Off-Off-Broadway & Beyond
The very best indie theatre in NYC.
The off-off-Broadway movement began in the 1950s as a rejection to the commercialization of the NYC theatre scene. Today, with the average cost of a ticket to a Broadway show running well over $100, it’s no wonder the off and off-off Broadway scenes are alive and well. And more recently—with theatre artists themselves looking to create their own opportunities—there seems to have been a resurgence of indie theatres operating out of basements, kitchens, living rooms and whatever spaces performers can afford. Born from necessity, the resulting theatrical performances are alive with a refreshing sense of intimacy, necessary experimentation and a burgeoning theatre scene that feels fresh for the first time in recent memory.
And though we still love a good Broadway show, this is the kind of creative energy NYC is built upon. To celebrate a recent resurgence of the DIY theatre scene, we thought we’d feature some of our favorite off-off-Broadway spaces alongside their alternatives—the loft theatre experience.
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The Brick is another long-operating, well-established non-profit theater. Founded by Michael Gardner and Robert Honeywell in 2002, The Brick was formerly a garage and auto body shop in Williamsburg. Since the beginning, The Brick has stayed true to its roots by maintaining low cost and sliding-scale ticket prices to keep theatre accessible to all while supporting and developing the work of emerging artists and encouraging work that is bold, brazen and original.
579 Metropolitan, Brooklyn
Operating UNDER St Marks Theatre, FRIGID New York was founded in the late ’90s with the aim of providing emerging artists with a space to create and produce work. Through its years of operating as a non-profit indie theatre, FRIGID has organized and hosted its own festivals while regularly producing and supporting theatre of all kinds—from plays to stand-up to burlesque to readings to multi-media to cabaret to performance art. The variety of work emerging from FRIGID seems always to be aimed at pushing boundaries and living outside of the box. And most importantly, FRIGID has maintained low-cost tickets along with a free space for artists to perform, rehearse and film. To see a show at a space like this means to also support the artist working out of these walls.
94 St. Marks Place; (212) 777-6088
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La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
Founded in 1961 by theater director and fashion designer Ellen Stewart, the iconic La Mama is a world-renowned cultural institution. Originally, the space began as a boutique for Stewart to sell her clothing. While continuing operations as a boutique by day, Stewart eventually turned the space into a theatre by night and chose to focus specifically on supporting the work of young and emerging playwrights. The work shown early on included new plays from Paul Foster, Jean-Claude van Itallie, Sam Shepard, Harvey Fierstein and Lanford Wilson.
Since its inception, La MaMa has stayed true to its mission to support theatre artists by providing a space for performance and rehearsals along with additional resources their artists may need — all the while offering low-cost tickets to the public.
74 East Fourth Street; (212) 254-6468
A well-established off-off Broadway theatre, The Tank was founded in 2003 as a non-profit by a team of eight artists and playwrights, including Amy Herzog and Alex Timbers. Today, The Tank presents more than a thousand performances a year—from dance to theater to comedy to film. Artists aren’t required to pay to use the venue and receive a portion of every ticket sold—all this and The Tank manages to offer relatively affordable tickets along with free rehearsal spaces for their artists. And if you’re not planning to pitch a performance to the tank, they still offer rental spaces to the public at low cost through The Attic. Truly a home for emerging artists and anyone interested in supporting them.
312 W 36th Street; (212) 563-6269
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Brooklyn Centre for Theatre Research
The Brooklyn Centre for Theatre Research was founded by playwright Matthew Gasda whose play Dimes Square became something of an underground sensation in 2022. Based in Greenpoint, BCTR offers an intimate loft space for theatrical performances along with classes, workshops, screenings and readings. With a community of collaborators surrounding the Centre, the effect is that of a salon—a gathering space for artists who genuinely seem to share an enthusiasm for growth, imagination and exploration through theatre.
249 Huron St, Brooklyn
Founded by actor Ryan Czerwonko in 2022, Adult Film is a collective of actors, writers and directors focused on live theater performances, film screenings and affordable actor training. With theatrical performances operating out of Czerwonko’s Bushwick apartment basement, there is a sense of DIY intimacy that is refreshing in today’s world of highly commercialized theater. Adult Film’s website states: “We are working class… The working class once had a seat at the grand table of American theatre and cinema, and we think it’s time to take that seat back.”
Brooklyn
WORDS Hillary Sproul