Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
New Venue, The Box, Opens Doors
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 13, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 13, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There's a new venue in town. As previously reported in the New York Times article, now more information comes to us via BrooklynVegan, who reports that the first show will be there tonight (a Zune-sponsored event featuring Queens of the Stone Age).
The NYT's article (which you can still read online here) stated that "another new Lower East Side club on the horizon is the Box, a 5,000-square-foot room on Christie Street whose owner, Simon Hammerstein — a grandson of Oscar — said he intended to open in the next two months with theater and music performances. Booking agents say it will be a likely competitor to Joe’s Pub, the stylish cabaret at the Public Theater."
Sounds like the place will be pretty amazing. And this is from their website:
"The Box is located at 189 Chrystie Street, a 1935 two-story brick building between Stanton and Rivington Streets, with a stage door on Freeman Alley. One hundred years ago, this area was legendary for its vaudeville palaces, theaters and dime museums; THE BOX will bring the excitement and energy of those concert saloons and burlesque halls back to the neighborhood.
The Box is an intimate restaurant and theater, with two bars and a stage. A flexible design and top-notch sound system allow us to present all types of live entertainment: bands, shows, parties, private functions, and special events."
The multi-functional venue will also put on the first production of Jack Kerouac's "Beat Generation", the play he wrote in 1957 after "On the Road" came out. No casting has been announced yet, but look for it in early 2007.
Tagged
As
bars
beat generation
chrystie street
design
east side
entertainment
events
jack kerouac
Lower East
Lower East Side
museums
Music
new york
new york times
public theater
queens
queens of the stone age
Stone Age
the box
theater
venues
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Immanuel Wilkins is upholding NYC's jazz history. He's also dreaming up its future.
The saxophonist performs this week at the Village Vanguard.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 29, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .