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The Habit of Art

Run Time:
1 Hour, 55 Minutes, with intermission
Closing: May 28, 2023

The Habit of Art - 2023 Off-Broadway History , Info & More

59E59 Theatres [Theatre A]
59 E. 59th St. New York, NY 10022

Original Theatre (Caroline’s Kitchen, Brits Off Broadway 2019; Invincible, Brits Off Broadway 2017) return to 59E59 Theaters with the US Premiere of The Habit of Art by one of Britain’s most prolific playwrights Alan Bennett (The History Boys, The Madness of King George, and Talking Heads).

Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, Death in Venice, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, W.H. Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for twenty-five years, they are observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station.

The Habit of Art looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, and at the ethics of biography. Exploring friendship, rivalry, and heartache this multi layered masterpiece examines the joy, pain, and emotional cost of creativity.


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The Off Broadway Alliance has announced the nominees for the 13th Annual Off Broadway Alliance Awards, honoring commercial and not-for-profit productions that opened Off Broadway during the 2023-2024 season. Check out the full list of nominees here!

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The Habit of Art History

Other Productions of The Habit of Art

2009   West End Royal National Theatre Production
West End
2023   Off-Broadway Original Theatre Off-Broadway Production
Off-Broadway

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