Off-Broadway Shows in New York City
Because of the huge financial pressures on Broadway producers, they usually (but not always) stick with tried-and-true formulas, revivals, or shows with a clear marketing hook. For anything slightly edgy or intellectual, you often need to go to the smaller Off-Broadway theaters. These theaters also tend to charge less for tickets.
Although I can’t guarantee that you’ll always see a great show, the following Off-Broadway theater companies consistently produce exciting, award-winning works:
* The Atlantic Theater Company (336 W. 20th St, between Tenth and Eleventh aves; www.atlantictheater.org; subway ). In recent years, the Atlantic has incubated a number of game-changing shows, including the stellar musical Kimberly Akimbo. It often casts shows from its ensemble, which is a star-studded group, including Mary Steenburgen, William H. Macy, David Mamet, Felicity Huffman, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
* New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th St., between Second Ave. and the Bowery; www.nytw.org; tel. 212/460-5475; subway: 6 to Astor Place). This is an intellectually heady and sometimes avant-garde company. Biggest hits include: Hadestown (Tony Award), Once (Tony Award), Rent (Pulitzer Prize), Quills, and Mad Forest.
* Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd St., between Seventh and Eighth aves.; www.playwrightshorizons.org; tel. 212/564-1235; subway: 1, 2, 3, N, R, S to Times Square or A, E, C to 42nd St.). Dedicated to nurturing the art of the writer (lyricists and librettists as well as playwrights), Playwrights has always had a great eye for talent, producing the works of Stephen Sondheim, Christopher Durang, A. R. Gurney, and Wendy Wasserstein. Biggest hits include: Clybourne Park (Tony Award), Driving Miss Daisy (Pulitzer Prize), Sunday in the Park with George (Pulitzer Prize).
* The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St., off Astor Place; www.publictheater.org; tel. 212/564-1235; subway: 6 to Astor Place). A strong emphasis on American playwrights, especially Asian-, Latin-, and African-American writers, has kept this theater relevant and popular since 1967. In all, Public Theater productions have been awarded 40 Tonys (for shows that moved to Broadway) and 138 Off-Broadway or “Obie” awards. Biggest hits include: Hamilton (Pulitzer Prize), A Chorus Line (Pulitzer Prize), Hair (Tony Award), and Fun Home (Tony Award).
* The Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St., off Union Square; www.vineyardtheatre.org; tel. 212/353-0303; subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to Union Square). The Vineyard may well be the biggest risk-taker of the major Off-Broadway theaters, presenting out-and-out performance art alongside less far-out plays and musicals. When they’re good, they’re great; and when their shows miss the mark, they’re still usually intellectually intriguing. Biggest hits include: Avenue Q (Tony Award), Three Tall Women (Pulitzer Prize), and How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize).
Although I can’t guarantee that you’ll always see a great show, the following Off-Broadway theater companies consistently produce exciting, award-winning works:
* The Atlantic Theater Company (336 W. 20th St, between Tenth and Eleventh aves; www.atlantictheater.org; subway ). In recent years, the Atlantic has incubated a number of game-changing shows, including the stellar musical Kimberly Akimbo. It often casts shows from its ensemble, which is a star-studded group, including Mary Steenburgen, William H. Macy, David Mamet, Felicity Huffman, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
* New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th St., between Second Ave. and the Bowery; www.nytw.org; tel. 212/460-5475; subway: 6 to Astor Place). This is an intellectually heady and sometimes avant-garde company. Biggest hits include: Hadestown (Tony Award), Once (Tony Award), Rent (Pulitzer Prize), Quills, and Mad Forest.
* Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd St., between Seventh and Eighth aves.; www.playwrightshorizons.org; tel. 212/564-1235; subway: 1, 2, 3, N, R, S to Times Square or A, E, C to 42nd St.). Dedicated to nurturing the art of the writer (lyricists and librettists as well as playwrights), Playwrights has always had a great eye for talent, producing the works of Stephen Sondheim, Christopher Durang, A. R. Gurney, and Wendy Wasserstein. Biggest hits include: Clybourne Park (Tony Award), Driving Miss Daisy (Pulitzer Prize), Sunday in the Park with George (Pulitzer Prize).
* The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St., off Astor Place; www.publictheater.org; tel. 212/564-1235; subway: 6 to Astor Place). A strong emphasis on American playwrights, especially Asian-, Latin-, and African-American writers, has kept this theater relevant and popular since 1967. In all, Public Theater productions have been awarded 40 Tonys (for shows that moved to Broadway) and 138 Off-Broadway or “Obie” awards. Biggest hits include: Hamilton (Pulitzer Prize), A Chorus Line (Pulitzer Prize), Hair (Tony Award), and Fun Home (Tony Award).
* The Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St., off Union Square; www.vineyardtheatre.org; tel. 212/353-0303; subway: 4, 5, 6, N, R to Union Square). The Vineyard may well be the biggest risk-taker of the major Off-Broadway theaters, presenting out-and-out performance art alongside less far-out plays and musicals. When they’re good, they’re great; and when their shows miss the mark, they’re still usually intellectually intriguing. Biggest hits include: Avenue Q (Tony Award), Three Tall Women (Pulitzer Prize), and How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize).