New York Theatre Workshop

Big wide space seems to put on technically slick, splashy shows that seem a little out of character with the scrappy neighborhood. Borders on ‘over-​producing’ — but who’s to complain. 3 memorable pieces I have enjoyed there were all musicals.

The NYTW boasts a personable staff, a cosy foyer that fills to bursting right before the doors to the theatre open, and a tidy ladies’ room, fortunately. This space, reconfigured for Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown run, is a theater-​in-​the-​round holding approximately 200 patrons on mismatched wooden chairs (seat cushions under the chair for one’s comfort). A small concession stand is set-​up at the entryway to the theater proper for a little libation during intermission.
This is truly the spot to view intimate performances. For our show, we were in Row A and I felt almost as if I were a part of the piece. It was both thrilling and, given the rigors of the particular play I saw, a bit stressful, if I’m honest.
This venue is a gem & I’d be keen on seeing other works at NYTW.

This Off-​Broadway house is terrific! It has extremely intimate views and does not go too far back so you never will feel too far away. The theatre is very bare bones and raw which was great for a show like Lazarus (which was great by the way!) I was in Orchestra Center Row D and the view was fantastic and probably the best in the place! Very enjoyable time here!

Lovely little space not too far from me. They were hosting an improv tournament, and the seating was very comfortable. I’ll try to check out some of their dramatic offerings, too.

LOVE this theater. I have seen two shows here — «Once» and «What’s It All About?» Both were excellent productions, but I especially loved the size and intimacy of this theater. Definitely check out their offerings here and take a chance on a show you have never heard of. I believe that Once went to Broadway after here and I know other shows have as well. What an opportunity to see a great production here first!

Spontaneity can be truly rewarding. I literally strolled into this theater without knowing anything about it (off-​broadway) nor about the play that was being staged (Fetch Clay, Make Man). And wow I was blown away!
Fetch Clay, Make Man is based on a true story about an unlikely friendship between Cassius Clay/​Mohammed Ali (Ray Fischer) and a down-​on-​his-​luck Hollywood star Stephin Fetchit (K.Todd Freeman). Superb performances by all actors, they were given a 10 minute standing ovation by the crowd. Enough said.
Drop that weekend party plans and stop by here to see a play instead. This is one of the gifts of being in New York City, you can thank me later.

Today we saw «Red Dog Howls» and two adjectives come to mind; powerful and compelling. The two main stars were *superb* in their roles and the storyline became increasingly powerful & emotional. During the last few minutes, I was literally in tears (we also had front-​row/​center seats, so the emotional wallop was really strong). The play will be there until around the end of October and I *highly* recommend it.

Came here for the play CONVERSATIONS IN THE MERMAID CAFE and it was a good time! The actors were great and the play was entertaining. My only issue with NYTW is that the space seemed pretty old. The seats made a lot of noise when you moved, which was a big problem for my friend who can’t sit still. However, the intimacy of the space was fantastic. I’d say that the theatre has approximately 75 seats. No seat is a bad seat!

I saw a New Year’s Day production of Once: The Musical and was very impressed by the construction of the theater space. From the outside and even from the lobby the theater does not seem as though it would be as large as it actually, but once you enter the performance space you’ll be thrilled by the reasonably large stage, avante-​garde exposed lighting, and open, yet surprisingly intimate, seating. I’m not certain how many actual patrons the theater can accommodate, but it must be at least two hundred.
The performance itself was excellent. The theater space lends itself well for acoustics, which Once had much of. And for a smaller theater in the East Village I was impressed with the technical capabilities of NYTW. My experience was so pleasant, in fact, that I will continue to follow their offerings.

A wonderful and simple theater tucked away in the East Village. It is an extremely intimate setting in which not seat is a bad seat. The theatre was literally smaller than my college lecture halls. The staff was pleasant and helpful and there were a few refreshments available in the lobby. The acoustics were wonderful and I very much enjoyed «Through a Glass Darkly.» A wonderful production with a brilliant cast.

I love this theater! I just saw «Peter and The Starcatcher» and I’ve already bought tickets to see it for a second time with friends! The talent displayed in that cast was so strong, seeing this show was truly a breath of fresh air from so-​so broadway shows. This play was so creative in every sense! The sets were beautiful, the choreography was extremely clever and wonderful to watch. I won’t give anything away but let’s just say the show was so good I saw Nathan Lane in the audience laughing his head off. I will definitely be going back to NYTW for future performances.

Small just the right size theater, comfortable seating, and a polite and attentive staff. I will most definitely be back

What an adorable, intimate theater! And I was shocked to find such a small-​scale place actually serving BOOZE! I saw the show «Speaking in Tongues» by Cake Productions and it was a lot of fun. I recommend seeing any show here. My only gripe is that they seem to turn off the AC when the show is in progress so it can get a little hot and also there is only 1 bathroom that is on the 2^nd floor. But still a good time overall!

I’ve never seen a production at NYTW which I didn’t thoroughly enjoy!
They provide thought-​provoking entertainment on a very consistent basis. They aren’t afraid to take risks in a city that is quickly becoming dominated by safe, Disney-​esque tourist teasers. That sort of devotion to the arts is where NYC needs to return. If you can’t take risks and show bravado in NYC, how can you expect anybody else to follow suit!!!
I really can’t recommend many Off-​Broadway venues better than NYTW!

I was invited to a show of «Speaking in Tongues» put on by Cake Productions last night. I was reasonably pleased with the theatre itself and will probably come back to see shows at the Workshop again, but there were small issues that intruded on my enjoyment of the show.
The good: The theatre is small but not tiny, the seats are old-​fashioned wood and velvet (een) theatre seats, probably salvaged from a classy old theatre or something. The sound inside the theatre itself was great, and the actors had no problems projecting across the room, even at a low volume. The room was clean and I felt very comfortable watching the show. They even had a drink concession at the back of the room, and wine pours were generous.
The bad: Despite being made of brick, the walls were pretty thin – we often heard pianos and cheering from the bar or restaurant next door. Sometimes, the soft noises fell in time with the action of the show, which was funny, other times, it was just a distraction. The sound system of the theatre left a little to be desired. Every now and then it would buzz or pop even if there was no music or sound effects going at the time. Occasionally, the humming would interfere with a character’s soliloquy, which was uncomfortable.
Overall, the theatre was pretty good. Like I said, I’d very likely see a show here again.

3.5 stars.
I was here to catch «Top Secret — The Battle of the Pentagon Papers» and loved the production. However, the review here is for the theatre, not the show.
Tucked amidst restaurants along 4^th street, this theatre exudes a very neighborhoodly feel. Though old, it has a very welcoming feel to it. The small concessions bar offers free tea/​coffee to members and has reasonably priced snack items and other drinks. The theatre itself is old, but cosy. Come by to check it out sometime.

After reading a pseudo-​review for «The Heart is Lonely Hunter» in the NYTimes, I decided I HAD to see the show. I love the book.
I was extremely excited to read about the $ 20 Sunday performance tickets. You need to go to the box office in person (open Tues-​Sat 1PM-​6PM, and select Sundays when there are performances) and pay in cash, and I think you can only buy four at a time. But they let you choose your seats. And since the seats are raised, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Shows are usually $ 65, and you can buy those tickets online.
I loved the play, and so did my friends (a mixture of people who haven’t read the book, have read the book, and are currently reading the book, haha).
They have a Poland Spring cooler (yay, free water) and sell snacks and drinks for you to nosh on before/​after the show, or during the intermission.
So how do I feel about making a plan to attend the $ 20 performances regularly from now on? Pretty damn good.

I have no idea why the other raves of this place haven’t given it 5 stars, but I’m happy to go out on a limb here. As others have said, the NYTW isn’t the place to go for some mind-​numbing, sequins-​flashing, feel-​good family theater (not that there’s anything wrong with The Little Mermaid, actually there is, but that’s for another review…). It’s tough, thought provoking, risk taking theater and the birthplace of some amazing artists like Jonathan Larson as well as a place for old pros like Caryl Churchill and Sam Shepard to test out new works.
I’ve seen some amazing things here — not everything I’ve liked, but everything has gotten me talking and thinking, and isn’t that what theater should be about? In an age and country where the pinnacle of American Theater is overrun by bloated, soulless Disney Musicals, I’m glad to live in a town where places like NYTW can take risks and succeed as well as sometimes fail. Please go support this awesome theater.

One of my favorite theatres in NYC, the Workshop always has the most interesting, diverse, and international work with a good mix of old and new. The shows tend to push theatrical boundaries in terms of form, which means that even if you don’t love the show there’s almost always something exciting to keep your attention.
I’ve seen everything from Caryl Churchill plays about cloning to Ivo von Hove revisiting Ibsen and Moliere, from Tony Kushner examining the state of contemporary Afghanistan to the depressing personal meditations of Adam Rapp — there’s so much worth checking out at NYTW.
SHOWS I’VE ENJOYED: A Number, The Beard of Avon, Homebody/​Kabul, Flow, Flesh and Blood

$ 20 tickets for Sunday night performances! Saw an Alan Ball play for that bargain price. Just go to the box office and be prepared to pay cash for the bargain tix. If you’re willing to work, you can also usher and see a show for free. Theater is modern and comfortable.
I feel cultured!