The Flea Theater

The Bats that hang out here are the lifeblood of off-off-Broadway.

by Contributor at Citysearch

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.