NYU's new theatre space at 181 Mercer Street has been built upon the location of the first Black theatre in the country, and is a living memorial to a theatre that transformed American arts and culture. The new theatre space is named after the original - "The African Grove Theatre," and will be used for Graduate Acting and Graduate Design for Stage and Film performances. The space will offer ongoing theatrical performance, historical displays, educational programming, and teaching and learning opportunities to promote the groundbreaking legacy of the original African Grove Theatre as a beacon for Black artists and performers.
"At NYU Graduate Acting, we have a history of engaging emerging actors into the classical tradition that stretches back more than half a century. We have endeavored to create a fertile and robust environment for actors of colo to explore both their own identities and to explore other worlds, other cultures, other constructs of language and presentation. In this regard, we are continuing in the adventuresome tradition of the African Grove Theatre, whose imagination and artistry knew no bounds." - Carl Cofield, Chair of NYU Graduate Acting
To read more about the new African Grove Theatre space and its history, click the links below.