La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club

Founded in 1961, La MaMa is the only one of the original theaters in the Off Off Broadway movement still in operation. Founder Ellen Stewart—an influential African American theater, director, producer, and fashion designer—started La Mama in the basement boutique where she sold her designs, turning it into a theater at night to showcase the work of young playwrights. Today, La MaMa houses multiple performance spaces where underrepresented artists can experiment with new work without the pressure of commercial success.‍ To date, La MaMa has supported more than 5,000 productions, featuring 150,000 artists from 70 nations, as well as winning a Regional Theatre Tony Award, 30 Obie Awards, and dozens of Drama Desk, Bessie, and Villager Awards.