Therapy (New York City)

Last updated

Therapy
Therapy Nightclub logo.png
Logo
Therapy Bar 348 W52 (2) jeh.jpg
The venue's exterior in 2020
Therapy (New York City)
Address348 West 52nd Street
Location Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Coordinates 40°45′50.6″N73°59′12.9″W / 40.764056°N 73.986917°W / 40.764056; -73.986917
Public transit
OwnerTom Johnson
Type
Opened2003 (2003)
ClosedMarch 2020 (2020-03)
Website
therapy-nyc.com

Therapy was a two-story gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It hosted frequent drag shows, some of which featured performers who later rose to prominence on RuPaul's Drag Race . [1] The venue was a favorite Monday-night stop for Broadway actors, who sometimes participated in the club's shows. Like other New York City nightlife establishments, Therapy was ordered to close temporarily in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July of that year, the venue's owner announced that it was unlikely to reopen, citing financial troubles. [2] Therapy's atmosphere, drink selection, food and entertainment have generally received positive remarks from critics. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

Therapy was located at 348 West 52nd Street in Manhattan, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. It was directly across the street from Industry, another gay nightclub. [5] According to Time Out New York , Therapy's interior was characterized by "two levels of slate floors connected by a dramatic staircase, crowned with a massive skylight. Mellow pop, house and techno play at the perfect level, allowing for both conversation and grooving." [3] The club served food and featured live entertainment most nights. [5] [6]

According to Gothamist, "[Therapy contained] seating and full bars both upstairs and down, as well as music videos projected onto a screen in the upstairs area." [5] As of mid-2019, it hosted drag shows five nights a week. [6] Many of the clientele were tourists drawn to New York by Broadway musicals, whose cast members also frequented the bar. [7] [8] Celebrity participation in "Stage Fright", the Monday-night drag show hosted by Marti Gould Cummings, was not uncommon. [9] Thrillist's Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner wrote of the show: "Broadway stars like Michael Longoria, Ann Reinking, and Tamyra Gray [were] unafraid to compete for attention and perhaps suffer some deprecation at the hands of a quick-witted drag queen in this sprawling lounge." [8] A 2017 New York Times article counted Adam Pascal, Alice Ripley and Michael Cerveris among other Broadway names to appear on stage with Cummings at Therapy. [9]

History

Therapy was established in a duplex in Hell's Kitchen in 2003. [6] [10] [11] Over the years, the bar's drag shows were hosted by several performers who went on to appear on RuPaul's Drag Race , including Peppermint, Sahara Davenport, Bianca Del Rio, Bob the Drag Queen, Monét X Change and Jan Sport. [1] [10] [11] [12] Other prominent drag queens, including Sherry Vine, also had shows there. [10] Among Therapy's popular weekly shows was "Sunday Services", a church-themed performance starring Lagoona Bloo, Jackie Cox and Kizha Carr. [13]

The club briefly closed in late May 2019 due to structural issues with a neighboring building, which had to be partially demolished. [14] [15] [16] Two weeks later, on June 14, Therapy was permitted to reopen. [17]

COVID-19 pandemic and closure

The bar's exterior, August 2020 Therapy Bar 348 W52 (1) jeh.jpg
The bar's exterior, August 2020

In March 2020, Therapy again closed down when New York State nightlife venues were ordered to shutter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [7] The venue's co-owner, Tom Johnson, said he opted not to offer outdoor dining or to-go drinks when those services became permissible, because doing so would have brought in only 30–40% of the usual revenue, which would not have been sufficient to compensate staff. [1] He also said that operating at half-capacity to abide by social distancing regulations would leave the establishment unable to cover operating costs. [11]

Citing these and other financial difficulties, Johnson announced in July that the bar would likely remain closed for good. [7] Eater New York reported that "Johnson holds a glimmer of hope for Therapy's revival but isn't sure if the financial fallout from the pandemic will allow it". He told the publication, "It's great if people want to come together and invest in Therapy at some point ... I want nothing more than for all of this to go away, but I don't see that happening anytime soon." [7]

Reception

In his 2015 list of "the best gay bars in Hell's Kitchen" for Time Out New York, Ethan LaCroix wrote: "Drinks like the Freudian Sip (Ketel One Citron, fresh ginger and lemonade), served in a nice big tumbler, are sure to leave you feeling blissfully worry-free at this cocktailcentric space. But it's the impressive venue that draws young neurotics." [3] A review by Gothamist staff reads: "Therapy is the quintessential Hell's Kitchen hot spot and it has it all: comfort food, dancing, two levels and polite cocktail servers. Just avoid the nasty DJs, who do not make any song requests!... It's a spacious venue with an easy crowd; I'm always pleased to be invited there." [5] On a 2019 list of New York City's 16 best LGBTQ bars for Thrillist, Kyler Alvord said:

This may not be the best Therapy for social anxiety, but if you're soothed by Absolut-forward cocktails in plastic cups and hundreds of sweaty guys pressed up against you, start your treatment at this HK lounge. DJs, live music, and drag entertainment make this place a party nearly every night of the week. Visitors here have planned a night out and are laser-focused on fun. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre</span> Improvisational comedy venue

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is an American improvisational theatre company and training center founded by the Upright Citizens Brigade troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drag show</span> Drag king or drag queen performance show

A drag show is a form of entertainment performed by drag artists impersonating men or women, typically in a bar or nightclub. Shows can range from burlesque-style, adult themed nightclub acts to all-ages events with sing-alongs and story times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray's Papaya</span> Hot dog restaurant chain in New York City

Gray's Papaya is a hot dog restaurant chain, with its flagship restaurant located at 2090 Broadway at 72nd Street. In June 2020, it had one location operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several other locations had closed prior. Gray's Papaya is famous for its inexpensive, high-quality hot dogs, considered among the best in New York City. The "papaya" in the name refers to the papaya fruit drink sold at the establishment. They also sell orange, grape, piña colada, coconut champagne (non-alcoholic), and banana daiquiri (non-alcoholic) fruit drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NYC Pride March</span> Event celebrating the LGBTQ community

The NYC Pride March is an annual event celebrating the LGBTQ community in New York City. The largest pride parade in North America and among the largest pride events in the world, the NYC Pride March attracts tens of thousands of participants and millions of sidewalk spectators each June. The parade route through Lower Manhattan traverses south on Fifth Avenue, through Greenwich Village, passing the Stonewall National Monument, site of the June 1969 riots that launched the modern movement for LGBTQ+ rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint (entertainer)</span> American actress, singer, and drag queen

Peppermint, or Miss Peppermint, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, television personality, drag queen, and activist. She is best known from the nightlife scene and, in 2017, as the runner-up on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2018, Peppermint made her debut in The Go-Go's-inspired musical Head Over Heels as Pythio, becoming Broadway's first out trans woman to originate a lead role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in New York City</span>

New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest LGBTQ populations and the most prominent. Brian Silverman, the author of Frommer's New York City from $90 a Day, wrote the city has "one of the world's largest, loudest, and most powerful LGBT communities", and "Gay and lesbian culture is as much a part of New York's basic identity as yellow cabs, high-rise buildings, and Broadway theatre". LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". LGBT advocate and entertainer Madonna stated metaphorically, "Anyways, not only is New York City the best place in the world because of the queer people here. Let me tell you something, if you can make it here, then you must be queer."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honey Davenport</span> American drag performer and recording artist (born 1985)

James Heath-Clark, known professionally as Honey Davenport, is an American drag performer, singer, songwriter, actor and activist. Davenport was a longtime fixture of the New York City nightlife scene and came to international attention as a contestant on season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Born in West Philadelphia, Heath-Clark attended college for musical theatre in New York, where he began his career as a backup dancer for Peppermint. He later established his own dance group, The Hunties. After taking up drag, Davenport became active in the pageant circuit of that community, winning 18 titles between 2013 and 2018. In 2013, she and her band, Electrohoney, released an eponymous album and starred in a live rock opera called The Electric Highway. She also performed in two off-Broadway shows, The Orion Experience (2013) and Trinkets (2017–2018). In the latter, she played the leading role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queer Bar (Seattle)</span> Queer bar in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Queer Bar is a bar catering to the queer community in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, in the United States. Queer Bar hosts drag shows regularly.

Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019 was a series of LGBTQ events and celebrations in June 2019, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots. It was also the first time WorldPride was held in the United States. Held primarily in the metropolitan New York City area, the theme for the celebrations and educational events was "Millions of moments of Pride." The celebration was the largest LGBTQ event in history, with an official estimate of five million attending Pride weekend in Manhattan alone, including an estimated four million in attendance at the parade. The twelve-hour parade included 150,000 pre-registered participants among 695 groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Drag March</span>

The New York City Drag March, or NYC Drag March, is an annual drag protest and visibility march taking place in June, the traditional LGBTQ pride month in New York City. Organized to coincide ahead of the NYC Pride March, both demonstrations commemorate the 1969 riots at the Stonewall Inn, widely considered the pivotal event sparking the gay liberation movement, and the modern fight for LGBTQ rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Industry Bar</span> Gay bar and nightclub in Manhattan, New York City

Industry Bar, or simply Industry, is a gay bar and nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Owned by Bob Pontarelli, it is a sister establishment to Barracuda, a gay bar, and Elmo, a restaurant. Industry opened in 2010 and caters primarily to a crowd of young gay men and tourists. Its musical selection is mostly pop, and its live entertainment consists of a number of weekly drag shows, many of which are hosted by internationally recognized drag queens. New York City nightlife journalists frequently note Industry as one of the top gay venues in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barracuda Lounge</span> Gay bar in Manhattan, New York, U.S.

Barracuda Lounge, or simply Barracuda, is a gay bar in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1995, the bar is known for its nightly drag shows. It is a sister establishment to Industry, a nightclub, and Elmo, a restaurant. Barracuda is home to "Star Search", the longest-running bar show in New York City, which began in the early 1990s and may have served as an inspiration for RuPaul's Drag Race. In the 1990s and 2000s, Barracuda was a popular celebrity hangout, and it was frequently the site of promotional events for new music and Broadway plays. While closed for much of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the venue underwent a major renovation. It reopened in June 2021. Critics generally praise Barracuda for its intimate, relaxed and entertainment-focused atmosphere, which was unusual at the time of its creation, and some credit this with revolutionizing the concept of gay bars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cock</span> Gay bar in Manhattan, New York City, US

The Cock is a gay dive bar in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is noted for its exhibitionist atmosphere and popularity as a cruising destination. Opened in 1998, the venue has been described by them. magazine as "a rarified taste of old New York and the cruisy gay scene that existed [there] in the '80s and '90s". In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it experienced frequent police raids under Mayor Rudy Giuliani's anti-nightlife crackdowns. The Cock has relocated twice, and its 2015 move along Second Avenue was met with opposition by nearby residents and Manhattan Community Board 3. Two other attempted moves, in 2014 and 2021, were blocked by the community board. Critics characterize the bar as "filthy", "seductive", and "alluring", noting that it is an unusual find in the United States and bears resemblance to European red-light district establishments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Club Cumming</span> Gay nightclub in New York

Club Cumming is a gay bar and nightclub in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It frequently hosts cabaret events, Broadway-style shows, dance parties and drag performances. Celebrities, especially Broadway actors, often make pop-up appearances there. The club opened in 2017 and is co-owned by actor Alan Cumming and promoter Daniel Nardicio, who founded it with the owners of the space's previous establishment. The bar was ordered to temporarily halt its shows in 2018, when it was discovered that its liquor license did not include a provision for live entertainment. The matter was resolved swiftly and with community support. The club was shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it continued to host cabaret and comedy shows via live stream for most of the year. The venue reintroduced on-site outdoor events in December 2020 and reopened at full indoor capacity in May 2021. Club Cumming has generally been well received by critics, who cite its eclectic entertainment repertoire, its inclusivity and the spontaneity of its atmosphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boxers NYC Washington Heights</span> Gay nightclub in New York City

Boxers NYC Washington Heights, also known simply as Boxers Washington Heights or Boxers WaHi, was a gay sports bar in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the fifth establishment opened by the Boxers NYC nightlife brand. The bar featured weekly events such as Latin nights, karaoke parties, urban nights, open mic events, drag shows, and screenings of NFL games and RuPaul's Drag Race. Its September 2018 debut was met with concern that it would contribute to gentrification of the area, but its approval was straightforward. The venue proved to be popular and received praise for its comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. Boxers Washington Heights announced its closure on September 29, 2020, citing difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tramezzini NYC is a family-owned sandwich shop and Italian eatery in New York City that was the first to serve authentic Venetian sandwiches in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JR's Bar and Grill</span> Gay bar in Houston, Texas, U.S.

JR's Bar and Grill is a gay bar in Neartown, Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas. Charles Armstrong is the owner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Q (nightclub)</span> Gay nightclub in Manhattan, New York City

The Q was a multilevel LGBT nightclub in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Backed by celebrity investors including Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto, the club was billed as "the largest queer-owned and -operated nightlife venue in Manhattan". It was known for its five distinctly themed rooms and for its entertainment selection, which featured A-list comedians, prominent local drag queens, burlesque acts and jazz bands. The establishment was originally set to open in 2020, but its debut was pushed to June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2022, Frankie Sharp—one of the club's three founding owners—filed a lawsuit against the other two, Alan Picus and Bob Fluet. The club shuttered in March 2023 in the aftermath of the legal proceedings. During its operation, the Q garnered praise from critics, who have described it as innovative, inclusive and chic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rise Bar</span> Gay bar in Manhattan, New York City

Rise Bar, or simply Rise, is a gay bar in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 2015, it is a small establishment surrounded by a number of larger LGBT nightlife venues. The bar is most popular among gay men and some women. It features pop music and hosts weekly entertainment including drag shows, open-mic nights and karaoke. Though Rise's owners invested in soundproofing before it opened, noise concerns from nearby residents initially led the local community board and state liquor authority to require the venue to close at an earlier hour than its competitors. Following a contentious series of applications to modify Rise's operating schedule and liquor license, this requirement was overturned for weekend nights. The establishment has received praise for its welcoming, diverse atmosphere.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Krisel, Brendan (July 21, 2020). "Therapy, Gay Bar Favored By 'Drag Race' Contestants, To Close". Midtown–Hell's Kitchen Patch . Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  2. ↑ Cook, Michael (July 29, 2020). "'With Tears In Their Eyes' New York City's Therapy Closes Their Hell's Kitchen Doors". Instinct . ISSN   1096-0058. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 LaCroix, Ethan (July 19, 2015). "The best gay bars in Hell's Kitchen". Time Out New York . ISSN   0049-3910. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Alvord, Kyler (May 21, 2019). "Best Gay, Lesbian & LGBTQ Bars in NYC Right Now: Queer Nightlife Spots". Thrillist . Group Nine Media. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gothamist Staff (March 11, 2014). "A Guide To NYC's Gay Bars". Gothamist . Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 Tracy, Matt (June 4, 2019). "Therapy Temporarily Closes". Gay City News . Archived from the original on April 19, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Warerkar, Tanay (July 20, 2020). "Trailblazing Hell's Kitchen Gay Bar Therapy Is In Danger of Closing Permanently". Eater New York . Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Kravitz Hoeffner, Melissa (April 16, 2018). "The Best Places to Catch Live Drag Shows in New York City". Thrillist. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  9. 1 2 Musto, Michael (February 28, 2017). "Gay Bars and Broadway: They Go Together". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Keyes, Jeffrey James (May 31, 2018). "Our List of the Top Gay Bars in New York City". Metrosource . ISSN   1529-935X. Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 Savage, Rachel; Lavietes, Matthew; Anarte, Enrique (May 13, 2020). "'We'll die': Gay bars worldwide scramble to avert coronavirus collapse". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  12. ↑ "21 of the best LGBTQ bars in NYC to party at right now". AM New York Metro . May 19, 2019. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  13. ↑ Bergeron, Ian-Michael (October 15, 2019). "Sunday Services". Get Out! Magazine. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  14. ↑ Broverman, Neal (May 31, 2019). "NYC Gay Bar Therapy Closes After Nearby Building Deemed Unstable". The Advocate . ISSN   0001-8996. Archived from the original on June 30, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  15. ↑ Kacala, Alexander (May 31, 2019). "A Popular New York Gay Bar Just Closed Its Doors, and the Reason Is Pretty Messed Up". Instinct. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Popular Hell's Kitchen Bar, Farmers Market Close Due to Unstable Building". NBCNewYork.com. WNBC. June 6, 2019. Archived from the original on July 30, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  17. ↑ Therapy NYC [@therapy_nyc] (June 12, 2019). "BIG NEWS!!!! We REOPEN THIS FRRRRRIIIIDDDDDAYYYYYYYYY!!!! 🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈❤️🌈SEE YOU AT 5PM and then POP UP SHOWS ALL NIGHT!!!" (Instagram post). Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021– via Instagram.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.