Astor Place Theatre

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Astor Place Theatre
Astor-playhouse.jpg
Astor Place Theatre in 2009
Astor Place Theatre
Address434 Lafayette Street
New York City
United States
Coordinates 40°43′45″N73°59′32″W / 40.7293°N 73.9922°W / 40.7293; -73.9922
OwnerBlue Man Productions
Type Off-Broadway
Production Blue Man Group
OpenedJanuary 17, 1968 (1968-January-17)

The Astor Place Theatre is an off-Broadway house at 434 Lafayette Street in the NoHo section of Manhattan, New York City. The theater is located in the historic Colonnade Row, originally constructed in 1831 as a series of nine connected buildings, of which only four remain.

Bruce Mailman bought the building in 1965. [1] On January 17, 1968, the theater opened with Israel Horovitz's The Indian Wants the Bronx starring newcomer Al Pacino. Since then, it has gained a reputation for introducing works by aspiring and often experimental playwrights, including Tom Eyen ( Women Behind Bars , The Dirtiest Show in Town ) and John Ford Noonan ( A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking ). Established writers like Terrence McNally ( Bad Habits ), A.R. Gurney ( The Dining Room , The Perfect Party ) and Larry Shue ( The Foreigner ) also have premiered plays here. The musical revue, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris enjoyed a successful run in 1974. [2]

Since 1991, the theater has served as home to the Blue Man Group, which purchased the theatre in 2001. [3]

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References

  1. "Bruce Mailman, 55, Owner of Businesses In the East Village". The New York Times. June 12, 1994. ISSN   0362-4331.
  2. Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris Archived June 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
  3. Rosenblum, Constance (November 8, 2009). "A Production Called Home". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 12, 2014.