Performance Venues

Designed to house visually compelling experimental and interdisciplinary work, Glassbox Theater is a window on performance and process at the College of Performing Arts. With a black floor, red curtains, and a window looking out onto 13th Street, the iconic space is home to The Stone at The New School, curated by John Zorn, which presents experimental and avant-garde artists Tuesday through Saturday evenings. Glassbox is also used by Mannes School of Music and the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music for student, class, ensemble, and faculty performances; by the School of Drama for Creative Cafe and Directed Research performances; and for many other public performances, lectures, and master classes.

• Location: Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, room I100
• Size: 1,400 square feet  (42’ x 32’)
• Flexible seating for up to 74
• Steinway D concert grand piano
• Gretsch Catalina Jazz three-piece drum
• Video projection and live sound capability

With an innovative “concert hall meets black box theater” design, the Ernst C. Stiefel Hall is one of the main performance spaces of the College of Performing Arts. It has acoustical concrete walls tuned for music performance as well as black-box theatrical capability. The room features user-friendly lighting and sound controls, a recording booth, and presentation technology. The space is designed to host a range of events from student recitals to theater productions and everything in between.

• Location: Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, room I400
• Size: 2,144 square feet (55’ length x 43’ width x 13’ height)
• Seating for up to 108
• Two American Steinway D concert grand pianos
• Audio and video recording capability
• Video projection and live sound capability

Arnie Lawrence Hall serves as the center of jazz and contemporary music making at The New School. The stage and seating configuration of the space evokes a nightclub atmosphere. The space is used primarily for School of Jazz and Contemporary Music student, class, and ensemble performances as well as lectures, master classes, and visiting artist showcase events.

• Location: Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, room 531
• Size:1,590 square feet
• Seating for up to 120 people
• Steinway Model B grand piano
• Fender Rhodes electric piano
• Gretsch Catalina Jazz three-piece drum kit
• Audio and video recording capability
• Video projection and live sound capability
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The Baisley Powell Elebash Recital Hall is an intimate multipurpose space used for student recitals, class performances, chamber music performances, classes, and recording sessions. Elebash Hall features a recording booth, acoustical treatments, and smart classroom technology.

• Location: Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, room I750
• Size: 967 square feet  (36’ x 21’ floor space)
• Seating for up to 60 people
• Two Steinway Model B grand pianos
• Gretsch Catalina Jazz three-piece drum kit
• Audio and video recording capability
• Video projection and live sound capability

The Theater at 151 Bank Street is a 116-seat black box space with full lighting, sound, and theatrical capability where the School of Drama presents fully staged theatrical productions as well as various music theater projects.

• Location: 151 Bank Street, room Z301
• Size: 2,600 square feet (43' x 28' performance area)
• Tiered seating for up to 116 people

The John L. Tishman Auditorium is the largest venue in the new University Center and the signature space of The New School. It features modern bamboo walls, several stage configurations, and flexible seating. It is an ideal venue for large lectures, conferences, workshops, film screenings, dance and musical performances, and fashion shows.  Tishman is used by the College of Performing Arts for orchestra rehearsals and performances, Mannes American Composers Ensemble performances, (Un)Silent Film Night, Winter Jazzfest, and other public programs.

• Location: 63 Fifth Avenue
• 5,555 square feet
• Seating capacity: 479, 668, or 800 (most typical configurations). Tishman has removable stage seating that can increase capacity (668). In addition, the curtain wall at the rear of the house opens, allowing for the conversion of two classrooms into additional seating (800).
• Performance area (in largest configuration): 59’ downstage width, 47’ upstage width x 33’ depth
• Audiovisual equipment and facilities include multi-image projection, a main screen with a projection image of 15'9" x 47'0", a surround-sound system, theatrical lighting, video conferencing capability, and a podium.

Designed and built in the 1930s by legendary architect Joseph Urban, the Auditorium is an impressive 468-seat venue with a proscenium-style stage. It was named one of the world's most powerful rooms by ABC News in 2014, thanks to the roster of prominent public figures and leaders who have spoken there. The Auditorium has also hosting the many performances of the Schneider Concert Series at The New School. The College of Performing arts uses the Auditorium for opera scene concerts, faculty and ensemble-in-residence concerts, Mannes Sounds performances, theatrical performances, lectures and master classes, and many other high-profile events.  

• Location: Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall at 66 West 12th Street
• Seating capacity: 468 (including balcony)
• Stage size: 34’ downstage width, 29’ upstage width, 25’6” centerline depth
• Steinway D piano
• Audiovisual equipment: LCD projector and screen, digital cinema projector (Christie Solaria One) with surround sound, and limited theatrical lighting