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A space on West 57th street that previously served as a church, recording studio, nightclub, and an immersive nightlife experience, will become an off-Broadway theatre. According to W42ST, Arts 57 NYC is planning to turn 311 W57th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues, into a 250-seat theater which will house off-Broadway productions, musical theater, jazz, comedy, and other live performances.
The space’s ground floor and balcony will house the theater, and a lounge will be placed at cellar-level, which will serve drinks and small plates.
The ground floor and balcony will become the theater, while a cellar-level lounge will serve drinks and small plates before and after performances. Patrons will also be able to stay after shows for a cocktail — potentially mingling with performers — while the downstairs space could occasionally host private events.
The team bringing this place ot life include Attorney Phil Dorn, as well as veteran theater producers Louis Hartshorn and Scott Prisand. The team recently built The Arts at Marble Arch, a venue in London that was most recently home to Heathers the Musical.
The venue began its life as The Church of the Strangers, and then was transformed into the recording studio Mediasound Studios in 1969. By the 1990s, the space had taken on several identities in the nightclub space, including Le Bar Bat, Club 57, Triumph Room, and Providence. Later, the venue reopened in 2023 as The Stranger, a nightclub that also combined choreographed performances, interactive rooms, puppets, karaoke, and more.
Previous criticism of the venue included noise complaints from those living in the adjoined apartment building. Other concerns include lines of patrons along the sidewalk which may happen if 250 theatregoers were to all arrive at the same time. To combat this, the space will include two interior vestibule areas which could accommodate about 80 people. To deal with the noise, Arts 57 submitted an updated report recommending extensive soundproofing measures, including treated ceilings, walls and doors and limits on the venue’s sound system.
Manhattan Community Board 4 sent in an application to the New York State Liquor Authority, who will make the final call on whether the venue can go on as planned.
Read the original story on W42ST.
