The Flea Theater
(212) 226-0051
41 White Street
New York,
NY
10013
40.7184
-74.0043
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Tribeca
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Home Sweet Home
In 1997, Obie award-winning director Jim Simpson founded the Bat Theater Company with help from lighting designer Kyle Chepulis and master wordsmith Mac Wellman. Shortly thereafter, the Bat found a proper roost at this Tribeca space, which houses two stages: a 70-seat theater upstairs and a 25-seat black box in the basement. Since the Bats began occupying the Flea, Simpson has produced a wildly eclectic array of work ranging from a postmodern hybrid of Kabuki and film noir ("Benten Kozo") to choreographer Sarah East Johnson's critically acclaimed acrobatic troupe, LAVA.
Making New Marks
The physical force that accompanies Simpson's vision is usually supplied by the infamous "furballs"--the Bat's volunteer actors. These eager players repeatedly raise the standard for fringe theater, while the Bat's longer runs give these virgin thespians a chance to play "real" and develop into fierce performers.
User Reviews
Anonymous
August 08, 2005
The Flea Theater is located in a small, unassuming townhouse. Inside, the theater itself is just one small room - probably what used to be a living room of whoever lived there before. The stage is right on the floor, and there are only three to four rows of chairs - but even though in a place this small you could see everything from even the farthest corner (which in this case is about 10 steps from the center of the stage), whoever arranged the space has taken care to put the back rows up on a raiser to give people a better view. The people who work there are very friendly, and some of them are volunteers. You will get to know them well as you wait in the anteroom for the theater doors to open. This is truly a little gem of New York theater experience! PROS: Back rows are raised CONS:
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Also Worth a Trip:
The Worth Street Theater Company at the Tribeca Playhouse is also off-the-beaten-track for most urbanites but on the right track to good theater.
