• The Awareness Project
  • What is it?
  • What is Off-Off Broadway?
  • Define Creativity...
  • Black Box
  • If You Could Create One Thing?

The Awareness Project

What is it?

The Awareness Project is an online initiative intended to raise...awareness...of one of New York City's most enagaging cultural attractions, Off-Off Broadway, also know as Indie Theatre. We are thrilled to include the Awareness Project as part of our documentary Burning to Communicate.. The documentary traces the the development of the revolutionary Off-Off Broadway scene in NYC. We are exploring the creative question through archival footage and firsthand interviews with those there at the beginning and who currently create independent theater.

What's Up Next?

In addition to posting videos, we'll be adding resources, pictures and exclusive excerpts from our interviews, so check back often.

 

What is Off-Off Broadway?

We weren't very surprised that not many people could define Off-Off Broadway. It is a dynamic cultural experience that is always changing. What surprised us was that even many native New Yorkers don't take more advantage of this exciting form of entertainment.

Each year there are nearly 1,000 shows mounted in the New York City area alone. This includes musicals, straight plays, solo performances, and performance art.

What is Off-Off Broadway? :: Lower Manhattan

Click to watch some of the answers we received.

Define Creativity

Something from nothing. Taking what the universe has presented you and rearranging it into something new.

Society is in the midst of change. Change causes many to experience a sense of alienation and purposelessness. We have two choices: either to withdraw and panic, or to develop the courage to create a better society. — Rollo May, The Courage to Create

Define Creativity :: Lower Manhattan



Click to watch some of the answers we received.

Can you Define the Term 'Black Box'?

Theatre as a concept is not about the building in which it is performed or even the play or the text. Theatre is defined by its purpose for existence, and by how that purpose manifests. — Peter Brook,The Empty Space

What does the term 'Black Box' mean to you? :: Lower Manhattan



Click to watch some of the answers we received.

If you could create one thing, what would it be?

How we express ourselves in what we want to create says a lot about our view of the world. What is is missing and what we desire it to have. Most creativity theories see creativity as a process through which the individual finds relationship with their environment.

If you could create one thing... :: Lower Manhattan



Click to watch some of the answers we received.

DecadesOut Programs

Film Projects

New Land, New Life A documentary tracing the paths of the people displaced during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season which wreaked havoc in the southeastern United States particularly the Gulf Coast.

Burning to Communicate For over 60 years, Off-Off Broadway has launched the careers of thousands of writers, actors, directors, and designers. Many celebrities, like Al Pacino or Sam Shepherd, can trace their first New York theatre production to some black box, cabaret, or cafe theatre.

Theatre Program

DecadesOut will focus on the development of new plays by emerging and established playwrights as well as the reimagining of previously developed work. There will be a focus on plays that fit squarely within the company’s mission. The development process will consist of readings and workshops, and will be in coordination with theatre production companies in the hopes of bringing the work to full production.

Visual Arts/Photography Program

DecadesOut is currently developing a program to give visual artists both online and event-based exhibitions for work that fits within our mission. We have had a wonderful response already from interested artists, so please keep us aware of your work which explores the integration of science and culture. Our objective is to coordinate visual arts events with our other program events and create an integrated presentation approach. If you are an artist or photographer, please drop us a note and let us know what you're up to and join our mailing list to receive more information on our visual arts/photography program.

How you can Support this project...

Fully tax-deductible donations are available online through our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas (click below):

or by filling out and submitting our donor form (click here):