Cherry Lane Theater Reopens: A24’s New Era in Live Performance

Over the past two years, the iconic Cherry Lane Theater, tucked in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village, has sat seemingly dormant since being acquired by the innovative film and television studio A24. While the building’s exterior has remained quiet, activity inside has been anything but. The creative force behind critically acclaimed works such as Moonlight, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Euphoria has been meticulously restoring the space in preparation for a new chapter in its storied history.

This September, the 167-seat Cherry Lane Theater will officially reopen, transformed into a vibrant live performance venue under A24’s ownership — marking the studio’s first venture into operating a theater space. A24 envisions the Cherry Lane as a dynamic cultural hub that champions artistic expression across multiple mediums, with a strong emphasis on theater but also incorporating music, comedy, and film programming.

The revival of Cherry Lane is not just about performances; it’s about curating an immersive cultural experience. To that end, A24 has partnered with the acclaimed Frenchette Group — known for beloved New York eateries like Frenchette, Le Rock, and Le Veau d’Or — to open an on-site restaurant and bar. Named “Wild Cherry” as a nod to the venue’s heritage, the restaurant is Frenchette’s second collaboration with a major cultural institution, following its successful cafe venture at the Whitney Museum. The culinary addition underscores A24’s commitment to creating a holistic and inviting space for artists and audiences alike.

The opening slate of programming is set to capture the spirit of artistic experimentation that Cherry Lane has long embodied. Filmmaker Sofia Coppola will curate a Sunday film series, beginning with Adrian Lyne’s 1980 coming-of-age drama Foxes. Meanwhile, comedian and performance artist Natalie Palamides will debut Weer, a one-woman show in which she hilariously portrays both halves of a romantic couple. A week-long series of celebratory events will kick off on September 8, blending theater, music, comedy, and community-focused activities such as a block party. Notably, A24 does not plan to follow a traditional seasonal format or offer subscriptions, opting instead for a flexible model that allows for spontaneous additions and extensions based on audience interest and artistic opportunity.

Dani Rait, who leads programming at Cherry Lane, emphasized the venue’s mission to deliver consistently high-caliber live performances. A former talent booker at Saturday Night Live, Rait brings years of experience working with top-tier talent. “We want people to walk in and know they’re going to see something memorable and moving,” she said. “But we also want this to be a space for artistic discovery, where emerging voices have the chance to truly connect with audiences in an intimate setting.”

To support this vision, A24 has assembled a dedicated team of 30 professionals to manage the day-to-day operations at Cherry Lane, including several staff members retained from the theater’s previous administration. Over the summer, the company hosted a series of invite-only trial events to test the acoustics, ambiance, and logistics of the revamped space. These included a comedy night headlined by Ramy Youssef, a staged reading of the new play Fabulous Pasta Salad, and select film screenings.

In June, A24 invited fans to an exclusive listening event for the band Haim. The evening blended live music with storytelling, as the Haim sisters shared music videos, played tracks from their upcoming album, and performed one song live. In characteristic fashion, they also joked about hoping A24 would cast them in future film projects — all three appeared in Licorice Pizza.

A24’s move into live performance comes amid a broader shift in the Off-Broadway ecosystem, which has seen increasing commercial investment in recent years. For example, Audible (an Amazon subsidiary) now runs the Minetta Lane Theater, while Seaview Productions — partially owned by Sony Music Masterworks — is leasing the former Tony Kiser Theater. Similarly, No Guarantees Productions, backed by Christine Schwarzman, has taken over the Astor Place Theater, home of the Blue Man Group for over three decades.

While A24 is a private studio, it has committed to preserving elements of Cherry Lane’s nonprofit legacy, including the Cherry Lane Alternative program, which mentors emerging playwrights. In line with this commitment, Rait noted that ticket prices would be accessible and designed to suit a range of audiences. “We’re conscious of affordability,” she said, “because we want the work to be seen and experienced by as many people as possible.”

Cherry Lane’s building at 38 Commerce Street has a rich and varied history. Originally constructed in 1836 as a brewery, it later served as a box factory and then a gay bar before its theatrical transformation in 1924. Among the theater’s many milestones are backstage memories of a young Barbra Streisand, who worked there in the 1950s. Streisand has even recorded a welcome message that will play for audiences at the reopening. The venue has previously launched works like Just For Us by Alex Edelman and Oh, Hello! by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, both of which later transferred to Broadway.

A24 acquired Cherry Lane in 2023 for $10 million in partnership with Taurus Investment Holdings. In a public filing from March, the company indicated it would invest an additional $2.3 million in renovations. These updates have retained the building’s historic charm — including its red front doors — while modernizing its facilities. A former black box theater and rehearsal room has been converted into Wild Cherry, complete with a titanium bar and plush green booths. Additional upgrades include a new concessions area, expanded restrooms, a retractable projection screen, cinema-mode wall drapes, and improved lighting, sound, and seating systems.

Despite its intimate size, the Cherry Lane is not intended to serve as a venue for high-profile film premieres. Nor will it be restricted to showcasing only artists affiliated with A24. That said, the company acknowledges the likelihood that its extensive network of filmmakers and creatives will naturally find their way to the stage. While A24 is not designing the space as a development ground for film or TV content, it remains open to the idea that projects might evolve organically in that direction.

Although A24 executives traditionally avoid speaking to the media on the record, a company representative shared that the concept of launching a live venue had been under consideration for about a year before the Cherry Lane became available. The idea stemmed from the studio’s desire to expand beyond screen storytelling and build tangible spaces for its growing fan base to engage with its artists and brand in more experiential ways. Over the past 13 years, A24 has built an impressive portfolio of over 200 film and TV projects. More recently, it has expanded into new territories — including publishing, a beauty brand, a talent management partnership, and a popular membership program — all aimed at deepening its cultural footprint.

Financially, the company doesn’t expect the Cherry Lane Theater to be a major revenue driver. “It’s a small space, so the goal isn’t profitability right away,” the representative explained. “But we do hope it becomes self-sustaining while delivering meaningful, boundary-pushing work.”

Ultimately, Rait sees the theater as both a community anchor and an incubator for innovation. “We’re creating a live destination — a place where New Yorkers and visitors alike can come to experience something unforgettable,” she said. “It’s about bringing the creative ethos of A24 into a physical space, one that stands on its own and invites exploration.”