FAQs

Where are the A.R.T./New York Theatres?

The A.R.T./New York Theatres are located just west of 10th Avenue at 502 West 53rd Street. The closest subway stops are the C/E at 50th Street and the A/B/C/D and 59th Street.

How can I usher at the theatres?

Ushering positions are coordinated through the companies producing in our space. Please visit our events calendar to see what is currently playing at the Theatres, and reach out to the company directly for volunteer usher opportunities.

What are your box office hours? Can I stop by to purchase a ticket?

The A.R.T./New York Theatres do not have a box office on site. Rather, the companies who rent our spaces handle all of their own ticketing. If you know the name of the company whose show you would like to see, you will be able to purchase tickets via their website. Companies’ onsite box offices open one hour pre-show for ticket pickup or day of purchase. For additional ticking information, please contact the company directly.

How can I rent at the A.R.T./New York Theatres?

Member companies are eligible for subsidized rentals when renting for 2 or more weeks. The theatres are available at non-subsidized rates on a first come, first served basis.

While our primary focus is long term productions, the theatres are also available for one night events and readings, subject to availability. These requests are considered on a rolling basis no more than sixty days prior to the date in question.

What’s included in the rental rate?

To learn more about the amenities included with the rental rate, including technical packages for our theatre spaces, please visit the Gural and Mezzanine pages.

Are there A.R.T./New York staff members on site?

Someone from the A.R.T./New York staff will always be in the building with you. During business hours Monday-Friday, this is usually a full time staff member.

On evenings and weekends, a part-time House Technician will be on site. When the public is present for performances, there will be an A.R.T./New York Front of House Manager on site as well.

Do you provide Front of House or Box Office services? 

A.R.T./New York Theatres does not provide Box Office Services at this time. We require each production to provide a Box Office Manager for each performance. The Box Office Manager is required to be on site from 90 minutes prior to your scheduled curtain time through 30 minutes after the show has started. 

Each rental company is required to provide one Front of House Manager to be on site 90 minutes prior to your scheduled curtain time until all members of the public have left the space. For rentals in the Mezzanine theatre you are required to have an F-03 holder on site for all public performances. A.R.T./NY offers an in-house Front of House Manager Service for an hourly fee of $33.00 with a four hour minimum per show. 

Additional ushers may be required depending on your selected layout and designs.

Do you provide a Technical Director to oversee our work?

An A.R.T./New York Theatres staff member will be on site whenever you are in the building. However, you will still need to hire a Technical Director for your production. We will work with your production team to answer any questions they may have about our equipment or our spaces, both during your pre-production process and during your load in and tech. You are responsible to provide all production labor required, and to provide someone to oversee the work of your production team.

What is included in the tech package? Do we have to pay extra to use the stock?

Each theatre has a dedicated light and sound inventory, including a com system and wireless microphones. Each theatre also has 2 projectors, as well as their own inventory of soft goods including a cyc and scrims. There is a shared inventory between the two spaces as well. Please see the equipment lists on the venue info pages for more detailed information.

There is no additional fee to use any of our equipment. This includes all equipment in the Gural or Mezzanine inventories and our Shared Inventory.

Can we arrange the spaces however we want?

We have a variety of seating layouts for our spaces – 8 in the Mezzanine and 7 in the Gural. These layouts are already permitted by FDNY and DOB and are by far the simplest option since we’ve already done the work to ensure the configurations meet all codes and regulations.

Even so, some of our companies have chosen to go beyond our permitted layouts and file what is called a Temporary Place of Assembly Permit, or a TPA. Filing a TPA is an investment of both time and money – you will have to hire an architect to draw your new layout and file their stamped drawings with the appropriate city agencies for permits. In addition, you will be responsible for all FDNY and DOB fees and inspections as well as ensuring that all codes and regulations are being met. We strongly encourage choosing one of our already permitted layouts, but are happy to answer any questions should you choose to file a TPA.

Can we use haze?

We do not permit use of haze in the Gural Theatre.

For the Mezzanine Theatre there are several steps to take before we can allow use of theatrical haze or fog in our theatres. We must be informed of the plan to use haze no later than 8 weeks prior to load in. Haze requires an Explosives Permit from FDNY as well as a staff member present all times when haze/fog is used with an E-06 certification from FDNY. In order to pull that permit you will need a permission letter signed by a Theatres staff member stating the make and model of the hazer and the haze liquid you will be using. You will be responsible for filing for the permit, scheduling the onsite inspection, and for any fees associated with the permit or inspection. Once the permit is filed, the haze will be subject to extensive testing, supervised by Theatres staff, under as close to show conditions as possible, until we achieve an effect that will not trigger our smoke and particle detectors. Only effects that have been approved by Theatres staff (for duration and haze level) will be allowed. No use of haze is permitted for any reason before approval has been given for your effect. Should you choose to produce in our theatres and are interested in using haze in your production we will have a more in-depth conversation about the realities of haze in our spaces during our 8 and 4 week production meetings.

Are your seats numbered?

Since our spaces go through multiple reconfigurations a year, the seats are not numbered. If you choose to have numbered seating we are happy to work with you to create a numbering convention and brainstorm creative ways to number our seats.

Can we bring in outside equipment?

Yes! While we hope that the equipment provided will eliminate or greatly lessen your equipment rental needs, we understand that sometimes a production calls for elements that are outside of our inventory. If this is the case, please talk to Theatres staff – we’ll be able to help make sure that any rentals are compatible with our infrastructure.

What are our access hours? Can we do overnight calls?

During your load in and tech, access hours are from 9:00am-11:00pm. (NOTE: The first day of load in for the Gural begins at 2:00pm on Monday. The first day of load in for the Mezzanine begins at 9am on Tuesday. This is so Theatres staff has time to check out the previous production and set up your desired riser configuration.) After your show opens, your access hours begin 2 hours before curtain and end 1 hour after your show has ended OR 11:00pm, whichever is first. Due to our lease, we have a hard out at 11:00pm. Because of this we cannot facilitate overnight calls.

Is there sound bleed from one space to another?

Our theatres themselves are on opposite sides of the building, so sound bleed between them has not been an issue. We are in the same complex with our wonderful neighbors at MCC and The 52nd Street Project, but sound bleed has been rare.

Is there laundry on site?

Yes! We have a laundry area that is shared by both spaces with two washers and two driers. There is no additional cost to use the laundry facilities. As you get closer to performances, Theatres staff will reach out to create a laundry schedule that works for everyone. Each theatre also has its own dedicated steamer, iron, and ironing board. All we ask is that you bring your own detergent and any other laundry or wardrobe supplies.

What kind of insurance do we need to rent at the A.R.T./New York Theatres?

Each company needs insurance as fits the needs of your production. At minimum, this will include General Liability and Workers Comp and/or Volunteer Accident. A certificate of insurance (COI) must be provided naming A.R.T./New York and several other entities as Additional Insureds.

Is there a concession stand in the space? Can we serve alcohol?

A.R.T./New York Theatres doesn’t offer concessions in our space, but our renters are more than welcome to offer merchandise, pre-packaged snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages for sale. Alcohol cannot be sold in the space as we do not have a liquor license. However, beer and wine can be served at special events provided that your company has a General Liability insurance policy that includes Host Liquor Liability coverage. This is included in most GL policies, but if you are unsure please reach out to your provider.

Does A.R.T./New York provide marketing support?

A.R.T./New York does not provide marketing support for those who produce at our Theatres. Productions at the Theatres will be listed on our events calendar.