The five-year-old theatre began in a church gym in Astoria, across the East River from Manhattan. The troupe recently began a search for permanent new digs.

The Broccoli Theater space within the Variety B & G Club was recommended to them, artistic director Brian Swasey told Playbill.com. APAC will offer Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile there Oct. 27-Nov. 12.

"APAC and the Variety Boys & Girls Club have many mutual friends, including Council Member Peter Vallone Jr., who secured funding for Picasso," said APAC executive director Taryn Drongowski, in a statement. "I was really impressed when I first walked into the Broccoli Theater, and when [APAC's producing artistic director] Brian Swasey confirmed for me that the space would more than meet the needs of the production, and the Variety B & G's Club executive director Tracie Van Dina and director of performing arts Adam Herzig were supportive of us producing there, it all just came together for us."

APAC looks forward to continuing the new friendship through the spring. APAC's mainstage programming has always been complemented with community outreach efforts, including theatre training for children.

"There are many natural ways for the two organizations to collaborate, and we look forward to discovering them, and making something great happen," Swasey said. The Variety B & G Club is at 21-12 30th Road in Astoria. For more information, visit www.apacny.org.

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Given its proximity to Manhattan, the relatively low rents in the borough, and the access to cheap and fast mass transit, Queens has remarkably few professional Equity theatre operating in its borders.