We built a stage, installed our sound system, and added a bunch of acoustic treatment to make the room sound and look great. We came to an agreement with Jesse, and went about customizing the room to meet our needs. We focus on new works and projects that might not have the draw to fill a large room, but deserve the stage time just as much. The back room at Windjammer is smaller, but that actually fits our emerging arts mission more. And it has a long-standing history in the neighborhood, but my friend Jesse took it over around the same time we opened in 2016. But eventually we landed on Windjammer as a partner for multiple reasons it’s close to our old location, for one. We tried to find a new venue to partner with–and it took a few months of trial and error. So when we came upon our space ruined by multiple leaks in the roof and bar area last summer, I scrambled to save our amazing sound gear and backline. How did that relationship with the Windjammer come about, and what’s your space there like? We’re running all our programming from 552 Grandview now. Luckily, we’ve managed to preserve that atmosphere and bring it with us to our new stage at the Windjammer. We were prepared to have to bridge some gaps with an open mind and heart. We knew moving into a neighborhood like Ridgewood, Queens–well, it’s a little old world, still. We were always about community and inclusivity first. Our programming was all over the place, with daily emerging arts: comedy, music, burlesque, drag… you name it, we booked it. But we made it work pretty well for 4+ years… until the pandemic and some serious water damage to the space made it uninhabitable.įootlight was/is a queer owned and mostly queer-operated space. We opened in July 2016 on Seneca–after a long, irritating process with our landlord that took over a year, from signing the lease to opening the doors. He makes a Zine for Footlight to help advertise. My husband / partner Tim is more of the visual artist I dabble. But I have a side project that has yet to get started, but hopefully now will be called STAB. Naw… unfortunately my drummer moved to Berlin. I played as Bridget and the Squares (BatS) here in NYC from 2009-2013, and in HAWT ME$$ from 2012 on. After school, I played in bands and toured. I was in the first graduating class at Boston Arts Academy, and luckily went on to a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston. I started playing guitar and piano when I was 11. I could always sing, and had a natural predilection for attracting attention to myself. I started out in musical theater as a kid. I see you’ve been busy! Before we discuss Footlight, can you tell us what your background in music is? I am just happy to be safe, healthy and working again so far. Regan: Summer 2021 is certainly better than 2020, but not super fabulous yet. Covid and construction woes forced the venue’s untimely close, but now a new and more intimate space brings Footlight’s unique platform back to the community once again. Regan opened the Footlight, she created a safe, queer and interesting space for performing artists of all genres in residential Ridgewood, Queens.
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