Lucille Lortel Theatre

Lucille Lortel Theatre: The Crown Jewel of Off-Broadway

The Lucille Lortel Theatre is one of New York's premier venues for live entertainment. Located at 121 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014, this off-broadway theater has a capacity of 295 and has been a fixture of the city's cultural landscape since 1953.

History of Lucille Lortel Theatre

The Lucille Lortel Theatre opened in 1953 as the Theatre de Lys on Christopher Street in the West Village. The building was originally constructed in 1926 as the New Hudson movie theater. Actress and producer Lucille Lortel transformed it into one of off-Broadway's most important stages, and it was renamed in her honor in 1981.

The theater's most historic production was The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, starring Lotte Lenya, which ran from 1955 to 1961 for 2,611 performances. It remains the only off-Broadway production ever to win a Tony Award.

Lortel herself received the theater as an anniversary present from her husband, financier Louis Schweitzer, in 1955. Under her stewardship, the 295-seat venue became a launching pad for important new American plays. Notable productions include works by Kurt Vonnegut, Terrence McNally, and Marsha Norman. More recently, Hand to God and School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play played here.

What's On at Lucille Lortel Theatre

The Lucille Lortel Theatre presents off-Broadway productions in downtown the West Village.

• Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (Off-Broadway)

Browse all off-Broadway shows in New York on tickadoo.

Seating and Accessibility

The theater seats 295 in a single-level configuration. The intimate setting puts every audience member close to the performers.

The theater is ADA accessible. Contact the theater for specific accessibility details.