New Rehearsal Space Headed for Times Square

Project Manager Jeff Whiting, in partnership with several notable Broadway industry members, today announced the plans to build Open Jar Studios, a new rehearsal space in Times Square for rehearsals, auditions, and support offices for large-scale Broadway productions.

Located at 1601 Broadway, spanning the entire 11th and 12th floors, the studios will feature 51,346 square feet of rehearsal space and support offices. The space will include two 4,000 square-foot studios with 24-foot high ceilings - making them the largest studios in Manhattan, and numerous studios of varying sizes suited for dance and music rehearsals, production offices, and costume fittings.

Director/Choreographer Jeff Whiting conceived of the idea and serves as project manager overseeing a partnership with several prestigious Broadway producers, creatives, and organizations, including: The Shubert Organization, Music Theatre International, Tony Award winner Barry Weissler (Chicago), Fred Gallo (PRG), Tony Award-winning director/choreographers Susan Stroman (The Producers) and Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), Tony Award-winning composer Stephen Flaherty (Once On This Island), Tony Award-winning lighting designers Ken Billington (Chicago) and Howell Binkley (Jersey Boys), Tony Award-winning set designer Beowulf Boritt, Tony Award Nominated set designer David Korins (Dear Evan Hansen), Tony Award-winning sound designer Kai Harada (The Band's Visit), Tony Award-winning orchestrator Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton) and Tony Award Nominated actor Joshua Henry (currently starring in Carousel).

"We want to build a home for artists to create," Whiting said, "and we dedicate this space to the creation of art and the cultivation of the artist." In addition to rehearsal space, the studios will also serve as the headquarters to The Open Jar Institute, a theatre training institute now in its 15th year, providing in-depth training for the next generation of theatre artists, as well as Whiting's software company, Stage Write Software, the industry's standard platform to capture staging and choreography for theatrical productions in use by over 50,000 users worldwide.

The studios will begin construction in mid-July and plan to open its doors in January 2019.

Additional partners include: Don Alden, Kenneth Alhadeff, James Anderson, Gary Beestone, Black Paint Productions, William & Shirlee Blanken, Mimi Bilinski, Sharon A. Carr, James Cleary, Vibecke Dahl, David DeSilva, Matt DeWaal, Tanner DeWaal, Parveen Dhupar, EnJoY! Productions/Eric Jordan Young, Trevor Hardwick, Hillary Gallo, Nancy Gibbs, Good Judgement Trust, Ryan Hales, Kai Harada, Cathryn Henry, Chris Higbee, Knikki Jacobsmeyer, Wendy Jacobsmeyer, JFA, Inc., Kelly & Kevin Joedicke-Lawrence, Tucker Johann, Kim Jordan, Juniper Street Investments, Nathan Keller, Ileana Ferreras, Todd Lacy, Mark Leonard, Jill Lesser & Jonathan Diesenhaus, Marci & Richard LeSueur, Justin Mabardi, Michael McCorry Rose, Chris Melton, George Nelson, Overland Entertainment, Carl Pasbjerg, Sally Rosenberg & Bruce Charendoff, Brett Rosenblatt, Jeffrey Rosenblatt, Adam Rushefsky & Julie Schubert, Peter Glicklich, Laurie Sherman, Alan Shorr, David Skinner, Alex Stone, Howard Stone, Abbie Strassler, Think System Productions, Jennifer Tingey, Todd Whiting, Schele Williams, Kenneth Willman, David Wilson, Richard Winkler, and Kumiko Yoshii.

Photo: Ariana DeBose and cast in rehearsal for A Bronx Tale at New 42nd Street Studios

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos