Joyce Theater
Encyclopedia
The Joyce Theater is a 472-seat dance
performance venue located in the Chelsea area of the borough of Manhattan
in New York City
. The Joyce Theater Foundation, the organization founded in 1982 that operates the theater, also owns the Joyce SoHo
dance center located in a former firehouse on Mercer Street between Houston and Prince Streets. The Foundation won a 1986 Drama Desk Special Award
for its American Theatre Exchange program.
The Joyce is located in the former Elgin Theater
, a 1941 revival movie house that was closed by the community after it became a porno
theatre. The Elgin was completely renovated to create in the Joyce a venue suitable for dance, a process that took two years. The theater was conceived of and created by Eliot Feld
and Cora Cahan as a home for the Feld Ballet, and continues to be owned by Ballet Tech Foundation Inc. The theatre attracts an audience of over 140,000 people annually.
The Joyce was made possible financially in large measure due to the philanthropic efforts of LuEsther T. Mertz whose family founded Publishers Clearing House
, the well known magazine and merchandise sweepstakes company. In appreciation of her generosity, the theater was named after her daughter, Joyce.
The architect for the 1982 renovation/rehabilitation was Hugh Hardy
of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. The theatre consultant was Jules Fisher Associates. The acoustical consultant was Peter George Associates.
In 1996, The Joyce Theater Foundation purchased the Joyce SoHo. Once a three-story firehouse, Joyce SoHo is equipped with two dance studios for rehearsals—as well as a third space that doubles as studio and performance space, complete with 74 seats, lighting, and a box office.
In 2001, the Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work was established. Through this fund, selected dance artists receive commissioning support ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to create a work to be performed at The Joyce Theater. Additional grants of $1,000 to $5,000 may be made for works to be performed at Joyce SoHo.
In 2005, the Foundation was among 406 New York City
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html
The Foundation's bid to operate a future new theater at the World Trade Center site
was accepted, but construction delays have held back that plan. When the lease on the Joyce Theater expires in 2016, the Foundation will have to negotiate a new lease with Ballet Tech, run by Eliot Feld .
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
performance venue located in the Chelsea area of the borough of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Joyce Theater Foundation, the organization founded in 1982 that operates the theater, also owns the Joyce SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
dance center located in a former firehouse on Mercer Street between Houston and Prince Streets. The Foundation won a 1986 Drama Desk Special Award
Drama Desk Special Award
The Drama Desk Special Award is presented by the Drama Desk, a committee comprising New York City theatre critics, writers, and editors. It is a non-competitive award that honors an individual or an organization that has made a significant contribution to Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway,...
for its American Theatre Exchange program.
The Joyce is located in the former Elgin Theater
Elgin Theater
The Elgin Theater opened in 1942 on Eighth Avenue in New York City. It was designed in the Art Moderne style by Simon Zelnik and was a popular movie house for decades seating 600. It served as a home to cult films and revivals and, later in its career, as an adult theater. In 1978 the community...
, a 1941 revival movie house that was closed by the community after it became a porno
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
theatre. The Elgin was completely renovated to create in the Joyce a venue suitable for dance, a process that took two years. The theater was conceived of and created by Eliot Feld
Eliot Feld
Eliot Feld is an American modern ballet choreographer, performer and director.-Life and career:Feld was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Alice , a travel agent, and Benjamin Noah Feld, an attorney...
and Cora Cahan as a home for the Feld Ballet, and continues to be owned by Ballet Tech Foundation Inc. The theatre attracts an audience of over 140,000 people annually.
The Joyce was made possible financially in large measure due to the philanthropic efforts of LuEsther T. Mertz whose family founded Publishers Clearing House
Publishers Clearing House
Publishers Clearing House is a multi-channel direct marketing company that offers discounted magazine subscriptions and household merchandise to consumers with the chance to enter to win one of many ongoing sweepstakes...
, the well known magazine and merchandise sweepstakes company. In appreciation of her generosity, the theater was named after her daughter, Joyce.
The architect for the 1982 renovation/rehabilitation was Hugh Hardy
Hugh Hardy
Hugh Hardy is a leading American architect born in Majorca, Spain in 1932. He is best known for his work designing theaters, performing arts venues, public spaces, and cultural facilities across the United States....
of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. The theatre consultant was Jules Fisher Associates. The acoustical consultant was Peter George Associates.
In 1996, The Joyce Theater Foundation purchased the Joyce SoHo. Once a three-story firehouse, Joyce SoHo is equipped with two dance studios for rehearsals—as well as a third space that doubles as studio and performance space, complete with 74 seats, lighting, and a box office.
In 2001, the Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work was established. Through this fund, selected dance artists receive commissioning support ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to create a work to be performed at The Joyce Theater. Additional grants of $1,000 to $5,000 may be made for works to be performed at Joyce SoHo.
In 2005, the Foundation was among 406 New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/06/nyregion/06donate.html?ex=1278302400&en=93a1beabd4ede5b8&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html
The Foundation's bid to operate a future new theater at the World Trade Center site
World Trade Center site
The World Trade Center site , also known as "Ground Zero" after the September 11 attacks, sits on in Lower Manhattan in New York City...
was accepted, but construction delays have held back that plan. When the lease on the Joyce Theater expires in 2016, the Foundation will have to negotiate a new lease with Ballet Tech, run by Eliot Feld .