The Chocolate Factory

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You may not find Oompa Loompas or lickable wallpaper at the Chocolate Factory in Long Island City, but for artists and performers, the 5,000-square-foot raw space (named for its former location in the old Dryden & Palmer Co. confectionery factory) is an equally delicious destination. Founded in 2003, the two-level space is split into a whitewashed ground floor and a low-ceilinged, gray-toned basement, both able to morph at the whim of a production. There’s also a gallery storefront and a small shaftway�complete with skylight�that can accommodate installations. The company of resident artists here stage multidisciplinary works that can include theater, dance, music, multimedia�and sometimes all of the above. Others can showcase their work through the Visiting Artists program, which lends access to the space and equipment. The experimental pieces often challenge notions of what it means to go to the theater. Thus, the audience may sit cabaret-style at one performance, be given directions to move their own chairs around at another, or perhaps just sit on the floor. — Vanita Salisbury

Thursday-night performances are free for the borough’s residents.