La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
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La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (La MaMa E.T.C.) is an American not-for-profit cultural organization located in the East Village section of lower Manhattan. It is one of the first and primary locations in Off-Off-Broadway theater.
Founded by Ellen Stewart in 1961, its purpose is to support and present multi-cultural and multi-national original performance work by emerging artists.
Originating in a small basement on East 9th Street, the theatre now consists of three main stages and an art gallery at 74A East 4th Street and a six-story rehearsal and workshop space on Great Jones Street.[1]
Over the years La MaMa has hosted full-time resident companies headed by Tom O'Horgan, Wilford Leach, Joel Zwick, Elizabeth Swados, and Tom Eyen, among others. It is the present home of the Great Jones Repertory Company.
In 2005, the theatre was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.[2][3]
