Central Park SummerStage getting $5 million upgrade

Central Park Summerstage will soon wrap up its 2018 season and when it’s done, the outdoor venue, located at Rumsey Playfield, will be getting a much-needed upgrade to the tune of $5 million. The Wall Street Journal reports that improvements will include a new stage and lighting, plus new bleachers, public bathroom facilities, as well as showers for the backstage area. City Parks officials say funding is coming from both private and public sources. Here’s more from the WSJ article:

All this is being welcomed by the Bowery Presents, a New York concert promoter that partners with City Parks on roughly 20 ticketed shows each season at SummerStage. (The remaining 30 shows in the venue’s annual lineup are free and presented directly by City Parks.)

Jim Glancy, a partner with Bowery Presents, said SummerStage has always held a special place in New York’s concert life by virtue of its “incredible setting.” But the venue hasn’t kept pace with even festivals that are staged “in the middle of nowhere.”

Blood Orange and Yves Tumor played SummerStage on Wednesday night, and Angelique Kidjo will perform her reimagining of Talking Heads’ Remain in Light tonight which is free. The final show at Central Park Summerstage will be Elsie Fest on October 7 with Sutton Foster, Joshua Henry, Alex Newell, Darren Criss and special guests Rufus Wainwright, Grant Gustin, Jodi Benson, and more (tickets).