Choosing a Theater

To me, the word “theater” encompasses many different art forms.  It’s a live audience watching a live performance.  Sports are a form of theater.  The circus is a form of theater.  Ballet is a form of theater.  And of course, the traditional play or musical is a form of theater as well.  My point with all this is that theater can take place in many different arenas.

So where should yours take place?  It’s a question that deserves some serious thought.  Cost is obviously a consideration.  Location too.  You also want to look at the quality of the facilities.  You need a place where creative work can flourish.  That means you need a place where the actors can feel comfortable and relax.  You also want the audience to feel comfortable.  Walking into a really nice lobby with a box office is a different experience than walking into a black box in the back room of a local dive bar.

I scouted about a dozen theaters for this show.  It was kind of like a Clint Eastwood movie.  Some were good, some were bad, and some were downright ugly.  I’m not going to mention any names, but some of these places were a complete disaster.  I saw a dressing room in one that looked like a grenade went off.  Mirror was broken in several places, and there was trash all over the floor.  In another one, all the chairs were busted and uncomfortable to sit in.  You could have the best show in the world, but if they’re squirming in their seats they’re not going to enjoy it.  Another theater had poor feng shui.  The lobby was a dimly lit corridor with rusted paint on the walls and nowhere to sit.  It was kind of depressing.

We chose Atlantic Stage 2 for several reasons.  One, it’s phenomenally well-kept.  Everything is clean, everything is nice.  Two, it’s in a central location with access to every major subway line.  And three, the actual technical equipment and facilities are fantastic. It only has 99 seats, but it's an off-broadway class theater.  There is an actual lobby with a box office.  The dressing rooms have private showers.  We have a full light plot and an advanced sound board.  Audience seats are comfortable and the acoustics are great.  There’s not a bad seat in the house.  It’s a real theater.  When you come there to see a show there it’s exciting.  You expect something good to happen.

Atlantic Stage 2 is a lot more expensive.  But it’s worth it.  Creative work is going to flourish a lot more in a space like that.  And I think NYC theatergoers are aware of that fact.  I have a feeling we'll get a better turnout because of it.