About La MaMa - Ellen Stewart Theatre - LMETCINY Skip to content
A red brick building is lit up at dusk.
74 East Fourth Street; New York City

OUR STORY

La MaMa builds audiences that are integral to the creative process. Our local and global community members who gather in our physical, digital, and hybrid spaces to see new work, are often the first audience for that work. The audience response helps to shape the evolution of the piece for the artist, and is an essential part of the creative ecosystem that La MaMa nurtures. La MaMa believes art is a force for change. Violence, discrimination, and systemic racism will not stop without a unified resistance. La MaMa is committed to battling bigotry and intolerance in all its forms, and to providing inclusive spaces for our local, national, and global community.

A multicultural hive of avant-garde drama and performance art. La MaMa is a remarkable springboard for an impressive roster of promising playwrights, directors and actors.”
–The New York Times

HISTORY

Founded in 1961 by theatre legend Ellen Stewart, La MaMa is the only original Off-Off-Broadway venue still in operation. Ellen established La MaMa as a haven for underrepresented artists to experiment with new work, without the pressures of commercial success. Today, we maintain an environment of uncensored creative freedom, where artists of all backgrounds and identities can develop work that pushes the boundaries of what is possible onstage.

To date, La MaMa has supported more than 5,000 productions, featuring 150,000 artists from 70 nations. In 2018, The American Theatre Wing presented La MaMa with the Regional Theatre Tony Award, stating, “La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club is a staple of the New York theatre scene. It is an exciting space where artists can grow, create, and push boundaries, and we are thrilled to be able to honor them this year.” La MaMa has also been honored with more than 30 Obie Awards, and dozens of Drama Desk, Bessie, and Villager Awards.

 

La MaMa has always been a home to rebels and outsiders. It is a place that understands the importance of difference, of diversity, a place that gives a platform to unheard voices from here and abroad.”
– ‍Ping Chong, Director & National Medal of Arts Recipient

Artists nurtured at La MaMa include: Blue Man Group, Ping Chong, Tisa Chang, André De Shields, Olympia Dukakis, Tom Eyen, Harvey Fierstein, Richard Foreman, Philip Glass, Diane Lane, Taylor Mac, Bette Midler, Meredith Monk, Tom O’Horgan, Estelle Parsons, David and Amy Sedaris, Sam Shepard, Elizabeth Swados, Julie Taymor, Robert Wilson, and others.

Our network and community extend worldwide. La MaMa has presented the U.S. debuts of many artists, such as Min Soo Ahn, Peter Brook, Tan Dun, Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, Tadeusz Kantor, Branko Milicevic, Kazuo Ohno, Andrei Serban, Shuji Terayama, Tokyo Kids Brother, Duk-Hyung Yoo, and Belarus Free Theatre. 

Every artist in our season receives a developmental residency at La MaMa, including rehearsal and performance space, technical staff, marketing support, and box office services. In addition to these seasonal residencies, La MaMa is home to a number of long-term resident companies. Our current companies in residence include Kinding Sindaw, Loco7 Dance Puppet Theatre, Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima O Nuioka, Talking Band, Teatro Patologico, Yara Arts Group, and many others.

“Artists are welcomed at La MaMa and lovingly encouraged to experiment,” says Artistic Director Mia Yoo. “As we have grown over the years, risk-taking and diversity have remained key cultural values.” With 88,000 square feet of dedicated art space in the East Village, La MaMa is a historical cornerstone and modern hub for experimental theatre across disciplines and boundaries.


For more information on our History, Check out Wikipedia 

LAMAMA SEASON 62: RADICAL ACCESS
LAMAMA SEASON 62: RADICAL ACCESS

RESIDENT ARTISTS

2024-2025
Three men wearing leather jackets and sunglasses pose confidently against a blue background. the central man is shirtless, showcasing detailed necklaces.

THE NUU KNYNEZ

Four joyful friends posing together at an event, smiling broadly, with one man playfully resting his chin on another's head.

TEATRO 220

Man with a shaved head holding a detailed sculpted monkey head in his hand against a black background.

KEVIN AUGUSTINE

A performer in a red vest and shorts, with gray hair, stands on a stage gesturing with hands, near a keyboard, under a lit sign reading "in hell with jesus top 40.

IVO DIMCHEV

Black and white close-up portrait of a smiling woman with medium-length curly hair.

IRINA KRUZHILINA

A woman with dark hair wearing blue earrings and a gray shirt poses against a purple background, resting her hand on her head.

EMILY ANNE GOES

Two women standing close together, one with shoulder-length curly hair in a black shirt, the other with curly hair in a floral blouse. they both gaze seriously at the camera.

BELOVA ~ IACOBELLI THEATRE COMPANY

A woman in a red and blue light holds a plush unicorn toy, appearing contemplative or somber.

COMPAGNIE YOKAÏ

Two male dancers perform a dramatic duet on a dimly lit stage, with one leaning back dramatically into the other's embrace.

BAYE & ASA

Subscribe to newsletter

    Subscribe

    A black background with a black square.

    La Mama is a world-renowned New York cultural institution dedicated to the artist and all aspects of the theatre.

    FOLLOW US: