The Performing Garage

33 Wooster Street | also 64 Grand Street | SoHo | built 1900

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Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

1. 1868

   William Shears designs a brick factory and workshop at 31-33 Wooster Street for N. Gavia

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   The Landmarks Preservation Commission's SoHo-Cast Iron survey lists 31-33 Wooster Street as a brick building begun in 1868 to the plans of William Shears for an owner named N. Gavia. It was meant for factories and workshops. A major alteration came in 1961, when the third and fourth floors were taken off, leaving a lower building than the one first put up.

   Source: NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

2. 1967

   George Maciunas names 33 Wooster Street among his planned artist cooperatives

   By 1967 the Fluxus organizer George Maciunas had identified ten buildings he hoped to turn into artist cooperatives. A flyer of his claimed eight were already bought and grouped into three, later four, co-ops. The list included 64-70 Grand Street, 33 Wooster Street and 131 Prince Street. The Wooster Street building later housed the Performing Garage.

   Source: gothamcenter.org

3. 1968

   Richard Schechner turns a former flatware factory into the Performing Garage and opens it with Dionysus in 69

   Theater director Richard Schechner acquired the building in 1968. It had been a metal stamping and flatware factory, and SoHo was then a warehouse district just beginning to fill with artists. He set up the Performing Garage as the home of his experimental Performance Group, which began with Dionysus in 69. The small theater is still known by that name, and sometimes misnamed the Performance Garage.

   “The location was originally not a garage but a metal stamping/flatware factory ... It was acquired in 1968 by its first artistic and theater director, Richard Schechner.”

   Source: Wikipedia

4. 1980

   The Performance Group becomes the Wooster Group as Schechner resigns and Elizabeth LeCompte takes over

   From 1975 some members of the Performance Group began making their own productions in the Garage, starting with Sakonnet Point. Richard Schechner resigned in 1980, and the company was renamed the Wooster Group under Elizabeth LeCompte, with its 1975 to 1980 independent works counted as its first productions. The Group still runs the Garage, holding a share in the Grand Street Artists Co-op.

   Source: Wikipedia

Nearby

• The Drawing Center35 Wooster Street | 3 entries
• 66 Grand Street2 entries
• 70 Grand Street2 entries
• 64 Grand Street1 entry
• 62 Grand Street1 entry
• 41 Wooster Street1 entry

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