Dream Up is the East Village's yearly bet on work nobody has seen yet: 23 productions in three weeks, 18 of them world premieres, spread across Theater for the New City's several stages. Shows run short and cheap, so you can stack two in a night and still be out early, and the range covers straight plays, musicals, solo pieces and things that resist description. If you like being the person who saw it first, this is the festival built for that.
What to expect
Multiple productions rotating across the building's stages, most of them running roughly an hour with quick turnarounds between slots. The lobby fills with company members and other festival artists between shows, which makes it feel more like a hub than a single ticketed night out.
Good to know
- L to First Avenue or 6 to Astor Place; the theater sits on First Avenue near 10th Street
- Each production has its own schedule — check which shows play the night you go
- Most festival entries run about an hour, so doubling up in one evening is realistic
- Content varies wildly by production, from family-friendly to strictly adult
- Best for adventurous theatergoers who like unknown work over established titles
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Common questions
What is the Dream Up Festival?
Theater for the New City's annual new-work festival, now in its 14th edition, presenting 23 productions including 18 world premieres over roughly three weeks.
Can I see more than one show in a night?
Usually yes. Productions run in staggered slots across the building's stages and most are about an hour long.
Where is Theater for the New City?
At 155 First Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets in the East Village.
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