Zip! NYC's Zipper Factory Theater Shuts Doors | Playbill

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News Zip! NYC's Zipper Factory Theater Shuts Doors The Zipper Factory, the funky midtown Manhattan space that offered edgy plays, pop and rock musicals, concerts, comedy and more, has closed its doors, owner Lee Z. Davis announced on Jan. 14. No other explanation was given.

Owner and proprietor Davis announced that the last day of business for the venue and its adjoining tavern was Jan. 13.

All advance tickets for shows scheduled at The Zipper Factory Theater will be refunded.

The Zipper Theater — housed in a former zipper production space on West 37th Street, in the fashion/garment district just below Times Square — opened in October 2001 with the production of Charles L. Mee's True Love directed by Daniel Fish and starring Dallas Roberts and Jayne Houdyshell. Over the years, and run by various partners, the theatre was home to such shows as Margaret Cho's The Sensuous Woman (fall 2007); Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (2006-07); Here Lies Jenny starring Bebe Neuwirth (summer-fall 2004); Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic (spring 2003), BETTY Rules (fall 2002-spring 2003) and Alan Cumming's adaptation of Jean Genet's Elle (summer 2002).

For the past year, the theatre has diversified its programming and was presenting a wide variety of theatrical, musical, comedy and burlesque offerings from such artists as Justin Bond, Our Lady J, Martha Plimpton and Lucy Wainwright Roche, GrooveLily, Joy Behar, Murray Hill and Megan Mullally.

David Conrad Brouillard and Bill Coyle served as the theatre's most recent artistic producer and producing associate, respectively. Coyle, a respected longtime publicist and promoter in New York City's theatre community, told Playbill.com, "David and I are currently exploring our options of starting over ourselves. We met with the owner to try to re-open on our own, but without any notice or planning we don't have the resources in place to give three months [rent] up-front. ...It'll be a while before we know anything." The Zipper Tavern (formerly The Belt Theater) opened in April 2007.

The lobby bar was a favorite of artists and theatregoers alike, serving local brews. The auditorium seating, comprised of abandoned car seats (some with seatbelts intact), gave the venue as shaggy East Villlage vibe, blocks away from the Broadway theatre district.

 
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