Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
are free, although nostalgia is preserved with a passed hat. Check the website for exact days and times.
74 E. 4th St.,
btw. Second Ave. and the Bowery.
212/475-7710.
www.lamama.org
.
Subway: F to Second Ave.; 6 to Bleecker St.
The Public Theater
Shakespeare in the Park is only the beginning for the Public Theater, which churns out
amazing drama all year long. The
New Work Now!
series presents readings of fresh material by both established
dramaturges and up and comers. From December to March, you can catch
PUBLIC LAB,
which puts on bare-
bones productions at a price friendly to threadbare budgets. Just $15 gets you into these still-evolving shows.
Also check out the
Under the Radar
festivals each winter, held at the Public and other spaces in the East Village,
featuring outstanding new experimental work from the U.S. and abroad, with ticket prices topping out at $20.
425
Lafayette St., just below Astor Place.
212/539-8500.
www.publictheater.org
. Subway: 6 to Astor Place; N/R to 8th St.
Theater at the Edge: Fringe NYC
Every August a chunk of the city goes on vacation and the
FringeFestival
comes rushing in to maintain Gotham's equi-
librium. This annual theatrical explosion brings over a thousand performances to downtown spaces. The troupes hail from
around the world and range from the baldly amateurish to the highly polished. (As they've pointed out for years,
Urinetown
made its mark at the Fringe before heading uptown to Broadway.) Tickets have a high end of $18 (though you can vo-
lunteer in exchange for seeing free shows). You can also purchase festival passes which drop the price of admission
depending on how many shows you are determined to see, and $9 tickets if you are a member of the Theatre Develop-
ment Fund.) Since it's summer in New York City, free outdoor events are all but obligatory. The FringeAL FRESCO series
offers up free plays, dance, and even the odd bit of Parkour in locations scattered around downtown. Some events are just
teaser versions of longer Fringe shows, but others are the full affair, given away across multiple performances and loca-
tions. You can also volunteer in exchange for free admission. Check the website for times and venues.
212/279-4488.
Spaghetti Dinner
The Great Small Works artists collective is known for its puppetry and “toy theater” shows.
Carrying the torch of an East Village tradition, they also host this quirky form of dinner theater. Audience mem-
bers/diners are treated to performance of every stripe—from puppetry to dance to drama to film—along with
a fine vegetarian spaghetti meal. Don't be surprised to find left-wing polemic in the mix as well. Tickets hover
around $15, a price that wouldn't have seemed unreasonable when the series started in 1978. Check the website
calendar for info about locations and times.
Great Small Works.
718/840-2823.
www.greatsmallworks.org
.
The Tank
This endlessly inventive theater group has lost spaces to wrecking balls and bad plumbing, but it's
hanging on back in Hell's Kitchen. Public affairs are the latest addition to an already strong lineup of comedy,
film, music, and theater. Shows can run as high as $15, but much of the calendar stays in the $5 to $10 range.
151
W. 46th St., 8th floor, btw. Sixth and Seventh aves.
212/563-6269.
www.thetanknyc.org
.
Subway: N/Q/R to 49th St.; B/D/F/M to 47th-50th sts./Rockefeller
Center
The Theater for the New City
This alternative theater is known for giving breaks to unknown playwrights. Pro-
ductions are consistently high quality, though ticket prices are often only $10, with some shows as low as $5.
The New City, New Blood reading series gives playwrights the opportunity to absorb audience feedback (read-
ings carry a $5 suggested donation, but there's wine and cheese). Over Memorial Day you can sample dramat-
ics for free during the Lower East Side Festival of the Arts. Theater is only the beginning, as spoken word, cab-
aret, film, video, and dance performances take over East 10th Street, between First and Second avenues. Events
run until after midnight, and everything is free. Also free is the Annual Summer Street Theater, which puts
on operettas in a baker's dozen locations spread across five boroughs.
155 First Ave., btw. 9th and 10th sts.
212/254-1109.
www.theaterforthenewcity.net
.
Subway: 6 to Astor Place; L to First Ave.
Deep Discounts on Big-Time Theater
Broadway shows—even blockbusters—sometimes have a limited number of cheaper tickets set aside for students
and seniors; call the box office directly to inquire. Some popular shows have “lotteries” for cheaper tickets each
