(NEW YORK)— The suspension of operations of a New York theater, after a decision by the owner, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, to increase scrutiny of scripts and cancel plays it found objectionable, robs theater goers of a longtime innovative venue for new plays, PEN America said today.
According to recent reporting, the historic Connelly Theater, in New York City’s East Village, which is owned by the Archdiocese, canceled some productions in the past year, after increasing scrutiny of the scripts it considers approving to be performed. At least three theatrical productions that were slated for the Connelly have had to find new venues, along with the SheNYC summer theater festival. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese has said that it is “standard practice” that nothing should take place on the property that is “contrary to the teaching of the church.” However, the theater is known as an Off-Broadway performance space with a reputation for housing bold and innovative plays. Amid the ongoing turmoil, the theater’s artistic director resigned earlier this month, and the theater has since suspended operations.
Jonathan Friedman, Sy Syms managing director of U.S. Free Expression program at PEN America, said: “This about-face to cancel planned productions because they fail to conform to religious values is nothing short of pernicious. While the Connelly is legally able to set these rules, a venue that leases space to the public for artistic performance ought to assume responsibility to uphold artistic freedom– much in the way the theater long has. Allowing these theatrical productions to proceed does not have to amount to endorsing them; but canceling them mid-stream is akin to censoring them. Theater is a collaborative art form that requires long term planning, and having to scramble to mount a production in a new space is particularly destructive to the artists, playwrights, and performers involved.”
According to Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), an independent organization dedicated to advancing and defending artistic freedom globally, artists are increasingly being censored in the United States for creating work that intersects with their politics or identities—particularly those from marginalized communities, including artists of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals. In a recent event titled Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists, ARC revealed a troubling rise in pressures on the artistic community as political polarization reaches unprecedented levels ahead of the upcoming election cycle. This climate has intensified efforts to silence art that challenges societal norms or addresses critical issues, disproportionately affecting artists amplifying marginalized voices.
Responding to the Catholic Archdiocese’s recent cancellation of a theater production, ARC’s Executive Director, Julie Trebault, stated: “It is heartbreaking to see a theater, once celebrated for bold innovation and free expression in New York City, take this turn. Unfortunately, this development dovetails with rising efforts to restrict artistic and creative expression that we have seen for many years across the U.S., and around the world. We hope that the Archdiocese will reconsider this decision; understanding how it inevitably will lead to depriving the public of art that can resonate, move, and inspire.”
According to reporting, at least three productions were canceled after being planned to be staged at the Connelly in the last year, including: Kallan Dana’s Racecar Racecar Racecar, Becoming Eve, by Emil Weinstein (based on the memoir by Abby Chava Stein), about a rabbi who comes out as a transgender woman and Jack Tucker: Comedy’s Standup Hour, a solo comedy show written and performed by Zach Zucker. The SheNYC summer theater festival, which stages plays by female, nonbinary and transgender artists, is also now reportedly trying to find a new venue for next summer, after having used the Connelly for eight years.
Correction: The Connelly Theater did not cancel productions. The Archdiocese refused to sign the booking agreements, which is required by the Connelly Center’s lease for the bookings to be legally valid.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], (201) 247-5057