New York City has many locations for weddings and receptions, all fantastic options! However, the Public Theater is kind of a hidden gem, with its two venues and a nonprofit organization. Love the arts and want to help support them while getting a brilliant location for your wedding? Look no further; the Public Theater NYC offers all that and more!
About The Public Theater NYC
The Public Theater is one of the nation’s first nonprofit theaters, founded by Joe Papp over 60 years ago in 1954! Settled in the former Astor Library, which was a free public library founded in 1848, The Public Theater continues the work of Joe as a civic institution engaging with many of the most important ideas and social issues of today, both on stage and off. Since premiering the 1967 production of HAIR, The Public has shined a limelight upon American theater. It has been a staple in the industry.
The Public is currently represented on Broadway by award-winning musicals Hamilton and Ain’t No Mo’. A few of their seasonal programs include free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater located in Central Park, new work at its landmark home in Astor Place, their mobile unit touring throughout New York City’s five boroughs, work within the public forum, Under the Radar, public lab, public works, Public Shakespeare Initiative, and Joe’s Pub. The Public Theater is proud to offer Joe’s Pub and The Library as spaces for weddings and events.
The Public Theater in NYC also acknowledges that their theaters rest upon the Lenape peoples’ land, as well as acknowledging the Seneca Village people. Inclusivity and equality are a few of the values that The Public Theater dedicates itself to. The organization continues to uphold those fundamental values with their acknowledgments. Additionally, they promise an open and welcoming environment, free of judgment and negativity.
The Building
The building itself, which is home to the Public Theater, previously home to the Astor Library, was initially built by the son of the library’s founder, William B. Astor. A German architect, Alexander Saeltzer, designed the building in the Rundbogenstil style, the most popular style for public construction in Germany at the time. Astor funded two expansions of the building of Astor Place, designed by Griffith Thomas in 1856 and Thomas Stent in 1879. Both developments followed Alexander Saeltzer’s original design, so you can hardly tell the expansions aren’t part of the original.
After the expansion, the building was purchased in 1920 by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. By 1965, the historic building was facing demolition. Purchased by the city and converted for theater use by Giorgio Cavaglieri between 1967 and 1976, we now have the Public Theater as we know it today. The building is known as a New York City Landmark and was one of the first to be recognized. This place has a rich history, literally swept up from ruins and saved from demolition, then utilized as a tool to bring theater to its remarkable stance today. Who wouldn’t want to have a wedding in one of the city’s most historical and distinctive settings?!
Details of the Grounds
The Public Theater in NYC features a few different venues, one of them being Joe’s Pub. Joe’s Pub can hold 184 seated guests. Additionally, it is an all-ages venue that usually hosts over 800 shows and events annually. Furthermore, Joe’s Pub was originally a cabaret-style venue typically used for new work, live musical performances, spoken word artists, and soloists. Joe’s Pub features a large outdoor stage for these purposes, but it would also be great for live music to feature at your wedding.
The second venue, The Library, is known as one of downtown’s best-kept secrets and can host 125 seated guests! The elegant restaurant and bar derive their name from the Astor Library. This serves as a nod to the first public library of the United States and the landmarked building that now houses the Public Theater. The theater itself holds five theater spaces.
One of the theater spaces consists of the LuEsther, with the ability to hold 160 guests. Other theater spaces include Martinson, with a max capacity of 199 guests; Shiva, able to host 99 guests; and Anspacher, able to hold 275 guests. The Public Theater’s largest space is the Newman theater, which can seat 299 guests.
Photography Opportunities
Vintage elements are featured here: distressed leather chairs, steel-frame bookcases, Parisian rugs decorating the spaces, and theater artifacts. This space offers a warm and welcoming lived-in vibe (a typical theater vibe, might I add!). It is perfect for creating memories and capturing snapshots of warm and fuzzy candid moments. The Library on the mezzanine offers a classic and intelligent backdrop, as it would be the perfect setting to capture candid shots during your reception and posed portrait shots.
Wedding Details
The Public Theater in NYC does not offer any kind of wedding package. Still, their two venues, Joe’s Pub and The Library, are available for rental. You have the ability for you to customize details and decorations for your wedding day. Joe’s Pub would be ideal for reception dancing, live music, larger cocktail parties, and the ceremony. The Library better serves for sit-down dinners and drinks.
The Library offers bar snacks, shareable plates, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts created by Chefs Andrew Carmellini and Ricky Mungarary, as well as serving premium spirits and seasonal house-made mixers. Joe’s Pub and The Library emphasize ingredients, ensuring their patrons receive the best of the best.
Should you need caterers, they do have a preferred list of vendors. The most important feature of The Public Theater’s wedding venue is that you can almost fully customize it to your and your wedding needs.
Public Theater NYC
The Public Theater has so much history within its walls. It serves as a remarkable asset to New York, the theater industry, and even the wedding industry. The Public Theater NYC would be the most extraordinary setting for a theater fanatic’s wedding day, providing that indescribable ambiance that art lovers everywhere adore.
