Exciting & Inexpensive Theatre: 14 Shows to See Off-Off Broadway in April
See legendary performance artist Karen Finley, a new play by Lauren Gunderson, tour-de-force solos and more
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Adventurous audiences know that some of the biggest theatrical thrills are found on NYC’s smallest stages. These shows are also great for theatregoers on a budget. In fact, ! Not a TDF member? Consider joining our Go Off-Off and Beyond program, which gives you access to discount tickets to indie theatre, music and dance performances for a one-time fee of five bucks.
In terms of COVID-19 safety protocols, rules vary by venue. While we are trying to keep this article up to date, be sure to double-check the protocols before purchasing tickets so you arrive prepared.
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The Brick: ?!:New Works 2023 – begins April 5
The Brick, 579 Metropolitan Avenue near Lorimer Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Begins April 5. Closes August 26.
Masks and proof of vaccination are required.
Throughout April, June and August, Brooklyn’s experimental theatre mecca The Brick presents evenings jam-packed with genre-defying shorts from up-and-coming indie artists. Prepare to be amazed, enlightened and mystified.
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Thirdwing: Television – begins April 6
Wild Project, 195 East 3rd Street between Avenues A and B in the East Village
Begins April 6. Closes April 22.
Masks are required.
Thirdwing, a hybrid theatre company that produces plays in person and online, presents the premiere of Television set during the early days of TV. After a small 1950s station loses its network affiliation, the channel enlists local residents to entertain their neighbors. Written and directed by Cameron Darwin Bossert, it’s a whimsical meditation on how mass media both unites and divides us.
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The Onomatopoeia Theatre Company: Teach Me How to Die – begins April 6
Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond Street between Lafayette Street and the Bowery in Noho
Begins April 6. Closes April 29. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase $15 tickets.
Masks are optional.
This new drama about suicide prevention feels particularly urgent considering rates are steadily climbing. Written and co-directed by Lisa Monde, the play centers on six students taking a course in suicide note writing. As they near the end of their sessions, will they decide to end it all or will they get a new lease on life?
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Duende Productions: Emilie – begins April 6
Begins April 6. Closes April 30.
Masks are required.
Lauren Gunderson, one of the most produced playwrights in the nation, has penned numerous plays about historical women in science. With Emilie, she champions another undersung shero: Émilie du Châtelet, one of the first female physicists who died from childbirth complications. While her work inspired many scientists who came after her, including Einstein, she became eclipsed by her longtime lover and collaborator, Voltaire, and was almost lost to history. Subtitled “La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight,” this New York premiere shines a spotlight on this pioneer.
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Karen Finley: COVID Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco – begins April 8
Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street between Ninth and Dyer Avenues in Midtown West
Begins April 8. Closes June 24.
Masks are optional.
The inimitable performance diva Karen Finley returns to the stage with a rollicking and rave-reviewed solo show about what we’ve all been through over the past three years. Organized into themed sequences complemented by costume changes and projections, the hour-long monologue recalls the peak days of lockdown while also connecting the pandemic to a long history of political failures that impacted NYC, including the AIDS epidemic and September 11. While there is rage, this isn’t just some angry rant. Finley knows that the best way to treat anxiety is through impassioned art. Note: There is a $25 food-drink minimum in addition to the ticket price.
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People’s Theatre Project: The Diamond – begins April 12
Pregones, 575 Walton Avenue between East 149th and East 150th Streets in the South Bronx
Begins April 12. Closes April 23.
Masks are optional.
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Teatro Círculo: La caída de Rafael Trujillo (The Downfall of Rafael Trujillo) – begins April 14
The Chain Theatre, 312 West 36th between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Midtown West
Begins April 14. Closes April 30. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase $15 tickets.
Masks are required.
Teatro Círculo revives Carmen Rivera’s history play about Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, the dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination three decades later. A nuanced portrait of the last days of a controversial leader, the drama chronicles the politics, uprisings and personal pressures that led to his demise. Performed in Spanish with English overtitles.
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Abingdon Theatre Company: Robin and Me – begins April 15
The Chain Theatre, 312 West 36th between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Midtown West
Begins April 15. Closes May 14. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase $17.50 tickets.
Masks are optional.
Lots of little kids have imaginary friends. But Dave Droxler’s ficticious pal also happened to be a real-life Hollywood star: Robin Williams. In this autobiographical solo show subtitled “My Little Spark of Madness,” the playwright-performer recounts how the iconic comedian helped him navigate the challenges of growing up and how Droxler eventually learned to live without him.
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Sex Witch the Musical – begins April 19
Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street between Sixth Avenue and Varick Street in Soho
Begins April 19. Closes May 6. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase $15 tickets.
Masks are optional.
A hit at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Maggie Lalley’s autobiographical musical comedy recounts her teenage dalliance with sexually charged witchcraft. Fusing stand-up, storytelling and original songs, Lalley casts a spell in this hilarious and harrowing solo show.
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Irondale: American Century: Part 1 – begins April 20
Irondale Center, 85 South Oxford Street between Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Begins April 20. Closes May 21. FREE
Masks are optional.
Using seven landmark plays as source material, including The Front Page, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Crucible and A Raisin in the Sun, the endlessly innovative Irondale Ensemble investigates the evolution of art and culture in America during the 20th century. Billed as an immersive nonlinear musical, American Century: Part 1 is ambitious in scope and execution, with the shows’ themes intersecting with songs and vaudeville acts for this exploration of an influential period in history. Tickets are FREE but must be reserved in advance.
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The Tank: Welcome to Clowntown – begins April 21
The Tank, 312 West 36th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in Midtown West
Begins April 21. Closes May 13. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase $15 tickets.
Proof of vaccination and masks are required.
Lots of actors have day jobs, but Tanya Perez’s was particularly quirky: as her alter ego Pixie the Clown, she entertained at children’s birthday parties in NYC and Hollywood. In this interactive solo show, she shares hilarious and horrifying tales from her red-nosed life.
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Fresh Fruit Festival 2023 – begins April 24
Wild Project, 195 East 3rd Street between Avenues A and B in the East Village
Begins April 24. Closes May 7.
Masks are required.
For more than two decades, this annual LGBTQ festival has showcased cutting-edge queer artists with two weeks of live shows and films. This year’s lineup includes searing solos, variety shows, comedies and even a musical.
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La MaMa: Hong Kong Mississippi – begins April 27
La MaMa’s The Downstairs, 66 East 4th Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue in the East Village
Begins April 27. Closes May 14.
Masks are optional.
Wesley Du wrote and stars in this solo tour de force about a downtrodden Chinese boy who finds solace through his unexpected friendship with an older Black guitarist who plays the blues. Du channels a dozen disparate characters in this tribute to the healing power of art and cross-cultural connection.
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Queens Theatre: Eight Tales of Pedro – begins April 28
Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Avenue South in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Corona, Queens
Begins April 28. Closes May 7.
Masks are optional.
Mark-Eugene Garcia’s play with music parallels two tales set in different eras. In 1600s Mexico, Pedro travels from a small port town to the fabled Veracruz. Meanwhile, in the 21st century, Peter hides in a van crossing the border into America. These two storytellers connected across time risk everything for a chance at a better life.
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Top image: Karen Finley in COVID Vortex Anxiety Opera Kitty Kaleidoscope Disco, which is running at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Photo courtesy of Finley.