Click Here to Visit our Sponsor
--to embody the vision of a center for new and innovative theater arts that would be truly accessible to the community and its experimental theater artists,
-- to discover relevant new writing, to nurture new playwrights and to be a bridge between playwrights, experimental theater artists and the ever growing audiences in the community,
--to create spaces where a new vision can breathe and be nourished by a working process not subject to commercial constraints and pressures,
--to create events and ways in which to bring together into the community and bring the community into the theater.
TNC's RESIDENT & PRESENTING THEATER PROGRAMS
Each year, TNC produces between 20 and 30 new American plays by both emerging writers
and established theater companies. Awards for past productions include: the Pulitzer
Prize, 42 Village Voice OBIE Awards, 8 Audelco Awards ds, 2 Bessie Awards, 5 ASCAP
Awards, 10 Rockefeller Playwrights Fellowships, a Mayor's Stop The Violence
Award, the Manhattan Borough President's Award or Public Service and Artistic
Excellence in Theater. A 1992 NY City Council Proclamation paid tribute to TNC's
contributions to improving the quality of life in the City by its "rich tradition of
bringing theater to people in multi-cultural neighborhoods."
TNC - A NEIGHBORHOOD CULTURAL FACILITY
In keeping with the philosophy that theater is a civic necessity and not a luxury, TNC
continues its dedication and commitment to the Community with its year-round
Community Arts Program which includes an Arts In-Education Program, Free
Summer Street Theater Tour, The Halloween Ball and The Christmas Pageant.
TNC was awarded the ANNUAL MANHATTAN BOROUGH PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE IN THEATER in 1988, citing the free Summer Street Theater Tour as well as our many other Community Arts Programs.
TNC's extensive community Arts Service Program includes Arts-In-Education for students from nearby Junior High School #60 taught by TNC's own staff of 11 artists/teachers twice weekly. In addition, TNC is proud to mount its fourth year of Arts-in-Education for the DCA, Board of Education, and HRA funded Community Arts Program for Children Living in Temporary Housing.
Each year, TNC receives more requests for performance than our funding permits us to accept. The Street Theater Program creates many new jobs along with valuable free training for young performing artists.
EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS PROGRAM carefully selects fifteen or more plays that are produced each season within TNC's Resident Theater Program. Its purpose and thrust, since its inception in 1971, has always nurture and realize the playwright's vision through the actual testing ground of production and to establish a nurturing relationship which invites the author to create new work for the following season. In order to realize this effectively, THEATER FOR THE NEW CITY has become a playwright's theater.
FREE TICKET PROGRAM provides free tickets to over 100 participating community organizations, youth groups and senior centers throughout the five boroughs.
ARTS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM now in its 6th year, serves 7th and 8th grade students from nearby Beha Junior High School #60.
THE ANNUAL THUNDERBIRD AMERICAN INDIAN DANCERS' DANCE CONCERT AND POW WOW brings together the ritual and social dances from 17 different tribes throughout the United States. This is the only Native American Dance Concert and Pow Wow in the East where Native Americans can see the dances of each others' tribes. Native foods and creafts are sold in the lobby. All proceeds from the Box Office for this event go to the Native American Scholarship Fund.
THE ANNUAL VILLAGE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL BALL is a 15-year-old, multi- level theatrical event during which the building's 30,00 square feet are transformed by sculptors, painters, and scenic designers into a series of Halloween environments and simultaneous performances of every theatrical kind. Attractions are mounted throughout the building and outside on the street. More than 450 artists and volunteers have an opportunity to showcase their talents in this one night only extravaganza.
THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PAGEANT began ten years ago, in response to the request of our local precinct, when TNC joined forces with the 9th P lice Precinct to help promote community goodwill and understanding by performing a Christmas pageant for the homeless and needy children of the East Village and Lower East Side. Each year, the police precinct hands out free toys and hot chocolate to the children in the area. As part of our effort to maintain community outreach , TNC entertains the children and their parents with skits, playlets, pageants, magic shows, clowns, juggling, rap and dance. TNC set designers spend weeks preparing colorful sets to give a festive atmosphere to the playground across the street from the Ninth Precinct on East Fifth Street between First and Second Avenues. Many of the children are from shelters in the area.
THE ANNUAL LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS is a celebration of the rich artistic culture and ethnic diversity of this area. For three days each Spring, TNC produces a cabaret-style festival featuring over 70 performing groups from the Lower East Side. The majority of the groups are Hispanic, however, all cultures are represented. In addition, there is a children's program Saturday afternoon performed by students (K-12) from local schools. The purpose of this festival is to unify the community, create a positive image for the Lower East Side and discover new writing talent.
TNC'S FOUR BARRIER-FREE THEATERS provide access for the physically impaired to the theaters, bathrooms, showers, offices, corridors and walkways in and around the theaters.
AREA AND POPULATION SERVED
Theater for the New City is located in the heart of the Lower East Side. Although our
audience comes from all over NYC and TNC attracts ts tourists from all over the
country, our primary market area is the East Village, Loisaida, SoHo, West Village,
and Chelsea. (The East Village, The Hispanic community of Loisaida and The Lower
East Side are low-moderate income by 82%). TNC attracts its audience from all
economic backgrounds including students, senior citizens, blue collar and
unemployed workers, neighborhood residents, and large numbers of college educated
professionals.
A NOTE TO AUTHORS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT SCRIPTS
TNC maintains an open door policy on new scripts. All plays submitted are read and evaluated. Priding itself as a writer's theater, TNC seeks plays with relevancy to our socio/political life, depth and vision, and poetic craft. Over time these have included plays of all styles including song, dance, poetry and epic styles of drama.
Following a screening process, a play is considered for production. Requests for new scripts are routinely sent out by way of directors whose work is known and respected by TNC. Often, new playwrights are recommended by established TNC writers.
Authors may submit scripts for consideration toward the present or coming seasons to: Crystal Field, Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, NYC 10003.
Copyright © Theater for the New City 1997