Space Lab
Advocating for the development of new work.
Companies are granted free use of our Theater B or C space for up to 5 days to explore the creation and development of new work. Preference is given to intersectional / ⵅIDEA-driven works with the opportunity for an intimate (invite-only) showing for the creatives to hear the piece out loud.
Access to space is Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 6:00PM, or as pre-approved with management, with work lights only and no dressing room or booth access. This program is not intended for individual creatives/artists who self-produce projects.
ⵅInclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility
Companies interested in being considered for future Space Lab residencies, can submit their materials via the link provided.
2024 Participants:
No.11 Productions (September & October)
Founded in 2008, No.11 Productions exists to collaboratively create new works and original adaptations as an ensemble. Our productions have the energy and imaginative zest of kids playing make-believe in the backyard and we invite the audience to play along. We believe in the energizing power of sharing stories full of hope and teamwork and strive to engage our audience as collaborators in the act of storytelling.
SheNYC Art (July)
SheNYC Arts is a femme-led nonprofit organization fighting for gender equity in the arts & entertainment industry across the United States. Our mission is to prove that there is no reason for male artists to have the overwhelming majority of professionally produced work on Broadway, off-Broadway, and around the country. We work granularly to break down the “pipeline issue” of gender inequity in our industry, and showcase the talents of writers, composers, producers, directors, and other theater artists who are part of a marginalized gender group, including cis women, trans, and non-binary people.
2023 Participants:
INSTINCT (November & December)
INSTINCT is a dynamic and innovative theater company that is dedicated to providing a platform for women and people of color to tell their stories. Drawing inspiration from theaters like La Mama, INSTINCT is committed to exploring all kinds of interesting and thought-provoking topics through its productions. With a focus on promoting diversity and inclusivity in the arts, INSTINCT offers a unique and engaging theatrical experience that celebrates the richness of different cultures and perspectives. Whether you're a seasoned theater-goer or new to the scene, INSTINCT promises to challenge, entertain, and inspire you with its groundbreaking productions.
The Associates (November)
The Associates is a company of performer-playwrights who create original plays that reflect and refract modes of identity in America. Over our first five seasons we developed an ensemble-based process of devising and collectively writing plays; our first play, Black Protagonist was nominated for Outstanding Original Script by the New York Innovative Theatre Awards
Latiné Musical Theatre Lab (July-August)
The Latiné Musical Theatre Lab, LLC is an organization that develops and advocates for new Latiné-written works of musical theatre in order to radically change who gets to tell musical stories on stages across the country.
The Tent (April)
The Tent Theater Company nurtures, supports, and advocates for American playwrights and cross-disciplinary theater makers over the age of 60, fostering connections among them and promoting their artistry and wellness to the larger community. The Tent rests upon the three pillars of Service, Advocacy, and Artistic Support to celebrate and attend to writers in the totality of their artistic journeys.
C Squared Theatre (April)
Started by Providence-based writer, actor, and musician Cass Caduto, C Squared Theatre Group produces original theatrical works by independent Rhode Island-located playwrights with a focus on work writers from socially or politically marginalized groups. Our mission is to aid in raising awareness of more taboo social and political issues that polite society tries its best to keep quiet. Permanent Solutions, which is about suicide and mental health, is C Squared's flagship production.
LubDub Theatre Co (February/March)
LubDub Theatre Co is a physical theatre company that animates stories of science, magic, and myth. Named for the stethographic sounds of a heartbeat, LubDub creates athletic work at the intersections of dance, music, installation art, new writing, and immersive performance.
Less Than Rent (February/September)
Less Than Rent is a New York-based independent theatre company founded in 2010 that seeks to elevate stories of class struggle in America and throughout the world. They present new works that explore themes of egalitarianism, collectivism, and anti-imperialism with their signature hard-edged style and irreverent humor. They are currently one of 59E59 Theaters’ Co-Op Resident Companies.
Clutch Productions (February)
Clutch is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for women artists in theatre and film. By commissioning and producing original works, Clutch provides vital creative space for women to collaborate
2022 Participants:
The Hearth (March)
The Hearth tells the stories of women. We nurture and celebrate women and non-binary artists (playwrights, directors, actors, and designers) and develop plays that represent the complex and vast spectrum of womanhood. The Hearth produces plays that explore characters who pulse with emotional, intellectual, and psychological complexity. We seek to challenge stereotypes, advance and complicate the conversation about feminism, and expand perceptions of what it means to be a woman. We are committed to making room for the next generation of women artists in the landscape of the American theater.
The Sống Collective (June and September)
The Sống Collective’s mission is to reclaim the Vietnamese American narrative by creating development and performance opportunities for emerging artists of color. We nurture a community of artists whose work explores questions of identity, race, intersectionality, immigration, and the refugee experience. We are dedicated to telling stories that dare to subvert preconceptions of Asian Americans.
Clutch Productions (September)
Clutch is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for women artists in theatre and film. By commissioning and producing original works, Clutch provides vital creative space for women to collaborate
Hypokrit Productions (October)
Hypokrit’s mission is to fundamentally disrupt the American entertainment industry, with the purpose of making the arts more equitable and relevant to a wider audience. We exclusively develop work by global-majority artists, with a specific focus on artists of South Asian descent. We focus on producing work that appeals to a multicultural and transnational audience. In addition to theater, we develop and produce TV and film projects, giving our artists a greater opportunity for exposure and our audience a greater opportunity for representation and connection.
Pictured: Steven Conroy and Julie Congress in PAIR (2023) by No.11 Productions and directed by Ryan Emmons. Presented by No.11 Productions. Workshopped as a Space Lab. Photo by Carol Rosegg.