Broadway Stages President Gina Argento Supports Local Scholarship Event

Gina Argento, President of Broadway Stages, is joining Lakeland Bank in serving high school students of Hamburg, New Jersey. Gina will participate in the 44th Annual Scholarship Fund Golf Outing as a lunch sponsor, contributing financial donations to the fundraising event for student scholarships. Funds raised at the event will be used to support students attending public and private schools in the Hamburg area. The direct allocation of funds to the community is part of Lakeland's commitment to reinvest back into the Hamburg community.

As a Brooklyn-based business, Broadway Stages has sponsored school events and educational workshops for Brooklyn students to further their education. Gina recently had the opportunity to work with Kingsborough Community College's CXM Academy and Scholarship program, so it is no surprise that she is enthusiastic to support Lakeland's goal to help New Jersey students. As a financial contributor to Lakeland's scholarship fundraiser, Gina hopes to give students the opportunity to pursue their educational careers.

Broadway Stages Supports Student Learning on the Go

Books are a great way for children to learn and explore a wide range of subjects through literacy. Being able to learn the principles of biology or discover the adventure of Jack and the Beanstalk makes books the educational gateways that help lead students to academic achievement and self discovery. Though originally only limited to the confines of a library, the Brooklyn Story Voyager is now a library on wheels that brings a reading classroom wherever the students live.

For the 5th Annual North Brooklyn Touch-a-Truck Fundraiser, Gina Argento, President of Broadway Stages, has partnered with the St. Nicks Alliance to replenish the Brooklyn Story Voyager reading inventory with new children's books for elementary school children. By providing new books for children to read, Gina hopes they will be able to enjoy new educational science and fictional story books to further increase their educational literacy. This should undoubtably lead to more reading and more learning!

Helping provide elementary students with greater access to educational materials is part of the commitment that Gina has undertaken to eliminate educational obstacles. Gina has been a supporter of greater access to and greater quality of education for many years, working with multiple educational organizations and schools to achieve her goal. Gina will continue to support educational opportunities like the Brooklyn Story Voyager and hopes you can join her in the next educational fundraiser to help students together.

Broadway Stages Leads the Way in Going Green

Traditional energy sources come from non-renewable resources such as coal and fossil fuels. These non-renewable resources are known to cause detrimental effects to our environment. Byproducts, such as carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from burning coal and fossil fuels, are the leading causes of irreversible environmental concerns, the biggest of which is global warming.

However, in recent years, the transition to more sustainable and green sources of energy have grown popular. One of the most popular natural resources is solar energy, which relies only on the power of the sun to generate electricity. In fact, homes every day across the nation are being converted to solar homes with solar panels installed on rooftops to sustain residential energy needs.

Likewise, rather than relying heavily on traditional sources of energy, since 2010 Broadway Stages has committed to solar energy as a significant energy resource to become Brooklyn's first sound stage to be powered by solar energy. With over 50,000 square feet of solar panels installed on Kingsland sound stage rooftop, our solar energy output accounts for 30% of our energy needs. Solar rooftops as large as ours are also helping reduce up to 822,000 pounds of carbon emission in the air, which would require over 8,000 trees to absorb annually.

In conjunction with our solar commitment, Broadway Stages also participates in New York City's CoolRoofs Program, which encourages businesses to cover rooftops with white reflective paint to reduce energy consumption used to cool buildings. As a result of using two innovative green energy resources, Broadway Stages uses significantly less electrical energy from traditional sources of power than normal sound stages. Choosing to be leaders in creating green energy sound stages, Broadway Stages is changing the way green energy is being used in the film and television industry in New York. Broadway Stages is helping lead the way as one of Brooklyn's largest full-service film production companies that is going green!

Broadway Stages President Gina Argento Supports YMCA Camp Spirit Day

Gina Argento, President of Broadway Stages and board member of YMCA Greenpoint, believes that recreational activity and student enrichment programs are crucial pieces of positive youth development. As a financial contributor to the YMCA and YMCA sponsored events, Gina's active participation directly supports outreach programs and summer camps.

The YMCA Camp Spirit Day brings together young campers at its annual celebration to showcase spectacular musical and dance talent performed at the end of its summer program. This year's spirit summer theme was "Myths & Legends" with participants from student-named groups "Trolls," "Be Our Guests," "The Rhythm," and "Zuka Zama." Each group performance taught campers about the importance of teamwork and helping one another.

YMCA events like these help provide students with artistic enrichment that is essential to creative development. By promoting creative expressions in the form of dance and music, the YMCA allows young campers to enjoy themselves while exploring their artistic talents.

Gina's contributions also help maximize community participation at the YMCA by providing families with free memberships. Focused on improving recreational activity outreach and participation, Gina dedicates her resources to provide every child access to recreational activities that will benefit their mental, social, and physical growth.

Broadway Stages Goes Greener Every Day With Kingsborough Community College

Kingsborough Community College (KCC) is helping create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future with this year's Brooklyn Science Innovation Initiative. The program challenges students to develop their own sustainable concepts while studying real-world sustainability at KCC's Urban Farm.

Learning from their five-week experience at the KCC Urban Farm, students were able to better understand and explore how their innovative ideas can help impact the way we grow food. By performing hands-on activities, KCC students were able to directly test, observe, and explore their unique ideas. The summer program helped galvanize projects that involved a combination of recycling, solar power, composting, nutrition, energy conservation, and sanitation from the drawing board to reality. This is an exciting step to get more students involved in STEM research to help bring green ideas into reality.

Gina Argento, Trustee of Kingsborough Community College and President of Broadway Stages, is excited to see Kingsborough students enthusiastic about wanting to change the way we live by creating solutions to real-world environmental issues. As a long-time supporter of KCC partners, including working with them to build their STEM lab and CXM academy, Gina looks forwards to continuing to support KCC and its students in creating a brighter and greener future together. Together with KCC, Broadway Stages cheers students and STEM research for the future!

Broadway Stages Encourages Students to SING!

Broadway Stages is proud to support SING!, an annual student musical production that showcases collective student talent. With attendance that easily fills the auditoriums of dozens of schools, SING! is one of the most popular events in participating high schools.

The production is fully run by students, from creative script writing to unique dance choreography and song selection. SING! challenges students to work in harmony for a greater cause. Most importantly, it is a great a way for students to build long-lasting friendships and learn teamwork skills through sharing the desire to create the best performance.

Created to spark student school spirit, SING! has accomplished itself beyond that capacity, with parents and school faculty rallying behind the event with just as much excitement. In fact over 5,480 parents, staff, and grads attend the annual SING! across 23 high schools to show their support and enthusiasm for the semester rehearsal and practice. The event is also a great opportunity for students to tie up the school year by showcasing their artistic talents to their parents and teachers.

As one of New York's largest full-service film and production companies, Broadway Stages seeks to help and support student education in musical productions that develop strong friendships and explore individual creative expressions. Staying true to our commitment to education, Broadway Stages has financially supported this year's SING! by covering over a thirdd of SING's expenses. Happily assisting in sponsoring production supplies and production consultants from ArtsConnection, Broadway Stages understands that productions require ample financial resources to properly operate. Broadway Stages is proud to support 23 school's student-run musical productions this year, so each student can showcase his or her individual and collective talents.

Staten Island Stages Right Around the Corner!

The former Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, located in Staten Island, has been vacant since 2011. Since 2013, Broadway Stages has been committed to redeveloping the facility into an economic center for the Staten Island community. Looking to bring the film and television industry into Staten Island, Broadway Stages wants to share the economic boon and benefits with local Staten Island business owners and residents.

It is no secret that film production requires not only hundreds of personnel to produce each episode but also require local services such as food, location, or supplies from local vendors. Just as Broadway Stages sources all of our resources from Brooklyn-based businesses, Staten Island Stages will follow the same commitment toward local neighborhood businesses. This translates to restaurants getting daily orders, Staten Island businesses selling construction material, and small businesses being paid to use their locations for filming. The reinvestment back into Staten Island will create a cycle of continual economic prosperity between the incoming film industry and business owners.

Since selected to develop the property in 2014, Broadway Stages has invested financial resources to bring the property up to code, provide working electric and water utilities, and hired security to develop the property. Even prior to yesterday's closing, Broadway Stages has been fully committed to maintaining the property for the past few years. With the closing completed, Staten Island Stages will be able to start construction for five new full sound stages, production offices, construction shops, and set dressing spaces. In total, upon the completion of Staten Island Stages, there will be an expected 1,300 new jobs created in the area, with the construction of the facility to employ 350 workers on the project.

Set to open in 2018, Staten Island Stages aims to become the best sound stage location for Staten Island and hopes to bring major economic benefits to Staten Island business owners and people. Staten Island Stages is coming soon!

New York's Superheroes Are Here to Stay!

Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that New York State and Marvel Studios have reached an agreement that will extend Marvel's upcoming original TV show "The Defenders." The show, which follows the story of individual superheroes who join forces to defeat the villainous organization The Hand, will add an additional 75 episodes to the initial 60 episodes already planned to be filmed in New York City.

Additional episodes are not only good news for the film industry and fans but for the New York economy as a whole. The new episodes add to the benefits of New York's state film tax credit for production companies that operate in the state. The tax credit has already helped spur $17 billion of economic activity and helped employ over a million jobs since 2011. The explosion of economic activity in the film industry benefits a wide range of neighbor industries, including clothing and arts. In addition, the production activity also impacts small businesses including local restaurants, which help feed hundreds of people that operate a production everyday. The impacts and benefits of the film industry spread to small and large businesses alike.

With the tax credit to extend until 2022, New York City is sure to maintain a booming film industry and create business for those who service the film industry.

Broadway Stages Sponsors Glendale and Brooklyn 94th Precinct National Night Out

This past Tuesday, Broadway Stages sponsored the National Night Out to honor the hardworking and brave men and women of the 94th Precinct protecting Greenpoint every day. The annual community event promotes police and resident camaraderie and helps create safer neighborhoods by bringing together local residents with those who pledge to serve them. The event honoring our local officers was a huge success!

Broadway Stages invited all our neighbors in Greenpoint to enjoy delicious grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausages topped with fresh veggies on us! Serving hundreds of families and children that night, Broadway Stages came prepared with dozens of pounds of food to accommodate our hungry guests.

Among the most popular attraction at the event was the water jet game, which involves shooting a water pistol at a target three feet away to elevate your pole to the top. The game attracted children and adults, with winners taking home toys including SpongeBob and emoji plushies.

At the end of the night, we held a showing of all the honorable servicemen and women who strive to keep our communities and families safe. As police officers walked to the stage, they were greeted with rounds of applause by community members thankful for their service. Receiving cheers from the crowd, the 94th Precinct sure felt right at home at the National Night Out.

We hope that the 94th Precinct and our fellow Brooklynites enjoyed the event and look forward to continuing to serve our community, as the 94th Precinct does.

Brooklyn Eagle Attends Broadway Stages' Kingsland Wildflowers Brooklyn Reveal

Founder of Broadway Stages and partner of the Kingsland Wildflower Project Tony Argento believes that you cannot put a price on the natural environment and strives to personally protect resources. When asked by the Brooklyn Eagle about the enormous cost for foundational engineering, soil and water bedding, and roofing, Tony says, "just look around you."

As a business owner in Greenpoint, Tony is familiar with the importance of the Newtown Creek to the Greenpoint community. While looking for ways to protect the natural integrity of the area for generations to come, Tony was more than happy to commit financial resources, roof space, and personal time to the Kingsland Wildflowers Project.

Having initially committed 22,000 square feet of space in roofing for the project, Tony has already pledged an additional 10,000 square feet for the green space to expand. The extra space adds to the area that is already inhabited by flowers, insects, and birds. More green roofing also absorbs more rainwater that benefits the Newtown Creek because "it prevents rainwater from flowing into the storm drains and overflowing the Creek." When the additional 20,000 square feet are completed, the project will more than double its environmental impact. 

Since 2015, the Kingsland Wildflowers Project brought together preservationists from Broadway Stages, Alive Structures, the NYC Audubon, and Trout in the Classroom to restore and revitalize the Newtown Creek area for Brooklynites. And only two years later, 10,000 square feet of open garden space is completed with 20,000 more square feet set to be completed in the following years to come. Stick around for more to come!

AM New York Visits Broadway Stages' Rooftop Farm

Urban farming has grown in popularity over the last decade with new farms sprouting every few months in New York City. The entire niche industry is now seeing more growth than ever before with new city regulations that allow expanded farm sizes and investor interest in scaling the urban farms into larger businesses. The spur of the urban rooftop farming movement was put forth by early pioneers that saw potential in building healthy and delicious farming alternatives right in the heart of New York.

At the forefront of urban rooftop farming was Broadway Stages' Eagle Street Rooftop Farms located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which started in 2009 with help from expert farmer Annie Novak. Almost a decade old, Rooftop Farms is considered to be NYC's iconic farming destination, ranking first in EcoWatch's list of NYC's urban farming projects.

Local newspaper AM New York stopped by this week to showcase the positive benefits of Broadway Stages and Annie Novak and their partnership in helping grow a niche community that is focused on providing fresh quality foods right in our own city.

"Now there's a positive shift from the community who want to see these spaces," Annie says. Annie reminds everyone that the produce grown at Rooftop Farms, which ranges from kale and spinach to other vegetables, source the quality ingredients served at local restaurants including Anella's, Spritzenhaus, and Marlow & Sons.

While serving restaurants in the Brooklyn area, Rooftop Farms also makes sure to include local residents to share the experience of urban farming. Rooftop Farms invites Brooklynites to come and visit the rooftop on Sundays, participating as urban farmers or as locals who are looking to purchase fresh ingredients. The farm also hosts educational workshops for students to learn about the positive environmental benefits of urban farming and offers a demonstration of how the farm grows its vegetables. Rooftop Farms is perfect for New Yorkers who want to learn about urban farming and eat fresh. Come visit us soon!

A Look Into the Kingsland Wildflowers Project During the Brooklyn Reveal

The Kingsland Wildflowers rooftop project sponsored by Broadway Stages seeks to pioneer new opportunities to preserve native wildlife and flowers species in New York City urban spaces.

The project utilizes Broadway Stages' warehouse infrastructure to support up to 22,000 square feet of soil and compost used for growing plants. The abundance of plants will act as a natural habitat for wildlife such as birds and insects. Preserving wildlife and nature is part of Broadway Stages' commitment to environmental stewardship.

Since the project began in 2015, Gina Argento, President of Broadway Stages, has committed financial resources to construct the foundation of the garden and dozens of workers to plant thousands of flowers.

Almost two years later, Broadway Stages occasionally grants members of the community a "sneak peek" into the progress of the project. During our "Brooklyn Reveal" events, Broadway Stages offers attendees the opportunity to walk about the rooftop garden and learn about the progress of the project.

Once completed, the rooftop space will also function as a public space open to residences and neighbors to enjoy recreational activity. The rooftop offers a plethora of flowers ranging from bright tickseeds to violet aster flowers. Visitors can walk on a stone path carved through the garden of flowers that emulates a walk through a flower field. Though not yet fully completed, Broadway Stages wants to assure you the project will be completed soon! So be sure to look out for the full completion of the Kingsland Wildflowers Project soon!