The Upright Citizens Brigade is leaving its Chelsea location in New York to make way for a new location a little further uptown. According to The Wall Street Journal, UCB is moving from its West 26th Street location to Hell’s Kitchen at 555 West 42nd Street at the end of November. The move will be accompanied by “special performances to celebrate the change and bid farewell to the Chelsea venue,†which has been UCB’s home for over a decade. Live shows at the new location are expected to start up in early December.
According to artistic director Shannon O’Neill, the change of location comes after a long search for a theater that complies with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). “We have a very diverse group of students, performers and patrons and we want to be able to serve all of them,†she told WSJ. “Right now, the Chelsea theater doesn’t allow that.†Here’s some more info on the new location from WSJ’s report:
The former Pearl Theatre location is a 160-seat theater with more room backstage for performers, a higher ceiling and no obstructions blocking audience members’ lines of sight to the stage, Ms. O’Neill said. There are pillars in the Chelsea theater that can obstruct views of the stage depending on where members of the audience are seated. Upright Citizens Brigade is still determining how to best use the new space. A goal is to replicate the intimacy of the Chelsea theater, Ms. O’Neill said, the solution to which may include bringing chairs onto the stage. “The Chelsea theater has served us very well, but I’m very excited about what we’re going to be able to do in this new space,†Ms. O’Neill said.
The UCB Theatre has been at the Chelsea location since 2003. In 2011, UCB added its second New York location in the East Village, and in 2014 they opened their second Los Angeles theater with UCB Sunset, which also doubles as the LA-based training center.