Urban Stages

Urban Stages is an award-winning, not-for-profit, Off-Broadway Theatre Company founded in 1984 by current Artistic Director Frances Hill. We have developed into a bigger and more diverse organization since our beginnings. Urban Stages reach thousands of New Yorkers every year in over 100 neighborhoods while also offering theatrical and performance art experiences like no other at our theater in Manhattan (259 West 30th Street).

Development and MainStage

For over 30 years, Urban Stages have produced dozens of world, American and NYC premieres including Pulitzer Prize Finalist BULRUSHER (2007) by Eisa Davis. We have been honored with awards, nominations and recognition from the Drama Desk, Obie Awards, Audelco, Outer Circle critics and much more. For instance, our world premiere of the musical LANGSTON IN HARLEM by Walter Marks (music and book) and Kent Gash (book and direction) garnered a Drama Desk Nomination, a Joe A. Calloway award and 4 Audelco awards including Best Musical Production of 2010. More recently, our 2014 spring premiere of JIM BROCHU CHARACTER MAN was nominated for a Drama Desk and Outer Theater Critic’s award for Best Solo performance.

Many of the plays we produce are found through open submissions via our Development Program and Literary Committee. Before production, plays are offered staged readings (open to the public) where they can see their works handled by professional actors and directors and hear audience feedback. Some plays are offered workshops catered specifically to each project.

After production, most plays move on to larger venues such MEN ON THE VERGE OF A HISPANIC BREAKDOWN, by Guillermo Reyes, and MINOR DEMONS by Bruce Graham; both moved to commercial theatres. CHILI QUEEN, a play by newscaster Jim Lehrer, transferred to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (1989). HONKY (2013) by Greg Kalleres saw a regional run at San Diego Rep. MY OCCASION OF SIN (2012) by Monica Bauers won critical acclaim when it moved to Detroit Rep. Bill Bowers has toured the United States and the world with his two Urban Stages premieres blending mime and theatre – BEYOND WORDS (2012) and UNDER A MONTANA MOON (2002)! Some Urban Stages premieres have even been developed into film and television projects such as SCAR by Murray Mednick, CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GODDESSES by Agapi Stassinopoulos, and COTTON MARY by Alexandra Viets.

In addition to plays and musicals, annually we hold a music festival called WINTER RHYTHMS that features famous and up-and-coming Cabaret, musicians, lyricists and other music artists. In 2015, Winter Rhythms was celebrated by the Manhattan Association of Cabaret with a Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Series Award!

Outreach

For over 20 years, our OUTREACH PROGRAM has brought plays and workshops to all 5 boroughs of NYC in over 200 events a year. We have a repertoire of 20+ multi-cultural programs, ranging from plays that explore science, plays that spotlights historical figures and dance and mime workshops. Each show caters to specific age groups, from toddlers to families to Adult Learners. Many of the neighborhoods we reach (and return to multiple times) have little to no theatre and arts programming. Our programs travel mainly to libraries and non-profit organizations. They are all admission-free for patrons. For artists, our Outreach Program offers paid opportunities. We commission plays, pay royalties and fees allowing writers, directors, designers, actors and teaching artists to be working artists.

Under the Outreach Umbrella are our art residencies. We are able to offer extended theater and art related residencies for weeks to months at a time to places like to senior citizens centers, community centers and schools. In the past, we offered programming to LGBTQ homeless centers, centers helping women reclaim their lives from incarceration and drug abuse and various non-profit agencies. Finally, annually we hold a Summer Theater Camp for children 10-14 years old. Professionals teach our campers about all aspects of theatre and the campers collaborate to put on a musical. We offer partial scholarships making our summer theater camp more accessible.