South Street Seaport Dismissing Performers?!?

[nick nickolas]

Yeh I agree with the others Josh,
get over it, go somewhere else, your a busker so busk ! Maybe try California maybe Europe, maybe ,,,,anywhere... there's a lot of pitches and a big wide world out there,,go busk it !

Nick

[jugglerjosh]

Tips? More, He wants More?

Gee Buggers,

Tips? More, He wants More?

My hometown.

But, this is really insulting.

I've been working 32 years. Write to a non-professional who has all their teeth.

Goodbye.

Sincerely, Josh.

[USA BREAK DANCERS]

Write to a non-professional who has all their teeth? Can some one translate for me?

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

That rocks, Josh, you are too easy by a mile. A few of the established rascals call you out on your whining and you, reply by whining. It was sort of like a poem. Thanks.

[Lee Nelson]

I was just trying to save you some time and tell you what the judge is gonna tell you after you have wasted another 5 or 10 years of your life trying to take this to court.
Grow up dude.

[circusboy90210]

south street seaport...

If the same is true about this location as bayside mall in miami. You might hae an outside chance. Bayside is a private mall located in a public park. I don't see how a private company can have control of a public park . find out what areas of the sea port are owned by the city if any. work right on the fringe of the property if this is not the case . I understand it's the traffic your after, so find out what route most people take to get in & out of there & work right on the edge of the property .

I was just trying to save you some time and tell you what the judge is gonna tell you after you have wasted another 5 or 10 years of your life trying to take this to court.
Grow up dude.

[Magic Brian]

South Street Seaport

Okay, to clear some things up about the Seaport. I was told that Josh was dismissed from the Seaport because he was causing problems and Nancy because she was charging for her balloons. It's private property, if we are going to work there we have to follow their rules, that's why there is an audition process. If you don't want to follow the rules then find another place to work.
The Seaport is also a venue (there is a big stage on one of the main pitches) so it gets booked out which means that performers take a second seat to big companies wanting to use their space.
I have meet with the people at the Seaport several times to explain to them the importance of supporting a street theater program. Most of them understand and agree to the value of having live, free entertainment for the public.
However, there are many issues that prevent that. One being big companies pay big money to use their space. Another problem is that there are some of the restaurants in the market complaining about noise from shows. They complain to management and management tells us we need to move to another place, not use amps, be quieter, etc.
Honestly, the Seaport is not the best pitch to work anyway. I hear it was great back in the '80's but this ain't the 80's. Yes, money can be made there and occasionally it can be really good but it's not amazing. But no matter what, I think it's important to keep any pitch open, big or small.
It's my home pitch (when I'm there) and I have been trying to make it better by offering suggestions to the seaport management from a performers perspective. They have been listening but unfortunately
this year they closed one of the pitches and the other was only available during the week (Mon-Thurs). This was a huge kick in the balls but there was nothing that could be done to change that for this season. I'm hoping that next year things will be a little different.
The End.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

The wheel keeps turning...

Found this on a different thread, looks like the seaport will probably survive.

http://www.performers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=764

Casting East

General April 11, 2003

STREET PERFORMERS, SOUTH STREET SEAPORT


4/14 from 12noon-2PM and 5:30-7:30PM outside on Pier 17 or in Pier 17 building, 3rd fl., NYC.

The South Street Seaport seeks a broad mix of entertainment including acrobats, dancers, jugglers, magicians, mimes, musicians, puppeteers, storytellers, and balloonists to join its 2003 street performer roster. Novelty, individualism, talent, and appropriateness are the Seaport's standards. Compensation is on a "pass the hat"/donation basis only. Auditions will be held Mon. April 14 from 12noon-2PM and 5:30-7:30PM and take place outside on Pier 17 (weather permitting, otherwise on the 3rd floor of the Pier 17 building), NYC. Auditions are conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only selected applicants will be notified by mail. For more information, call (212) 732-8257, ext. 7021. (First posted 4/11)
__________________

[balloonscapes]

He said, she said

Brian, You really didn't clear anything up, not to be rude but I know both performers and heard their stories. Fact is Seaport wanted and did cut most performers for all sorts of their reasons. btw i have seen your performance and pitch, whereas you definitely croos the line also. Most of us performers they (the seaport) simply waited and did not rehire us the following year. You being a spokesperson for them might of helped your cause. Just Sayin!

Okay, to clear some things up about the Seaport. I was told that Josh was dismissed from the Seaport because he was causing problems and Nancy because she was charging for her balloons. It's private property, if we are going to work there we have to follow their rules, that's why there is an audition process. If you don't want to follow the rules then find another place to work.
The Seaport is also a venue (there is a big stage on one of the main pitches) so it gets booked out which means that performers take a second seat to big companies wanting to use their space.
I have meet with the people at the Seaport several times to explain to them the importance of supporting a street theater program. Most of them understand and agree to the value of having live, free entertainment for the public.
However, there are many issues that prevent that. One being big companies pay big money to use their space. Another problem is that there are some of the restaurants in the market complaining about noise from shows. They complain to management and management tells us we need to move to another place, not use amps, be quieter, etc.
Honestly, the Seaport is not the best pitch to work anyway. I hear it was great back in the '80's but this ain't the 80's. Yes, money can be made there and occasionally it can be really good but it's not amazing. But no matter what, I think it's important to keep any pitch open, big or small.
It's my home pitch (when I'm there) and I have been trying to make it better by offering suggestions to the seaport management from a performers perspective. They have been listening but unfortunately
this year they closed one of the pitches and the other was only available during the week (Mon-Thurs). This was a huge kick in the balls but there was nothing that could be done to change that for this season. I'm hoping that next year things will be a little different.
The End.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

In point of fact, Brian did clear some things up. Just sayin'.

[martin ewen]

"and mysteriously there appeared at seaport a large bronze statue of a sad woebegone troubedore, beneath it etched the words, "who moved my cheese?"

And people would pause in passing and gaze at the frozen malencholie and feel a warm glow as they concluded that things for them could be worse, that they could be sallow crack whores with septic ulcers all over their face or perhaps even a mime. Until one day someone noted the statue was crying and they collected the tears and had them analyzed and it was found to be a rare form of liquid bitter disappointment , a unique tincture of self aware minor tragedy that would poison anyone who drank it with an inflamed seductive masochistic bitter funk.

Sigh... Then Simon Cowell got hold of some and went on to be a successfully unhappy person trapped by greed in his own hell surrounded by people with dreams while all his he'd crushed himself such that he topped out as a talent show bozo.

The moral of this story is that personal tragedy and the worlds indifference are like internal tattoos of great complexity and intricate design. Homelessness, mental fragility, the constant inner child screaming "I deserve better!"

They may enrich your inner life in their own toxic fashion but unless you are spectacular about it they will never enrich anyone elses and eventually you work out that the battles you choose to pick should be battles you can win and move on from rather than battles that define your ongoing defeat.

Man I should eat something, I think I might be delirious.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Jesus Ewen, you've still got it.




I think there's an I in "wraith".

[jugglerjosh]

Let me explain to you...

Wow.

You really are tripping.

Sincerely, Josh

[Magic Brian]

Thanks Karl,
I'm not sure what didn't get cleared up for Brian. I guess one thing I should clear up is that I am not a spokesperson for the Seaport and never, ever have been. I'm not quite sure where that idea came from. I am a performer who lives in New York and would like to save the only pitch where you don't have to worry about being stopped by or ticketed by the police, and/or the parks department and don't have to fight for territory against the break dancers.
As for "croos"ing (I'm assuming you mean crossing?) the line, Brian, what line are you referring to and what am I doing to cross it?

For those actually interested in my opinion, I met with the management at the Seaport to see what could be done to save, or improve the program. This is by no means a selfish act. I am hardly in New York during the season but when I am here I like to work. Mostly I hate to see a pitch disappear, especially in my home city.
They were very open to hearing what I had to say: basically to re-open the market pitch and allow shows on weekends. The main issue is that the Seaport is a venue in one of the biggest cities in the world. Events are going to happen and those events take precedent over street performers making scheduling weekends difficult.
They were open and receptive to my comments about how although we don't directly bring money to the Seaport we do bring atmosphere and we bring people. The people bring the money to spend in the stores, at the restaurants and hopefully drop in our hats.
They do appreciate the program and do want it to thrive. One of the biggest issues this year is that there will be construction in the market through most of the season, but hopefully there can still be a place for some acts to work (statues or smaller shows).
Anyway, that's a brief version of the meeting I had. I also tried to convince them to hold the auditions on the weekend so the performers have chance to play for an actual audience.
We'll see what happens.

[jugglerjosh]

Ending It.

Museum Mile June 14th, 2011.