The Flea Theater Inc

WE SUPPORT AND INVEST IN EXPERIMENTAL ART BY BLACK, BROWN, AND QUEER ARTISTS. WE PROVIDE SPACE, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, PRODUCING PARTNERSHIP AND OTHER RESOURCES SO THAT THEY MAY DEVELOP AND SHARE THEIR VISION IN COMMUNITY WITH AUDIENCES.

THE FLEA RETURNED TO LIVE, IN-PERSON PERFORMANCE IN 2022 WITH THE PREMIERE OF OUR FIRST NEW WORK IN OVER TWO YEARS: ARDEN: A RITUAL FOR LOVE AND LIBERATION, A LARGE-SCALE IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE DEVISED BY THE FLEA'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR NIEGEL SMITH; MACARTHUR FELLOWS CARRIE MAE WEEMS AND OKWUI OKPOKWASILI; DIANA OH; AND PETER BORN. ARDEN CENTERED A PLURALITY OF VOICE AND AESTHETICS WHILE USING AS YOU LIKE IT'S FOREST OF ARDEN, A PLACE WHERE THE QUEERS, FEMINISTS AND INTELLECTUALS DARED CREATE THE WORLD THAT CENTERED THEIR DESIRES, AS ITS PROMPT TO BUILD AN INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE THAT OFFERS AUDIENCES MOMENTS OF DISCOVERY, RITUAL, AND AWE AROUND THE THEMES OF LOVE AND LIBERATION. ARDEN BEGAN PREVIEWS AT THE FLEA THEATER ON FEBRUARY 6, 2022 AND PREMIERED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2022 AND RECEIVED A FIVE-WEEK PERFORMANCE RUN THROUGH MARCH 13. THE 2022 SEASON WAS THE INAUGURAL YEAR OF THE FLEA'S REIMAGINED RESIDENT COMPANY PROGRAM. CURRENT RESIDENT COMPANIES INCLUDE EMERGE125 AND THE FLED, AS THE KEY RESIDENT COMPANY. THE FLEA'S JUNETEENTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCES PROGRAM WHICH COMMISSIONS FIVE BLACK PERFORMANCE ARTISTS TO STAGE FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AROUND THE THEME OF JUNETEENTH HAD ITS SECOND YEAR IN 2022. ARTISTS INCLUDED EBONY NOELLE GOLDEN, JAMES SCRUGGS, PARIS L'HOMMIE, CHANON JUDSON, AND ACCLAIMED ARTIST AND SCHOLAR NIA O. WITHERSPOON.THROUGHOUT 2022, THE COMPANY ADDITIONALLY SUPPORTED EIGHT NEW ARTISTS THROUGH VARIOUS PROJECT-BASED CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. FROM DRAMATURGICAL WORKSHOPS TO PROCESS SHOWINGS, THE FLEA PROVIDED ARTISTS WITH THE ADAPTIVE CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR PROJECT. THIS INCLUDED SPACE, PRODUCING STRUCTURE, HOSPITALITY, AND STAFF PARTNERSHIP TO FURTHER THEIR MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS.