The Queens Theatre kicked off its first year of outdoor summer performances at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Performances featuring diverse musicians and dancers will take the stage this summer ending Aug. 7.
Taryn Sacramone, the Queens Theatre’s executive director, said that they wanted to make sure the artists reflected the diverse borough of Queens.
“We have an incredibly diverse community, and dance is an incredible way to celebrate different cultures,” Sacramone said. “It makes for a really joyous experience. People love music [and] people love dance.“
The programs are free and are supported by sponsors such as Con Edison.
“It’s vibrant, exciting and makes people feel good,” Sacramone said. “We couldn’t be more excited [to get] back to having shared experiences.”
One of the audience members reached out to Queens Theatre after attending a tap performance from the award-winning Dorrance Dance company last weekend.
“As soon as the dancers came on stage with their energy, enthusiasm and skill, I began to cry,” the audience member wrote in an anonymous letter to Sacramone. “I knew I had missed live theatre, but I was overcome with feelings of joy and sorrow of having missed this live experience for so long. I didn’t know how much my heart, my humanity, had missed the communal experience.”
Sacramone said that experience is exactly how the Queens Theatre is looking to impact the community.
Queens Theatre will be presenting more than 300 artists between the Flushing Meadow Park stage and the Corona Plaza performances.
“During the pandemic, they had no performance opportunities,” Sacramone said. “I’ve been overwhelmed realizing how much we all have missed this and how valuable it is. You can’t take those life experiences for granted anymore.”
Sacramone said that the outdoor stage has come with its own set of challenges. For example, at the premiere of the summer stage last weekend, it started to drizzle as Dorrance Dance company was supposed to begin the performance. However, despite the weather being a hurdle to overcome, Sacramone wants to continue the outdoor stage in the future.
“There’s this excitement to outdoor performances,” Sacramone said. “Everything aligns, and you can have this beautiful summer night. I think that there’s something really special about it.”
Queens Theatre will also present the performances virtually. Tickets are free but must be reserved at queenstheatre.org.
The summer stage at Flushing Meadows Corona Park presents the following performances:
- RED RADIO on July 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- SOLE Defined on July 16 at 7:30 p.m. and July 17 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Orchestra of St. Luke’s on July 22 at 7:30 p.m.
- Calpulli Mexican Dance Company on July 24, and Aug. 5, 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m.
- Queens Dance Party by Queensborough Dance Festival featuring:
- Mambo Blue on July 13 at 7:30 p.m.
- Black Tie Brass on July 20 at 7:30 p.m.
- Michael Thomas Quintet on July 27 at 7:30 p.m.
- Motherland Dances on July 29 at 7:30 p.m.
- Os Clavlitos on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
