Phoenix Theatre (New York City)

The Village East Cinema building housed the Phoenix Theatre, 1953–1961

The Phoenix Theatre was a pioneering off-Broadway theatre in New York City, extant from 1953 to 1982. The Phoenix was founded by impresario Norris Houghton and T. Edward Hambleton. The project was a pioneering effort in the establishment of off-Broadway theatre. Houghton and Hambleton wanted a theatre away from Times Square, that would host a permanent company, abjure the star system (players would be listed alphabetically), produce four or five plays a season for limited engagements (contributors would be asked to sponsor an entire season rather than individual productions), and with ticket prices much lower than on Broadway.[1][2]: 8 

The Phoenix Theatre was established in what is now the Village East Cinema at East 12th Street and Second Avenue in the East Village, far from Broadway. The building had opened in 1926 as the Yiddish Art Theatre.[2]: 1 

  1. ^ Houghton, Norris (November 29, 1953). "The Phoenix Rises; Phoenix Rises on Second Avenue". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NYCL-1764 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).