8 JULY 22, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Pepsi to honor two Queens artists through new campaign
BY PAUL JUNIOR PRUDENT
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Two Queens artists are among a
group candidates nominated for
the Pepsi’s new campaign that
intends to spotlight real New Yorkers
that embody the true spirit of New York
City.
Pepsi is bringing nine locals representing
all fi ve boroughs front and center
to be the face of its newly launched
summer campaign, “Pepsi. It’s a New
York Thing,” and giving them each
$10,000 to continue embodying the true
character of the city. The campaign
started July 7 and runs through July 25.
Pepsi wants to support the eff orts of
locals who help their community, give
back and contribute in an authentic
and uplift ing way. The company is
giving each local some fi nancial assistance
that they can use to help keep
their “New York Thing” going now and
in the long run.
“This campaign is about continuing
to show our pride and support for
New York City, our home for decades,”
said Chief Marketing Offi cer of North
Division for PepsiCo Beverages North
America Umi Patel.
She said the campaign is to celebrate
locals whose diversity, unique energy
and unapologetic enjoyment for their
passions make New York City “one of
the best places in the world.”
The two artists who represent
Queens are Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz,
a subway performer from Queens, and
Caitlin Doyle, who is an actress and
creative who started the Instagram account
@UrbanHaiku as an ode to New
York City. They will have the chance to
Courtesy of PepsiCo
be the next local Pepsi signs for their
upcoming promotion.
The campaign will feature the locals
across billboards and digital content
and comes off the back of the brand’s
latest custom product packaging just
for New York City, featuring the city’s
most recognizable landmarks including
the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square
and a shout-out to the classic NYC hot
dog vendor.
“Pepsi is an unapologetic brand and
a New York company through and
through, from our headquarters location
to our place on the city skyline, and
we want Pepsi engrained within NYC
culture,” Patel said. “Like these passionate
locals, Pepsi is ‘a New York thing.’”
The company will judge candidates
based on their positive impact on the
community, how they celebrate a true
passion about the city, their contribution
as true champions of the diversity
of NYC and how they deliver an uplift -
ing sentiment of being an inspiring
leader.
The brand is also inviting New Yorkers
to nominate six more locals to get
their own shot at $10,000 in support
of their passion, for a total of $150,000
going to the city’s own. The candidate
should be someone who works hard to
create something for or give back to the
community.
Fans can nominate the people they
know to be one of the six winners by
going on social media, using both the
hashtags #PepsiNYCLocal and #Contest,
and tagging @Pepsi, and telling
everyone why the nominee should be
the next local that Pepsi honors.
To learn more and for offi cial rules,
visit PepsiItsANewYorkThing.com.
Read more on QNS.com.
Queens Theatre launches fi rst summer of outdoor performances
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
The Queens Theatre kicked off
its fi rst year of outdoor summer
performances at Flushing Meadows
Corona Park.
Performances featuring diverse
musicians and dancers will take the
stage this summer ending Aug. 7.
Taryn Sacramone, the Queens
Theatre’s executive director, said
that they wanted to make sure the
artists refl ected the diverse borough
of Queens.
“We have an incredibly diverse
community, and dance is an incredible
way to celebrate diff erent cultures,”
Sacramone said. “It makes for a really
joyous experience. People love music
and people love dance.“
The programs are free and are supported
by sponsors such as Con Edison.
“It’s vibrant, exciting and makes
people feel good,” Sacramone said.
“We couldn’t be more excited to get
back to having shared experiences.”
One of the audience members
reached out to Queens Theatre aft er
attending a tap performance from
the award-winning Dorrance Dance
company last weekend.
“As soon as the dancers came on
stage with their energy, enthusiasm
and skill, I began to cry,” the audience
member wrote in an anonymous letter
to Sacramone. “I knew I had missed
live theatre, but I was overcome with
feelings of joy and sorrow of having
missed this live experience for so long.
I didn’t know how much my heart, my
humanity, had missed the communal
experience.”
Sacramone said that experience is
exactly how the Queens Theatre is
looking to impact the community.
Queens Theatre will be presenting
more than 300 artists between the
Flushing Meadow Park stage and the
Corona Plaza performances.
“During the pandemic, they had no
performance opportunities,” Sacramone
said. “I’ve been overwhelmed
realizing how much we all have missed
this and how valuable it is. You can’t
take those life experiences for granted
anymore.”
Sacramone said that the outdoor
stage has come with its own set of challenges.
For example, at the premiere
of the summer stage last weekend, it
started to drizzle as Dorrance Dance
company was supposed to begin the
performance. However, despite the
weather being a hurdle to overcome,
Sacramone wants to continue the outdoor
stage in the future.
“There’s this excitement to outdoor
performances,” Sacramone said.
“Everything aligns, and you can have
this beautiful summer night. I think
that there’s something really special
about it.”
Queens Theatre will also present
the performances virtually. Tickets
are free but must be reserved at
queenstheatre.org.
The summer stage at Flushing
Meadows Corona Park presents the
following performances:
• Orchestra of St. Luke’s on July 22
at 7:30 p.m.
• Calpulli Mexican Dance Company
on July 24, and Aug. 5, 6 and 7 at 7:30
p.m.
• Queens Dance Party by Queensborough
Dance Festival featuring:
Michael Thomas Quintet on July 27 at
7:30 p.m.; Motherland Dances on July
29 at 7:30 p.m.; and Os Clavlitos on Aug.
3 at 7:30 p.m.
Queens Theatre new outdoor stage in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Photo by Dominick Totino Photography
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