Paula Reidbord (pictured above)
Mediator, West Tisbury, Massachusetts
How’s the wait going?
My daughter and I got into the park at 5:30 a.m., and it’s been fun. The woman to my right gave me her newspaper to read when she was finished. And my daughter was talking to this guy whose daughter brought a dozen doughnuts and then, all of a sudden, we had doughnuts, too. In past years, some of the guys from the bodegas would come over with menus. I had bacon and eggs in a bagel delivered.
Anything else different about this year’s line?
Romeo the Raccoon is a really cute add-on. He’s the Shakespeare in the Park mascot. I was just talking to the woman who gave me the newspaper, and she asked me what he is. I said, “Come on, can’t you guess?” And she said, “Well, I remember what I voted for — a raccoon.” And I said, “That’s what he is!” And we both started laughing.
Rebecca Turchanik
Sales manager, Roosevelt Island
Julia Masson Reidbord
Actor, Prospect–Lefferts Gardens
Robert Samuel
Courier-business owner, Chelsea
I like your Whitney Houston shirt. Did you ever see her perform?
I was fortunate enough to see her in concert before she passed. I’m glad I got to witness her and Michael Jackson. I didn’t get a chance to witness Prince. I had tickets to Prince, and I sold them to a co-worker. I’m kicking myself to this day.
Jasmine Wang
Software engineer, East Village
Martin Jennings
Musician, Upper West Side
It’s nice of you to play for everyone waiting.
I’ve been doing it for about 27 years, mostly classical themes and then some Broadway tunes after that. For the younger people, I’ve got some pop and rock — Phil Collins and Elton John. That’s not even the most contemporary these days, really.
Susan Juda
Psychoanalyst, Upper West Side
Lisa Knowlton
Bookseller, Washington Heights
Patrick Donovan
Hair colorist and stylist, Upper West Side
Fred S. Chandler
Retiree, North Bellmore
Are you a big theater fan?
I saw The Producers 61 times on Broadway. My daughter played in the pit as a sub 15 times while she was in college. Mel Brooks is a genius.
Romeo the Raccoon
Mascot, Delacorte Theater
Julia Cannon and Franny
English teacher, Carroll Gardens
Buzz Cohen
Stage manager at the Public, Gramercy Park
What’s it like working in the renovated theater?
Well, I’ve worked for the Public since 1985. Twelfth Night is my 80th show for the Public and my 22nd at the Delacorte Theater. It’s like adjusting to a new house, but it’s a familiar house. The bones of it are what they always were, but we keep discovering new capacities.
Emperor Vanity Society
Visual artist and model, Upper East Side
Wow, I love your name.
I’m part of a nonprofit called the Imperial Court of New York, and I was crowned emperor in 2011, hence it’s my legal name on my passport and utilities. The courts weren’t sure when I got it adjusted because it’s a title. They were like, “Can we use ‘Emperor’?” But it was approved and it’s official.
Isaiah Rosenn
Student, Morningside Heights
Casey Kuhns
Aspiring electrician, Upper West Side
Claire Butler
Teacher, Upper West Side
Pauline Kelley
Retail manager, Gramercy Park
Mary Pflum Peterson
Journalist and producer, Upper West Side
You’re first on line for the first show of the season! That’s dedication.
I got here at 4:30 a.m. But I’ve been waiting in this line pretty much every summer since I was a student at Columbia, except for when the theater was closed or when I lived abroad. Years ago, I slept on the sidewalk to get tickets to The Seagull with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Photographs by Frankie Alduino
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