Until last year, the theatrical nonprofit Dixon Place had shuffled from one site to another, housing performances in places like founder Ellie Covan's living room, but in November, it opened the doors to a permanent home on the Lower East Side. The organization is still tinkering with the furniture and fixtures at Dixon Place, but the bilevel space has already showcased several programs and is available for event rental.
The venue is divided into two sections, with a main theater on the lower level and a lounge in the front. The 130-seat theater, which includes a 40-seat balcony, is for Dixon Place's larger performances and can be used for sit-down dinners, meetings, cocktail receptions, or photo shoots. Since the stage area is not an elevated platform, the theater can accommodate as many as 100 for seated dinners or 250 for receptions. An adjacent rehearsal studio is suitable for catering prep and can be accessed via a separate street entrance and an elevator.
In addition to dressing rooms that can double as green rooms for talent, the performance area is equipped with a full array of theatrical lighting and sound gear, as well as a DVD projector and screen.
Occupying the front, street-level portion of the venue is the lounge, a 40-seat café and bar area with room for smaller entertainment acts. Designed as an intimate, living room-like space, the lounge has a hodgepodge of furniture, which can be removed or rearranged.