Gate Theatre
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGate Theatre was a former Off-Broadway theatre and film venue in Manhattan's East Village, active from 1957 until the early 1970s.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Gate Theatre was an independent theatre venue at 162 Second Avenue in New York City's East Village. It operated during the period when the area was developing a reputation for experimental, offbeat, and alternative performance activity, and it is associated with the broader Off-Broadway movement rather than with a large commercial theatre chain. The venue was established in 1957 when Lily Turner converted the former Second Avenue Baptist Tabernacle quarters into two performance spaces. The street-level auditorium, named the Gate Theatre, held approximately 250 people. A smaller, roughly 135-seat basement venue was operated under the separate name Cricket Theatre. This arrangement gave the building a dual theatrical identity and allowed productions of different scales to be presented at the same address. The Gate Theatre opened with The Brothers Karamazov on December 6, 1957. The production was adapted from Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel by Jack Sydow and Boris Tumarin. During its existence, the theatre presented a varied repertory that included literary adaptations, plays, and works connected with the changing experimental culture of downtown Manhattan. Documented productions include Poppa Is Home in 1961, Pilgrim's Progress in 1962, The Alchemist in 1964, A Black Quartet in 1969, and Contributions in 1970. The venue's final documented production was Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead, which closed on May 30, 1971. The theatre then ceased operation in the early 1970s. Its history is distinct from that of other theatres using the Gate name, including the London theatre of the same name; this entry concerns only the former New York City venue. The building also had an important non-theatrical cultural role. During the 1960s and 1970s, the space above the theatre became known as the Black Gate Theatre. Founded by artists Otto Piene and Aldo Tambellini, it was used for environmental mixed-media art, counterculture film screenings, and alternative exhibitions. This activity connected the address to the experimental art networks of the period and broadened its significance beyond conventional stage production. In 1977, Theater for the New City moved into the former Gate Theatre space. That tenancy ended after a reported 300 percent rent increase forced the organization to relocate in 1984. The property subsequently lost its identity as a theatre venue; as of 2016, the site was described as occupied by a clothing store and an empty lot. No current operating company, owner, official website, or successor brand is identified in the available reference material.
History
Gate Theatre was created in 1957 when Lily Turner converted the former Second Avenue Baptist Tabernacle quarters at 162 Second Avenue into two theatres. The street-level space became the approximately 250-seat Gate Theatre, while a smaller, approximately 135-seat basement auditorium operated as the Cricket Theatre. The two venues shared an address but carried separate names. The Gate Theatre began performances with The Brothers Karamazov, which opened on December 6, 1957. The adaptation was credited to Jack Sydow and Boris Tumarin and was based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The venue's subsequent repertory included productions documented under the titles Poppa Is Home, Pilgrim's Progress, The Alchemist, A Black Quartet, and Contributions. These productions place the theatre within the independent and Off-Broadway performance culture of mid-century New York. The last recorded Gate Theatre production was Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead, which closed on May 30, 1971. The theatre closed in the early 1970s. Although the stage venue was no longer operating, the building remained connected with experimental culture through the space above it, known as the Black Gate Theatre. Artists Otto Piene and Aldo Tambellini established that space as a setting for environmental mixed-media art, alternative exhibitions, and counterculture film presentations during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1977, Theater for the New City occupied the former theatre premises. Its tenancy ended in 1984 when a 300 percent rent increase reportedly compelled the organization to relocate. The former theatre address subsequently ceased to function as a theatre. Reference material describing the site in 2016 identified a clothing store and an empty lot rather than an active performance venue. No evidence in the supplied sources indicates that Gate Theatre continues as an operating organization or that it has a current corporate successor.
- 1984
Theater for the New City leaves
[1]A reported 300 percent rent increase led Theater for the New City to relocate from the address.
- 1977
Theater for the New City takes over the premises
[1]Theater for the New City moved into the former Gate Theatre space.
- 1971
Final production closes
[1]Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead closed on May 30, 1971.
- 1970
Contributions is presented
[1]Contributions was staged during the theatre's final operating period.
- 1969
A Black Quartet is presented
[1]A Black Quartet was among the later documented Gate Theatre productions.
- 1964
The Alchemist is presented
[1]The Alchemist was staged at Gate Theatre.
- 1962
Pilgrim's Progress is presented
[1]The theatre presented Pilgrim's Progress as part of its documented repertory.
- 1961
Poppa Is Home is presented
[1]Poppa Is Home is among the documented productions staged at the venue.
- 1957
Gate Theatre is founded
[1]Lily Turner converted the former Second Avenue Baptist Tabernacle quarters at 162 Second Avenue into the Gate Theatre and the basement Cricket Theatre.
- 1957
First production opens
[1]The Brothers Karamazov opened at Gate Theatre on December 6, 1957.
Products and positioning
A small, independent East Village performance venue associated with Off-Broadway theatre, literary and repertory productions, and the neighborhood's experimental arts culture.
Theatrical production · 1957
The Brothers Karamazov
An adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel by Jack Sydow and Boris Tumarin. It opened on December 6, 1957 and served as Gate Theatre's first documented production.
Theatrical production · 1961
Poppa Is Home
A documented Gate Theatre production presented in 1961.
Theatrical production · 1962
Pilgrim's Progress
A documented production presented at Gate Theatre in 1962.
Theatrical production · 1964
The Alchemist
A documented Gate Theatre production staged in 1964.
Theatrical production · 1969
A Black Quartet
A documented production from the theatre's late-1960s repertory, presented in 1969.
Theatrical production · 1970
Contributions
A documented production staged at Gate Theatre in 1970.
Theatrical production · 1971
Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead
The final documented Gate Theatre production. It closed on May 30, 1971.
Brand decisions
1977
Theatre premises are transferred to a successor occupantOtherBackground
After Gate Theatre ceased operating in the early 1970s, the site remained available for cultural use.
Action taken
Theater for the New City moved into the former Gate Theatre space.
Aftermath
Theater for the New City later left after a reported 300 percent rent increase.
1957
Conversion into two theatre spacesStrategyBackground
Lily Turner converted the former Baptist Tabernacle premises into a street-level Gate Theatre and a basement Cricket Theatre.
Action taken
The building was organized as two separately named performance venues with different seating capacities.
Aftermath
The arrangement enabled the address to host independent theatrical activity in both a larger and a smaller auditorium.
Sources1 sources
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