out more?
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