Save the oldest active women and trans* theater collective in NYC

OUR PAST

WOW started as an international women's theatre festival in October of 1980. Over the course of eleven days, 36 shows from 8 countries were performed for hungry New York lesbians. Within 18 months the group had a permanent space at 330 East 11th Street, where they began the incredible creative project that is WOW today: a year-round festival of women and/or trans* peoples' performances. In 1984 (or thereabouts), WOW moved to the 1400 sq ft loft space that we inhabit today at 59-61 East 4th Street. Those familiar with the downtown NYC theatre scene call the block of east 4th between 2nd Ave. and the Bowery "theater row." WOW is proud to call this space home and have among its neighbors: New York Theatre Workshop, the Rod Rodgers Dance Company, La Mama ETC, and many other arts groups. In decades of WOW’s existence thousands of artists have participated, performed and changed the collective.

OUR PRESENT

Today, WOW Café Theater is a women's and/or trans* people theater collective in NYC's East Village, which promotes the empowerment of women through the performing arts. Historically, WOW has been a majority lesbian space but today many of our members come from the entire spectrum of queerness including our non queer identifying allies. WOW welcomes the full participation of all women and/or transpeople in solidarity with women. WOW especially welcomes women and/or transpeople of color, and women and/or transpeople who identify as lesbians, bisexual and queer. We provide a working theater space to our members & the technical support to create and produce works, regardless of economic status. We acknowledge the links between different kinds of oppressions and strive to be open to all sexualities and spiritualties, to be multilingual and intergenerational, and to challenge all oppressions including racism, classism, ableism, sexism, ageism, and sizeism. Our weekly Tuesday meeting and collective governance structure provide a space for artists to share their ideas, facilitate the exchange of labor and knowledge, and realize their creative visions. Our affordable tickets and policy that nobody is turned away at the door ensure art is shared with anyone who wants to experience it and is not limited in experience by lack of funds.