QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, January 27, 2022 Page 30
THEATERS
2022
Live Performance Venues
The Queens cultural scene offers fans a multitude of sites large and small at which to enjoy music, theater and other performances. Options range from the venerable Black Spectrum Theatre, a cultural hub established in 1970, to QED in Astoria, a woman-owned venue that’s much newer but has become an institution in its own right. Though Covid has had its impact, theaters across Queens are staging both new productions and classics, as well as offering virtual events.
AFRIKAN POETRY THEATER
QED
176-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica theafrikanpoetrytheatre.org email:thecenterforculture@gmail.com for event information. Opened in the 1970s, the theater offers lectures and seminars, writing and poetry workshops, martial arts, music and computer classes, musical showcases, youth programs and workshops, films, comedy, karaoke and open mic nights, fashion shows, book signings, art exhibitions and organized trips to Africa.
27-16 23 Ave., Astoria (347) 451-3873 qedastoria.com QED gives visitors a mix of comedy shows, arts and crafts workshops, writing classes, board-game meet-ups, storytelling, movie screenings and watch parties. It is also available to rent for private events, film shoots, podcasting and more.
ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
222-05 56 Ave., Bayside (718) 631-6311 qcc.cuny.edu/qpac Featuring an 875-seat theater with a Steinway concert piano, the center has featured a wide variety of shows including musician Brian Wilson, dance by the Russian National ballet and a tribute to Swedish pop group ABBA.
4402 23 St., Long Island City (718) 706-5750 apacny.org APAC produces revivals and premieres of plays and musicals. APAC also develops new works through readings and workshops. Free annual community programs include a summer performance camp for children ages 8 through 13, an afterschool playwriting program for middle-school students and two performance programs for Queens residents ages 60 and over.
BLACK SPECTRUM THEATRE 177-01 Street and Baisley Boulevard, Jamaica (718) 723-1800 blackspectrum.com Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the theater has produced and presented over 150 plays, 30 films and numerous works of music, dance and performance art. The theater puts on 15 to 20 live events each year, ranging from theater to music. Events will have a hybrid model. Virtual Hours: weekdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
CHOCOLATE FACTORY THEATER
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38-33 24 St., Long Island City (718) 482-7069 chocolatefactorytheater.org The 5,000 square-foot space for experimental performing arts produces new works by its founding members in addition to providing multi-week residencies to more than 100 members of its Visiting Artists program each year.
QUEENSBOROUGH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
QUEENS THEATRE Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning show at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center.
FLUSHING TOWN HALL
KUPFERBERG CENTER FOR THE ARTS
137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing (718) 463-7700 ext. 222 flushingtownhall.org Built during the Civil War, today’s facilities include a 308-seat concert hall, a gallery, classroom, offices and a garden accommodating up to 250 people for outdoor events. It was given protected status by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
LeFrak Concert Hall and Colden Auditorium at Queens College 153-49 Reeves Ave., Flushing. (718) 793-0923 kupferbergcenter.org. Located at Queens College, the center boasts of being the largest multi-disciplinary arts complex in Queens and features performances by world-class artists in its on-campus venues; regional and local talent in off-site neighborhood performances; and professionally produced shows by the college’s students and faculty.
JAMAICA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 153-10 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica (718) 658-7400 ext. 300 jamaicapac.org With a 400-seat theater, JPAC showcases local, regional and national performers along with concerts, fashion shows, film festivals, parties, weddings and private events. Events will have a hybrid model. Hours: weekdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sats. 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
LAGUARDIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City (718) 482-5151, lpac.nyc Located on the LaGuardia Community College campus, the center has two state-of-the-art facilities featuring concerts, dance, theater, conferences and fundraisers.
Performers at Thalia Spanish Theatre, left, in Sunnyside, QED cafe in Astoria and Flushing Town Hall.
14 United Nations Ave., S. Flushing Meadows Corona Park (718) 760-0686 queenstheatre.org Constructed as part of the 1964 World’s Fair, today the theater features three performance spaces, including a 472-seat mainstage theater, 99-seat studio theater and an intimate cabaret and cocktail bar.
THALIA SPANISH THEATER 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside (718) 729-3880 thailatheater.org Established in 1977 by actress and director Silvia Brito, the theater has produced more than 200 productions of Spanish-language plays, zarzuelas (Spanish operettas) and folklore shows of music and dance.
