If you are a true theatre lover and connoisseur, uninterested in Broadway cheer or the commercialization of Off-Broadway, then Off-Off Broadway may be the place for you. These small theatres, in Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan, aim to put on productions that push the envelope in terms of form, performance style and subject matter. They all also aim to continue a legacy that started in the late 1950’s in downtown New York coffeehouses, where theatre-makers put on plays without regard for mass appeal or commercial value. Early Off-Off Broadway theatres include Cafe Cino, LaMama theatre, and Judson’s Poet’s Church. Here are five contemporary small New York theatres to visit this season:
The Bushwick Starr is a relatively new theatre that has recently gained city-wide recognition thanks to a New York TImes article that described it as a “home for artists” that puts on bold and innovative work.The Bushwick Starr started as a developmental space for productions in 2001 and grew into a larger scale venue, staging theatrical runs since 2004. Like JACK, they are also involved in community-building efforts and provide affordable productions for people in Bushwick and all over the city. Running until February 7th is “Gertrude Stein: the TMT Lab,” in which over 100 artists will explore Stein’s writing through performance. Running through March is “Social Security,” a performance about a widowed pretzel factory owner searching for companionship. The Starr Reading Series is also held every first Monday of the month at 8pm, encouraging playwrights at all stages of their careers to come read their work.
The Bushwick Starr, 207 Starr Street, Brooklyn, (no phone number listed)
Since 1996, The Flea has aimed to raise standards for Off-Off Broadway shows. Originally formed to provide “a joyful hell in a small place,” works put on at The Flea in Tribeca are bold, innovative and dynamic. This small theatre is comfortable and decidedly non-commercial. Like Dixon Place, Flea has an open-door policy for artists and accepts open submissions for works, but they are also a home for more established downtown artists. They have two small theatre spaces which feature theatre, dance, music and interdisciplinary performances. Ticket prices at The Flea range from first-come-first-served $15 tickets to $50. Now playing is “Smoke,” a BDSM erotic power-game performance which brings together an entitled college student and a jaded artist, featuring the resident Flea company, The Bats. Also playing is “The Cutthroat Series: Lust,” a bloody, violent and sexual selection of scenes from French plays. This is the final installation of a four-part performance series featuring four different works. At the end of the installation the audience will vote for their favorite work, which will return for an extended run.
The Flea Theatre, 41 White Street, 212.352.3101
Before The Brick was a theater space it was a Williamsburg yoga studio, an auto body shop, and a storage space. In 2002, it was completely renovated as a performance space. The Brick holds ongoing monthly series as well as seasonal festivals, and welcomes open submissions for new work. Ongoing series include “Fuckfest” (exploring sex and sexuality), Late Night (single and weekend performances), and Game Play (innovative plays that intersect video gaming and performance). Upcoming shows include: “We Are Animals 3: Secrets We Never Told Our Moms” ($15) a series of sketches, solo acts, and musical performances that “explore our deepest wants and their role in our everyday lives,” and “Bonedive Scrounger” ($18) a performance in which a set of unique characters explore subjects of gentrification and urban danger in a dive bar built on an ancient burial ground.
The Brick Theatre, 579 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-285-3863
A relatively new addition to Clinton Hill in Brooklyn, JACK was founded in 2012. JACK is not only an innovative arts space but community center that hosts events aimed at educating youth and initiating conversations about a variety of cultural topics. Their youth projects are organized in collaboration with Truthworker Theatre Company to offer a free social justice and hip hop performance program for high school and college-aged students in New York. Jack’s season-long series Forward Ferguson (January- June 2015) will include a variety of events: theatre, performance, dance and music performances, and community-wide conversations on racial justice in America. Other upcoming plays include “The Harpers Play” (February 5th-14th) which is a theatrical adaptation of an issue of Harper’s Magazine, and “Lovertits” (March 26-28) described as a “burlesque-postmodern-dance-theatre-bad-improv-performance” about the comedy surrounding performed sex and sexiness.
JACK, 505 ½ Waverly Ave, Brooklyn, (no phone number listed)
Since 1986, Dixon Place’s aim has been to nurture artistic creativity through literary and performance events. This performance space gives a lot of creative leeway to the artists who perform there- something the legacy of Off-Off Broadway theatre encourages, as does the community. They accept open submissions for performance events and help artists, especially those just starting out, develop their works. Dixon Place is a haven for New York experimental theatre. They have ongoing performance, literary events, and dance series. Make sure to check out their calendar to attend a multitude of one-night-only readings and events, which include: Little Theatre, an Obie winning, monthly curated showcase of avant-garde theatre performances, NYC talent showdown, an open mic night for writers and artists, and Under Exposed, a contemporary dance series started in the early 90’s. Many of these shows are free; others cost no more than 20 dollars. Lang grads whose work is featured at Dixon Place include: Sarah Willis and Marco Torriani, both from the class of 2014. Shows running through February include “James Lescene: The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey” about a missing boy from a Jersey shore town, and “Wolfert,” a dance-theatre piece about a debauched New Year’s Eve night in the San Fernando Valley circa 1986. In April, the theatre will be showing “Andy Warhol’s 15 (Color Me Warhol),” described as “a gender-bending, race-shifting, multi-medium ‘Artsploitation’.” Visit Dixon Place any night of the week and something is sure to be going on; if not, get a drink at their bar and relax in their cozy lounge area.
Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street, 212 219-0736
Tamar is a poet, writer, New York-lover and dweller. She studies jounalism+design at The New School.
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