How the Head of a Theater Nonprofit Spends His Sundays

Michael Presser's work as the founder of Inside Broadway (a nonprofit organization) that introduces Broadway musicals into New York City public schools and New York City students to Broadway musicals could see more young people tuning in to the Tony Awards on Sunday.

The free tickets program that began in the early 80s for local students to attend 'Cats,' has now reached 75,000 students every year in 90 schools with its own touring shows and educational programs. The current shows include 'You are a Good Man Charlie Brown', 'Sophisticated Ladies,' and Free to Be... You And Me'.

He is still celebrating the milestone birthday of his organization, even though it will be 41 years old this year. Since we have a fiscal calendar, it means we still have 40 days until June 30. We're still celebrating.

Quiet formality is my favorite thing to do in the morning. I am not a morning person so I love having quiet around me. I don't watch TV or listen to the radio. Instead, I like to read the morning paper and take my time reading the latest news. I don't wear pajamas, or sports clothes. I am formal.

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My apartment has a small garden. Sunday mornings are a great time to enjoy the newspaper and tea. I don't drink coffee. I like black or green tea. When I receive guests from outside New York, many are amazed to see the garden in Manhattan. They think that all New Yorkers reside in Times Square. I love the plants and my gardener, who looks after them. I'm no horticulturist.

On the phone, I like to call friends and family members who live outside New York. This is a great time to talk with someone who lives in a different time zone. It's easier to catch up on the phone because it's a more personal and direct exchange. I find social media to be superficial.

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It is a great honor for me to walk around my neighborhood every week. It's something I began doing during the pandemic. Then, I used to go on these walks every day. Greenwich Village is a place I enjoy, even though I have lived here for a very long time. Sometimes you may take your immediate surroundings for granted. This particular neighborhood has a lot of history and beautiful architecture. It's an area in New York that is very special and I consider it an honor to have lived there for so long.

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I'm always stopping to get bagels and lox. It's a tradition I have from my childhood growing up in Philadelphia. As a child, my uncle used to bring a bag full of bagels and lox every Sunday to our home. This was something I looked forward to every Sunday. It's a memory I cherish. I'll go to Murray's on Sixth Avenue. I will take it to my house and eat in the garden. This is my lunch.

I love going to the theatre on Sundays for matinee performances. I've always enjoyed this. On Sundays, I am well-rested and able to focus on the performance, which is something I find difficult to do during weekdays. I see Broadway, but also Off Broadway, and other shows. The wide variety of theatre we have is really amazing. This is a great time to take it all in. Recently, I attended a new opera, "Champion," at the Metropolitan Opera and saw "Kimberly Akimbo." I also had the opportunity to attend one of the last performances of the opera, Phantom of the Opera.

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Take Me Out Sundays during baseball season are a great opportunity to visit Yankee Stadium. Baseball was my favorite sport as a kid. I lost interest for quite a while, but I've recently rediscovered the game. I find it fascinating; the strategies and the players with their unique skills. In the summer, I find it a great experience to watch a baseball match outdoors. Yankee Stadium is an institution in New York. I use the subway. I take the subway.

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A FIRM REGULATION We have a group of friends that meet on Sunday evenings for dinner at the Westway Diner, in Hell's Kitchen. We can share what we have been up to this week and discuss the arts. We all have strong opinions and I encourage everyone to respect the opinions of others. This is a strict rule. No politics.

Travel research is something I do after dinner. I plan my projects, activities, and most importantly, the travel I will be doing over the next few months. Since I don't like the beach, I plan my travels around major cities. I can research what theatre I would like to attend and who I'd like to meet within the local arts scene.

LATE-NIGHT Stack I am a night person. I can stay awake until the early hours of the morning, or even later. I can read for myself. The New York Public Library is one of my favorite things about living in New York. I have a lot of books from the library. I like biographies and historical books. The library has a nice feature where you can take out a book and return it if you do not like it.

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