Depending on whom you talk to, 2006 is roughly the 50th anniversary of the Off Off Broadway movement. Peculiar Works will mark that milestone by marking the territory: taking audiences to the sites of the original venues where the movement began and presenting excerpts from plays that originally premiered in them.

Our bi-monthly play reading series of these plays that most define the era kicks off this May. A theatrical exploration into what made these works significant and why they are important today, this series will feature talk-backs with artists and audience — your feedback will help us choose which plays to include in the full production, so be sure to join us!

The late ‘50s and early ‘60s were a rich, fertile time for theatrical experimentation in the NYC, breeding countless artistic giants and influencing generations of theater-makers. To pay tribute to this often ignored page of history, we’re commissioning a team of hot downtown theater directors to tackle the first plays, performance groups, and theatrical venues of early alternative theater. In mid-2006, our site-specific “performance heritage trail” will journey through the pioneering plays and landmark theaters, cafes and storefronts of historic Greenwich Village — stay tuned for more details…

The OFF Project is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts and the Nancy Quinn Fund.