Frequently Asked Questions

Spaces

How many spaces does the Connelly Theater have?

As of Fall 2023, we are operating two theaters and a rehearsal studio. The Mainstage is a 99 - 165 seat proscenium “jewel box” house. The Upstairs is a 51-seat 3/4 thrust studio theater on the second floor of our building.

Is the Upstairs open yet?

Yes! We are now accepting proposals for projects to play in the Upstairs theater.

Submissions and Proposals

What kind of projects are you looking for?

The Connelly Theater is a curated rental venue. That means we offer bookings only after reviewing your submission and determining if it’s a fit for our space.

This also means that we are not a producing venue, and we can’t accept scripts on their own. The project must have a team attached, whether that’s a producing entity, a theater company, etc.

We almost never book events that last less than a week (except film). See below for more information on length of run.

What kind of work are you looking for?

Our tastes are eclectic, but tend toward the new. We place an emphasis on originality. We love new plays, or old plays done in a new way. We love new musicals. We particularly love physical and visual theater, work that incorporates puppetry, and devised work.

We mostly book theater productions, but are absolutely open to other forms, including dance, comedy, and multimedia. If you think you’d like to work here, please DO submit. We’d love to hear why you’re passionate about your project—perhaps we will be too.

How do I submit a project for consideration?

Read this FAQ, and then use our submissions page for theater rentals, or our studio page for rehearsal studio rentals.

Please note that, for sanity’s sake (ours, obviously), we only accept inquiries via our submissions manager. Emailed inquiries may go unnoticed and forgotten.

But won’t you see an email more quickly?
I’m busy!
Must I, with my noble blood, mingle with the plebeians in the slush pile?

These are all great questions. We get a lot of submissions. Emails get lost. In fact, email is the slush pile when it comes to submissions. Meanwhile, our submissions manager keeps everything neat and tidy and exactly where we expect to find it, when we’re looking for it.

Simply put, if you submit via the submissions manager, we will see your proposal more quickly and in a format that makes it much easier for us to evaluate. Who doesn’t want that?

What if I just want to check your rates or availability before taking the time to submit a proposal?

We’d love that! We have a shorter Dates & Rates inquiry form for you to use. We still recommend you read this FAQ before inquiring.

Are you currently accepting proposals?

Yes! We are booking well into next year.

Is the theater available for rental on (insert particular date)?

Maybe! We're often booked about a year in advance, but there may be open spots here and there. Please see above for info on how to inquire about dates.

Is there any particular information that is helpful for me to include when I contact you?

We’re so glad you asked! Yes, of course! Please take a look at our submissions page for full proposals, or the Dates & Rates page for simply inquiries. Each field is a piece of information that’s helpful to us. None of it is required, but the more you fill out, the better we’ll be able to assess if your project is a fit for our space.

What’s the best way to contact you?

For theater rentals, use our submissions manager. For rehearsal studio rentals, use the rental form on our studio page. If you have questions, please email! As we sometimes work remotely, we won't see phone messages except when we’re in the office. Email is absolutely the quickest way to get a response.

And for you go-getters out there: There is absolutely no need to contact us in more than one way. It won’t help you get to us faster, and it may annoy us, especially if we are already having one of those days. All of your messages go to the same place. Please especially do not email or call other people, like our current renters (this has actually happened), who will inevitably forward the email, accompanied by a sarcastic emoji, to the same email account you have already emailed.

How soon can I expect to hear back from you?

We try to respond to all inquiries within three weeks, and sooner if possible. We have an extremely small staff, so please be patient. If it’s been a few weeks and you haven’t heard anything, feel free to follow up. If you send us an email that says “Hello, I would like to do a play, can i rent your theater?” (we get this a lot actually), you will hear back only if we’re feeling extremely friendly that day.

How small is your extremely small staff?

As of October 2023, we are a team of two. Josh Luxenberg is the Director & General Manager. Mele Sabú Borges is our Theater Management Associate.

Can anyone rent the theater?

Our season consists of curated rentals, which means that we select our programming based on what interests us, rather than first-come, first-served. That being said, we do accept requests on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Will you hold dates for me while I figure things out on my end? Will you let me know if anyone else is inquiring about the same dates?

No. Dates are held once a contract is signed and a deposit is paid. Until that time, we may choose to offer those dates to another company. And unfortunately, we simply receive too many inquiries to cross check them all against each other.

Can I extend if we're selling well?

If the space is empty following your rental, then we are happy to discuss an extension. However, we are usually booked 12 - 18 months in advance, so it is rare to have available space at the last minute. If you anticipate your production being popular enough to extend, please factor the additional time into your initial rental inquiry.

Do you do single-day rentals?

Except for film/TV shoots, we require a 1-week minimum booking, and generally consider 4+ week bookings first on the Mainstage. Currently we also require a 1-week minimum booking Upstairs, but this policy may chance as we get the space open and better understand its capabilities.

The Connelly Mainstage is set up best for rentals of one week or longer (except film/TV shoots, which we can accommodate for shorter spans). Please note that in order to keep the theater as flexible as possible for our larger shows, we strike everything in between bookings. You will need to build in time to set up the theater, including seats, and to create a light plot and hang/strike your instruments. This means that the theater is often not the right venue for simple events, such as play readings.

What about for film/TV shoots?

We are always happen to discuss film/TV shoots of any length. Please contact Josh Luxenberg, the theater manager, for more information.

Working in the Theater

What's included in a rental?

In the Mainstage space, lighting and sound packages, and black drapes are included in your rental. You'll have access to the theater, (brand-spankin’ new) dressing rooms and greenroom, lobbies and bathrooms. Staffing is not included in your rental, so you'll need to supply your own tech crew, front of house, box office, etc.

We are still putting together the rental package for the Upstairs. Right now, we have a rep lighting plot that is included, and a sound computer, but we do not yet have a full sound system. Like the Mainstage, staffing is not included.

Can you recommend tech crew, front of house, box office staff, etc.?

We're happy to recommend some very competent folks to hire (although we can't guarantee their availability). The further in advance you let us know, the better, as talented people are always in high demand.

Do you provide/allow concessions? Do you have a liquor license?

You are welcome to run your own concessions (and keep the profits). We have a physical bar you can use. We do not have a liquor license. If you would like to serve alcohol, please discuss with the theater manager in advance about compliance with applicable regulations.

Can the seating risers in the Mainstage be reconfigured/removed?

Yes! We now have a SteelDeck riser system, which is removable/reconfigurable (it is also, compared to our old risers, less creaky and more sturdy). If you would like to remove or reconfigure the risers, please indicate this when making your booking, otherwise we can't guarantee that we can get a team together to make the move. Moving or reconfiguring the risers will incur a fee on top of the rental fee to cover labor and other costs associated with the job.

So I can configure the seating any way I want?

There are some practical limitations. First, any seating configuration must be approved by the Department of Buildings. We have a few layouts that have been OK’d by the DOB that you can use without needing to go through the approval process. The GM can provide drawings of each option. If you want to do something different, you will need to obtain a TPA from the DOB. It's an expensive and time-consuming process, full of acronyms, but we're happy to talk you through it. The other practical consideration is just what platforms we have in stock as part of our standard riser setup. If what we have is not exactly what you need, Steeldeck can provide rental platforms and hardware to supplement. Any cost associated with moving or reconfiguring the risers is at the renter's expense.

What other venue-specific expenses should I expect?

You'll need general liability insurance, as you would in any rental venue. The electric bill is also your responsibility. This often comes in between $100 and $600/wk, depending on how much you use the A/C in the theater, and the amount of theatrical lighting you hang. You'll need to make sure all your scenic elements comply with FDNY regulations—the most common expense is spraying fabrics for flame retardancy. We also require a refundable security deposit with your rental.

Are there any venue-specific quirks that might impact my decision to rent?

Of course. The building was originally built as an orphanage in the 1860s, so we’re like 78% quirks over here. Please be sure to talk through your project in depth with the theater manager before making a decision so we can make sure your show and our space are the right fit for each other. For example, because we are located within a school, there are noise restrictions during school hours. If you're doing a show that relies on loud, amplified sound, please discuss with us ahead of time.

Do you require us to use a particular ticketing service?

Nope! It's totally up to you. Popular options include: AudienceView (probably the most commonly used service in off-Broadway houses, with a strong backend, good reporting and some fees for both patrons and you), Ticket Central, Eventbrite, and Universe. There are many others out there as well.

Is there parking available?

Street parking can be hard to come by in this area. The parking lot next door does not belong to the theater and is not available to renters. There is usually space to stop a truck in front of the building to load/unload, but there is rarely parking.

Do you have a mailing list? Do you do any publicity on behalf of rentals?

We do not currently maintain a mailing list. All shows at the theater will be posted on our website, and we maintain social media accounts (links below).

220 East Fourth Street

What’s the history of the building?

Buy us a drink and we’ll really get into it. Briefly: the building was originally a Catholic orphanage, which we believe was built in the 1860s. At some point, most likely around the turn of the century, it became a boy’s middle school. In the 1980s, the space was taken over by artists who turned it into a 5-story live/work space called the Redeemer Arts Project (RAP Center). The Cornelia Connelly Center for Education took over the space in the earlier 1990s, converting most of the building into a middle school, and renovating the Mainstage and Upstairs theaters to create the Connelly Theater.

What is your relationship to Cornelia Connelly Center?

The Connelly Theater is part of Cornelia Connelly Center. CCC is a non-profit organization that runs a middle school for girls under-resourced girls, empowering them to realize their full potential through college and beyond. The Graduate Support Program (GSP) provides academic, financial, and social-emotional support throughout their journey. Revenue generated by theater rental provides income for CCC. It's a terrific and unique program, and we're proud to support their work.

Is the Metropolitan Playhouse at the Connelly?

The Metropolitan Playhouse was in residence in the Upstairs theater for 31 years, from 1993 - 2023. We miss them greatly.

What is your relationship with the Archdiocese of New York?

The building that we're in was built by the Archdiocese in the 1860s as an orphanage, and they continue to own the property. CCC rents from the neighboring parish, and we manage the space.

Is it true that you have a [REDACTED] in the basement?

; - )