The Secret Theatre Announces Return and New Venue

Almost a year ago the award-winning Secret Theatre in Long Island City closed it's doors after a glorious ten years; now, however, the company is beginning its recovery and a new location in Sunnyside will be the stepping stone to enable them to continue and to evolve.

It was heartbreaking to be the first off-off house to close but founder Richard Mazda could see that there would be no possibility of promoting shows, rehearsing nor accepting rental productions from outside companies for quite some time.

Executive Director Mazda knew that the only way to survive was to take the classes for the Secret Academy online and to wait for the roiling pandemic to subside or a vaccine to be produced. In any event, due to a health condition, he was forced to isolate for almost a year until receiving the Moderna vaccine in January.

Now fully vaccinated Mazda was offered an opportunity to take a lease on a building in his neighborhood of Sunnyside. This actually became two leases after he decided to take on two properties that were adjacent.

The company has announced that a new Secret Theatre space will open at 50-12 Skillman Ave, Sunnyside 11377, exactly a year after the company closed in May 2020. Mazda is also the founder of Vital Art Studios and the adjacent property at 50-14 Skillman Ave will become a fine arts hub with artist's studios and a small gallery. Mazda stresses that at first; he will not be building a stage at the new venue but rather providing rehearsal, classrooms and production facilities.

When asked about plans for shows Mazda commented, "Well, I think we are looking at December 2021 for any kind of return to major productions, and actually I think many people will hold out until mid-2022". He then went on to say that he would be actively seeking collaborations, residencies or co-production agreements with other theatres at first. Mazda also said, " We absolutely would love to return to live performances but not until the actors and audience feel safe, but now that vaccinations for teenagers and youngsters are beginning and the fact that a majority of older people in NYC are now vaccinated makes me hopeful that many theatres will be operating normally by end of 2022".

The company will be offering its usual classes for Summer Camps, Rehearsals, Drama, Musical Theatre, Tap, Vocal, and Audition Coaching and will be adding Pop/Hip Hop Dance and other disciplines. The neighborhood is abuzz with the news of Secret Theatre's re-location. Email Richard@secrettheatre.com or for the Artists Studios please email info@vitalartstudios.com for more information.

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