THE FLEA THEATER INC
New York, New York
The Flea Theater was founded in 1996 by a group of downtown theater artists – director Jim Simpson, playwright Mac Wellman, designer Kyle Chepulis, and actress Sigourney Weaver – who set out to “raise a joyful hell in a small space.” That spirit of adventure and irreverence has defined Off-Off-Broadway since its inception and continues to define The Flea today. We are committed to upholding the aesthetic of Off-Off-Broadway as a place for experimentation, discovery, and authenticity, and our body of work has earned us an Obie, an Otto, and a special Drama Desk citation for our commitment to adventurous theater. Under the producing vision of Carol Ostrow since 2001 and the artistic direction of Niegel Smith since 2015, The Flea’s programs remain rooted in the belief that opportunity feeds the creative spirit. Our stages are filled by emerging artists learning their craft alongside veteran artists trying out new directions, which means our seasons are eclectic and our theaters rarely dark. The sheer volume of activity at The Flea is an expression of our mission, as is its diversity – over 46% of the work we produce reflects the perspectives of artists of color, non-binary gender, and/or physical disability, often tackling issues of race, class, and power head-on. The Flea kicked off its third decade by moving into a brand-new home, a three-theater performing arts complex on Thomas Street. Still true to our mission, each of our distinctly designed theaters is tailored to the needs of Off-Off-Broadway by being flexible, intimate, and well-equipped. They ignite the imaginations of our artists and appeal to lovers of downtown theater, music, and dance – since opening our new doors, we have presented/produced 750+ performances for more than 33,000 attendees, made more dramatic when considering that each of our spaces holds 99 seats or less.
The Flea believes that all artists need opportunities to share their work with a live audience in order to grow. Our stages are highly active with as many as three shows a night. World premieres and commissions are always a feature – A.R. Gurney, Ellen McLaughlin and David Henry Hwang are just a few of the established writers who have premiered work at The Flea, as have early and mid-career playwrights such as Thomas Bradshaw, Lucas Hnath, and Najila Said. What all our writers have in ... Lire la suite
