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Photo credit: Fadi Kheir
Hello Dan! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions. Talk to me about your current feelings and emotions…
I feel grateful to be healthy and still employed in the arts. The pandemic has been devastating for so many people, and artists and arts professionals have been among the worst impacted. My hope is that Bryant Park can play a small role in bringing the arts back to New York City, and I try to focus on the positive.
Let’s start at humble beginnings, tell me about your early life, and your journey to where you are at present…
I was a math-science kid who fell in love with the arts in college. There was a long period as an undergraduate when I listened to at least one new album of music every day. Meanwhile I wrote poems, organized the literary magazine, edited the music section of the school paper, went to concerts, and put on movie screenings for fun. When college ended, I realized that I might be able to make a career out of what I was doing in my spare time, and I was lucky to get a low-level temporary summer job at Bryant Park.
What is the main aim for the Bryant Park programming?
Our primary mission is to keep Bryant Park active, safe, and vibrant. We host dozens of events and activities every week including everything from birding tours and knitting classes, to giant yoga sessions, and, of course, movies. My main focus is Picnic Performances, a series of free music, theater, and dance events that brings upwards of sixty thousand people every summer. My hope is that Bryant Park becomes one of the most welcoming venues in NYC to experience world-class performing arts.
Is it for New Yorkers, tourists, both?
It’s for everyone. You can come to Bryant Park from anywhere in NYC for the price of a MetroCard. All of our events are free. At our shows, you can arrive with no advance planning, and our staff will hand you a blanket or a chair and show you where to buy food. You don’t need a ticket, and there is room for everyone. And once you are on the lawn, you can see exciting and excellent performers while watching the sun set over skyscrapers.
Tell me about the current Bryant Park programming?
We are currently on the home stretch of our summer season of Picnic Performances, which culminates September 20 with a massive Centennial celebration for The Town Hall featuring performances by Chris Thile, Zakir Hussain, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and many others. We also have an event on September 17 in partnership with National Sawdust, which will feature the in-person premiere of a new work composed by Allison Loggins-Hull and performed with the wonderful vocalist Alicia Hall Moran and pianist Gabriela Martinez. On September 10 we have Classical Theatre of Harlem in Bryant Park for the first time performing two short excerpts from theatrical works back-to-back, each with live music and some very talented actors.
How has your experience as a philosophy and English graduate helped you with your current role?
Philosophy taught me how to take large abstract ideas and break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. That’s a skill I use every day when taking an event from idea to execution, and it is very helpful background when talking with artists. Both philosophy and English are excellent training grounds for learning how to deal with ambiguity, which is unavoidable in the world of live events. That said, my most formative experiences as an undergraduate were outside the classroom.
How did the global pandemic affect the programming for Bryant Park?
Outdoor space became more important than ever, and it was clear early on that Bryant Park had an opportunity to support arts institutions who could not open their doors. The park never closed, and in June 2020 we started putting on small, distant events again. We were very fortunate to have continued support from Bank of America and that funding allowed us to be more ambitious than ever before at a time when it was most needed, including livestreaming all of our performances this season for those who could not attend in person.
The programming this summer has been impressive, with venues such as National Sawdust, New York Philharmonic, Joe’s Pub and Jazz at Lincoln Center taking over the stage – tell me more about how this has worked, and will you be doing more of it in the future?
We have had great luck to work with some truly wonderful people and organizations throughout New York City. We have always envisioned Bryant Park as a place that could help support the work of the city’s arts institutions, and we have had longstanding and fruitful partnerships with New York City Opera and Carnegie Hall, among others. This year, we reached out to additional venues knowing that Bryant Park’s outdoor location, stage, staff, and financial support would be valuable resources in the midst of COVID. During the pandemic, my experience has been that arts organizations are more cooperative and supportive of each other’s work than ever before, and that has led to some new opportunities.
Will there be fall/winter programming?
Our programming shifts gears at the end of September as our team builds the ice rink and holiday shops for Winter Village. We do have plans for live music, skating performances, and other events at Winter Village this fall and winter.
What are you currently working on for Bryant Park?
We are still feverishly busy producing live events this summer, and we are also planning for Winter Village.
If performers reading this would like to perform at Bryant Park – is this possible? What are the details…
Yes, we do accept and read proposals from artists and from arts organizations. Please write to our general events email, which can be found on our website. I will caution that we receive many inquiries, and we plan our events several months in advance.
Who’s been your biggest influence, and why? (doesn’t have to be work related)
My parents are my role models, and I continue to learn from them about kindness.
What do you laugh about?
Bad puns. Unexpected discoveries made by the pet cat.
What do you cry about?
Almost every time I listen to the end of Nick Drake’s album Pink Moon my eyes start to water.
Do you have a daily routine?
Less than most people. I spend my time at work very carefully planning and organizing, and in my off-time I enjoy being unscheduled and leaving my options open.
