Making extraordinary performing arts and cultural engagement part of everyone's life
The inaugural class of New 42nd Street Fellows concludes its year-long immersion in arts administration today. Jonathan Rodriguez looks back at his experience.
When I arrived to NYC in 2010 from Mexico City, I remember walking around Times Square and down 42nd Street when I came across The New Victory Theater. Unlike other theaters where the doors were closed and not welcoming, The New Victory was open and I saw people around my age (I was 19 at the time) working inside. I said to myself, "Oh wow! How cool is this place. Imagine if I could work here..." Little did I know that the following year I would return and end up working at the New Vic as an Usher.
At the time, it was a rough decision for me because I was just offered a full time job with a Wall Street company that wanted me to start ASAP—just a few days before my first interview with The New Victory Theater. I said to myself, "Jonathan, you may hate yourself in the future but let's risk it!" So I declined it and two or three interviews later, I became an official member of the New Victory Usher Corps in 2011. Yay me!
I remember my first day working at The New Victory Theater. I was amazed by the building itself but at the same time I was so nervous because I had never been in a theater, and I had never worked with people my age. The first show I worked on—and the first show I had ever seen—was The Little Prince. I sat in the balcony and I loved it. I had never experienced theater before and it was so different from watching TV or films.
Right then and there, I knew that being an Usher at the New Vic was the best decision I had ever made in my short life, and this became more and more true in the coming years. The patrons, the managers, the ushers, and the energy of working there had such a positive impact on me, especially because I was going through a rough time, living by myself and feeling alone. Coming to work made me happy and my New Vic family became my New York family.
During my time at The New Victory, I discovered an interest in filmmaking, so as a thank you to The New Victory I decided to create a small documentary about the New Victory Usher Corps. I wanted to show my managers and mentors how much impact they had on my coworkers and myself, and how The New Victory changed my perception of the arts, taught me how to work with other people and helped me follow my dreams. They liked the video so much that it ended up being shown at the big fundraising gala that year. This was really satisfying to me and it was a great way to conclude my relationship with The New Victory.
Or, that's what I thought...
"I wanted to show my managers and mentors how much impact they had, and how The New Victory changed my perception of the arts, taught me how to work with other people and helped me follow my dreams."
