UCB Will Close East Village Location, Begins Partnership With SubCulture

By: Jan. 10, 2019
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According to New York Times writer Sopan Deb on Twitter, The Upright Citizens Brigade will close its East Village Theatre, a month after it had announced several layoffs.

Deb posted a screenshot of an email received from USB.

"The cost of operating two venues in Manhattan has become too high," the message reads.

However, the team will begin a partnership with SubCulture, starting February 15. Shows will be held at SubCulture on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, "with the possibility of expanding beyond that."

Read the full message below:

The Upright Citizens Brigade (Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh) came to New York, from Chicago, in 1996. Noticing an absence of "Chicago-style" long form improv in the city, the four members of the UCB soon began their training program in 1997. In 1999 they founded the UCB Theatre on 22nd Street, an 80 seat black box theatre. The UCBT quickly became the place for great, cutting-edge comedy. Casting directors, agents, festival producers, and journalists all began to flock to the theater to see the best comic talent in the city. And as buzz for the theater grew, the training program expanded even more with hundreds of students learning the art of improvised theater. In 2003, UCBT moved to 307 West 26th Street. In 2005 the UCB Theatre LA opened, making UCB Theatre the only bi-coastal sketch, improv and comedy theatre in the country. In 2011 UCBTNY opened a second venue in the East Village. In 2014 UCBTLA opened a second venue on Sunset Boulevard along with a Training Center in the same building. In December 2017 UCBTNY moved from their Chelsea location to 555 W. 42nd Street in Hell's Kitchen.

UCBT continues to offer the best and most innovative improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy in the city every day of the week. In addition to our performance space, UCBT is home to an intensive improv and sketch guerilla Training Center where students learn the art of improvisational and written comedy.


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