Village East by Angelika facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Village East by Angelika

Former names	List Louis N. Jaffe Theater Yiddish Art Theatre (1926–1928, 1932–1934) Yiddish Folks Theatre (1928–1937) Molly Picon's Folks Theatre (1930–1931) Germans' Folks Theatre (1931–1932) Century Theatre (1937–1946) New Jewish Folk Theatre (1944–1945) Stuyvesant Theatre (1946–1953) Phoenix Theatre (1953–1961) Casino East Theater (1961–1965) Gayety Theater (1965–1969) Eden Theater (1969–1976) 12th Street Cinema (1976–1977) Entermedia Theater (1977–1985) Second Avenue Theater (1985–1988) Village East Cinema (1991–2021)
Address	181–189 Second Avenue
Location	East Village, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates	40°43′51″N 73°59′11″W / 40.73083°N 73.98639°W / 40.73083; -73.98639 (Yiddish Art Theatre)
Public transit	New York City Subway: Third Avenue, First Avenue  ​ at Astor Place
Owner	Senyar Holding Company
Operator	City Cinemas (Reading International); Angelika Film Center
Type	Yiddish, Off-Broadway
Screens	7
Current use	Movie theater
Construction
Architect	Harrison Wiseman
Yiddish Art Theatre
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Manhattan Show map of Manhattan Location in New York City Show map of New York City Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	189 Second Avenue, New York, New York
Area	12,077 sq ft (1,122.0 m2)
Built	1926 (1926)
Architect	Harrison G. Wiseman
Architectural style	Moorish
NRHP reference No.	85002427
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 19, 1985

The Village East by Angelika is a cool movie theater in the East Village of New York City. You can find it at 189 Second Avenue. This building has a long history and many names, like the Louis N. Jaffe Art Theatre.

It was built between 1925 and 1926. The theater was designed in a special style called Moorish Revival. It was first used for Yiddish theatre, which were plays performed in the Yiddish language. Over the years, it has also hosted off-Broadway shows and movies. Since 1991, it has been a seven-screen movie theater run by Angelika Film Center. Both the outside and inside of the theater are protected as important landmarks. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The main entrance to Village East is on Second Avenue. It has a three-story section that used to be offices. The main part where the movies are shown is at the back, along 12th Street. Inside, there's a big lobby and a special area for the audience. The original seating area had a main floor and a balcony. The balcony still looks much like it did when it was built. However, the main floor and stage area have been changed into six smaller movie screens.

The theater first opened on November 17, 1926. It was a popular place for Yiddish plays until about 1945. After that, it became a movie theater for a while. From 1953 to 1961, a theater group called the Phoenix Theatre used the building for their shows. It later hosted different types of performances and then became a movie theater again. In 1991, it reopened as the Village East Cinema. In 2021, it was rebranded as Village East by Angelika.

Discover the Theater's Design

The Village East theater is located in the East Village of New York City. It sits at the corner of East 12th Street and Second Avenue. This area used to be known as the Yiddish Theatre District.

The building has two main parts. One part is a three-story section facing Second Avenue. It has a special stone front. The other part is the main theater area, which is made of brown brick and stretches along 12th Street. The theater was built by Louis Jaffe. He was a leader in the Jewish community. He built it for Maurice Schwartz's Yiddish Art Theatre group.

The theater was designed by Harrison Wiseman. He used a style called Moorish Revival. This style was popular in the early 1900s. It was the only theater in the Yiddish Theatre District built specifically for a Yiddish theater group. Today, Village East is the only Yiddish theater building left on Second Avenue.

What the Outside Looks Like

Look closely at the main entrance arch.

Smaller arches on Second Avenue (left) and 12th Street (right).

The theater's outside in 1985.

The front of the building on Second Avenue has a unique design. It has seven large arches. The main entrance is in the second arch from the north. This entrance is taller and wider than the others. It has beautiful patterns and four glass doors. Above the doors, there's a triangular sign.

To the left of the main entrance, there's a door that used to lead to offices. To the right, you can see a cornerstone. It has the date May 23, 1926, written in both English and Hebrew. Inside the arch, you can see designs that look like half-menorahs. Above these, there are seven Moorish-style openings with round decorations.

The other six arches on Second Avenue are all the same. They used to be storefronts. When the building became a movie theater, some of these areas changed. The northernmost arch became an inside staircase. The two arches next to the main entrance became ticket counters. The other storefronts still have their original look. On the third floor, each arch has two small arched windows.

The side of the building on 12th Street also has arches and windows. The main theater part is made of brick. The center of this side has a stone doorway with five exit doors. Above the doors, there's a brick arch with pink designs.

Explore the Inside

The inside of the theater is decorated with colors like gold, blue, rose, cream, and silver. Many of the designs are inspired by the Alhambra palace in Spain. You can see patterns from Moorish, Islamic, and Jewish art. Most of these decorations are still in their original condition.

The interior of Village East has even been used in movies! It appeared in The Night They Raided Minsky's in 1968 and The Fan in 1981.

Lobbies and Hallways

Ceiling of the main lobby.

The theater has two lobbies. The main lobby is on Second Avenue. There is also a second lobby on 12th Street. This second lobby leads to the balcony. When the theater was updated in the 1990s, new carpets were added. They have red, gold, blue, and gray patterns.

The main lobby's ceiling is still original. It has a round decoration in the middle. The edges of the ceiling have a decorative border. During the 1990s changes, the lobby became bigger. A snack stand and poster displays were added. You can also see an exhibit about the history of Yiddish theater here.

The 12th Street lobby has light-colored walls that look like stone. The exit doors have special arches and Moorish-style exit signs. The ceiling is beautifully decorated with flowers and circles. It has three round chandeliers. From this lobby, you can go down stairs to the basement.

Curved staircases in the 12th Street lobby lead up to a narrow walkway. This walkway is behind the balcony seats. The ceiling above this walkway has three round decorations. These have six-pointed star patterns. Small stairs at the ends of the walkway lead to the top of the balcony seating.

The Main Auditorium

The main part of the theater, called the auditorium, has a lower level and a balcony. It also has special box seats. The stage used to be at the front. The auditorium faces south. The theater originally had over 1,100 seats. The lower level used to slope down towards a pit in front of the stage.

In 1990, the theater was changed into a multiplex with seven movie screens. Most of the original decorations are still there. The seats on the lower level were raised to the height of the old stage. Screens 1 through 5 are in the original auditorium. Screens 6 and 7 are in the old stage area. The seats are wider than in many other theaters.

The balcony level is the biggest and most decorated screen. It used to have 500 seats. Below the balcony, there are four more screens. Two of these are on the original lower level. One is in a former basement restaurant. Another is in a small area under the sidewalk. The old stage area was split into two screens, one above the other.

The side walls of the auditorium are made of textured plaster. They were originally light-colored but are now blue-gray. The front of the balcony has flower designs and arched panels. There is a lower balcony in front of the original one. It connects with double staircases.

On each side of the stage area, there is a box seat on the balcony level. These boxes are set inside pointed Moorish arches. The inside of the boxes has small columns and decorative arches. The front of the boxes has flower designs. The opening where the stage used to be is now a movie screen for the balcony seats.

The middle of the ceiling has a round dome. It is about 40 feet wide. In the center of the dome, there is a Star of David symbol. This is inside a larger six-pointed star. A metal chandelier hangs from the center of the dome. The edge of the dome has metal grilles and more Star of David designs. The rest of the ceiling has fancy gold plaster decorations. These designs look like a honeycomb with flowers and eight-pointed stars.

A Look at the Theater's History

In the late 1800s, many Jewish immigrants moved to the East Village in New York City. Many of them spoke Yiddish. This led to the creation of the Yiddish Theatre District. Maurice Schwartz started the Yiddish Art Theatre company in 1918. Louis N. Jaffe, a developer, was very impressed by Schwartz's shows. He decided to build a special theater just for the company.

Building and Opening the Theater

In May 1925, Louis Jaffe bought the land for the theater. He hired Harrison G. Wiseman to design the building. It would have a 1,200-seat theater for Schwartz's company. The design was described as an "old Jerusalem" style. The building would also have offices and a library. The theater company would rent the space at a very low price.

Cornerstone showing both English and Hebrew dates.

Construction began in June 1925. Five old houses were torn down to make way for the new theater. On May 23, 1926, a special ceremony was held to lay the theater's cornerstone. Olga Loev, the widow of famous writer Sholem Aleichem, placed the cornerstone. Jaffe wanted the theater to be a "permanent monument" showing the contributions of Jewish immigrants.

The Louis N. Jaffe Art Theater officially opened on November 17, 1926. The first show was The Tenth Commandment. Many important people attended the opening night. The theater cost about $1 million to build. It was fully finished on January 8, 1927.

Yiddish Performances

The Jaffe Art Theatre was one of the last Yiddish theaters to open on Second Avenue. It opened just as Yiddish theater was starting to become less popular. From 1926 to 1945, the theater mainly showed Yiddish plays. It also hosted musicals and operettas. Famous performers like Molly Picon and Joseph Buloff appeared here. Many people saw the theater as a "temple" for Yiddish theater.

The Early Years (1920s)

After opening, the theater showed several plays in its first two seasons. However, it did not do as well as expected. This was partly because talking movies became popular. Also, fewer Jewish immigrants were coming to the city.

In April 1928, Louis Jaffe leased the theater to another company. The Yiddish Art Theatre moved out. The theater was then used by the Yiddish Folk Theatre. They performed plays like His Wife's Lover and If the Rabbi Wants.

The 1930s

The theater's marquee.

In June 1930, the famous comedian Molly Picon leased the theater. It was renamed Molly Picon's Folks Theatre. She starred in plays like The Girl of Yesterday. Later, Misha and Lucy German leased the theater. It became the Germans' Folks Theatre.

The Yiddish Art Theatre returned in 1932. They performed a very popular play called Yoshe Kalb. It ran for 235 shows. Other Yiddish plays were also performed during this time. In April 1934, the Yiddish Art Theatre left again. The theater went back to being the Yiddish Folks Theatre.

In 1935, the theater was planned to be a movie house for Yiddish films. It's not clear if this actually happened. Live Yiddish shows continued, including The Perfect Fishel and The Galician Rabbi.

Changes to a Movie Theater

By the late 1930s, Yiddish theater was losing popularity. Fewer Jewish immigrants were arriving, and younger Jews were becoming more Americanized. Also, Jewish people were moving out of the East Village. In March 1937, the theater was leased to show movies. It was renamed the Century Theatre. Other Yiddish theaters in the area were also becoming movie houses.

In 1940, the Yiddish Folks Theatre leased the Century for one season. They performed shows like Sunrise. After this, the Century went back to showing American movies. In April, it even screened Gone with the Wind.

In 1944, the New Jewish Folk Theater leased the building. They performed two plays. This was the last time the theater was used for Yiddish plays. Many Yiddish speakers had been lost in the Holocaust. This also contributed to the decline of Yiddish theater. Around March 1946, the theater reopened as a movie theater called the Stuyvesant Theatre. It showed films until 1953.

Off-Broadway Shows

The Phoenix Theatre Era

The 12th Street side of the building.

In October 1953, the Phoenix Theatre company leased the Jaffe Art Theatre. They wanted to create a new type of theater experience, different from Broadway. They chose this theater because it was newer and close to a large residential area. They planned to sell tickets at a lower price.

Phoenix's first show was Madam, Will You Walk? in December 1953. Other popular shows included Coriolanus and The Golden Apple. Their first season was very successful. The theater even got air-conditioning in 1955. The presence of the Phoenix Theatre helped bring new life to Second Avenue.

The Phoenix Theatre continued to stage many plays. They showed classic works and new experimental programs. However, the company often lost money. In 1961, the Phoenix Theatre moved to a smaller location. They found it hard to fill the large Jaffe Art Theatre.

More Live Shows and Movies

Storefronts next to the theater's main entrance.

In March 1971, the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha moved to the Eden Theatre. It ran there for three months. In February 1972, the rock musical Grease opened at the Eden. It later became one of Broadway's longest-running musicals.

Jewish Nostalgic Productions also staged several Yiddish shows at the Eden. In 1975, a company called Senyar Holding Company took over the theater. By mid-1976, the theater became the 12th Street Cinema. This was only for a short time.

Interior of the Jaffe Art Theater in 1985 prior to renovations.

In September 1977, the theater was known as the Entermedia Theater. It showed films, dance, and other live performances. The musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opened here in 1981. It was very popular and later moved to Broadway. The Jaffe Art Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Entermedia left the theater in 1985. It was then renamed the Second Avenue Theater. It hosted shows like The Golden Land. However, a play called The Chosen did not do well in 1988. This caused financial problems for the theater's operators.

The Village East Today

The Second Avenue Theater was the last Yiddish theater building left on Second Avenue. In 1988, it was leased to City Cinemas. They planned to turn it into a movie theater called Village East. The theater was renovated into a seven-screen multiplex. The architects used old photos to restore the theater's original look.

Announcement of 70 mm screening (July 2023).

The renovation cost $8 million. Village East Cinemas opened on February 22, 1991. In 1993, the city officially made the theater's outside and inside a landmark. Since then, it has shown both Hollywood movies and independent films. It also screens movies from the Angelika Film Center. The theater hosts films for the annual New York International Children's Film Festival.

Main entrance to the theater.

In 2015, the theater was restored again. It temporarily closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. When it reopened on March 5, 2021, it was rebranded as Village East by Angelika. It now shows new movies and sometimes old favorites.

Famous Shows at the Theater

Here are some of the well-known plays and musicals that have been performed at this theater:

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan below 14th Street
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan below 14th Street