Fancy seeing a play in what George M. Cohan called a telephone booth? That’s how he described the Cherry Lane Theatre when it was first converted. This is New York City’s oldest continuously running off-Broadway theater. The Cherry Lane Theatre has been a Greenwich Village treasure since 1923.
Originally, this site at 38 Commerce Street was not a theater. Back in 1817, it was a simple farm silo. Later, it morphed into a brewery and then a tobacco warehouse. It even served as a box factory. Can you imagine? Then, in 1923, Evelyn Vaughn, William S. Rainey, Reginald Travers, and Edna St. Vincent Millay transformed it. They christened it the Cherry Lane Playhouse.
The Cherry Lane Theatre opened with Robert Presnell’s “Saturday Night” in 1924. Soon after, plays by W. J. Turner and William Congreve graced the stage. In 1954, the theater got a major upgrade. It acquired furnishings from Rockefeller Center’s old Center Theatre.
The Cherry Lane became known for experimental works. In the 1950s and 60s, it was a hub for counterculture performances. The theater regularly staged works from the Theatre of the Absurd. Even The Living Theatre held residency here. They performed rarities like Pablo Picasso’s “Desire Caught by the Tail.” Before they were famous, Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger played here too.
Many famous writers have had their work presented at the Cherry Lane Theatre. These include F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Dos Passos, and Elmer Rice in the 1920s. Later came Eugene O’Neill, Seán O’Casey, and Gertrude Stein. In the 1950s, Samuel Beckett, Pablo Picasso, and Tennessee Williams were featured. Harold Pinter, LeRoi Jones, and Edward Albee followed in the 60s. Sam Shepard and David Mamet came in the 70s and 80s.
Beckett’s “Happy Days” premiered here in 1961. Alan Schneider directed it. The American premiere of Beckett’s “Endgame” also opened at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Sam Shepard’s “True West” premiered here in 1982 with John Malkovich and Gary Sinise.
Angelina Fiordellisi bought the theater in 1996 for $1.7 million. She renovated it for $3 million. Fiordellisi and Susann Brinkley co-founded the Cherry Lane Theatre Company. They then started the Cherry Lane Alternative.
In 1998, they co-founded the Mentor Project with Michael Weller. This program pairs established playwrights with aspiring ones. Mentors included Pulitzer Prize winners like David Auburn and Tony Kushner. Edward Albee acted as the Mentor’s Mentor.
The Cherry Lane faced financial troubles in 2010 and took a year-long break. But, Angelina Fiordellisi saved it from sale. In 2023, A24, a film studio, bought the Cherry Lane Theatre. This marked A24’s expansion into theater.
The Cherry Lane Theatre has showcased many notable productions. These include “The Rimers of Eldritch” and “Fortune’s Fool” with Alan Bates. “The Sum of Us” with Tony Goldwyn also played here.
The Cherry Lane Theatre stands as a testament to Off-Broadway’s enduring spirit. It’s a place where new voices are discovered. It is a place where experimental theater thrives. The Cherry Lane continues to contribute to New York City’s vibrant cultural scene.