By Yepoka Yeebo
DNAinfo Reporter/ Producer
CENTRAL PARK — Professional sitters are charging theatre fans up to $125 to sit in line for the first come, first served tickets for Shakespeare in the Park, which starts today.
For decades, New Yorkers and visitors have sat in line outside the Delacorte Theatre until the tickets are handed out at 1 pm.
Bill Conklin (not his real name) tells the Daily News that he has been a line-sitter for six years.
"I'm selling my services and my time, not tickets," he said, according to the News. "People pay for anything in New York."
Cops say this counts as scalping.
"I think that's kind of terrible," said Upper East Sider Doug Becker. "For people to be literally scalping the tickets, and taking advantage making a profit on something that's supposed to be for everybody in New York, it's horrible."
Others said they could see why people would pay to avoid waiting in line: "If you take a day off work, you'll lose more than $125," said Alicia Bendz, a Shakespeare fan visiting from Canada.
"But I don't agree with it, personally, if you yourself aren't in the line."
This year's first performance sees Jesse L. Martin in 'The Winter's Tale' tonight. Al Pacino plays Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice' on Saturday.
"I'm a huge Jesse L Martin fan, as soon as I heard [he was performing] I said 'Mom, I'm going to New York,'" said Marissa Ahn, who was a visiting with Bendz.
"And I'm a fan of Al Pacino."
