The José Quintero Theatre was an off-off-Broadway theatre venue located in New York City's Hell's Kitchen. The 93-seat theatre existed inside a former

brownstone Brownstone is a brown Triassic–Jurassic sandstone that was historically a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States and Canada to refer to a townhouse clad in this or any other aesthetically similar material. Type ...

residential housing building that was constructed in 1887. In 1923 the building was converted from residential housing into a nightclub, the Sleepy Owl Club, which operated until 1954. The theatre was used as a comedy venue during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1980 it was purchased by Linda Gelman and Paul Zuckerman of the improvisational theatre company

Chicago City Limits Chicago City Limits (CCL), is the longest running improvisational theatre company in New York City, New York. History Chicago City Limits is New York City's seminal improvisational theatre company, founded in 1977. George Todisco started the ...

, and opened as the Chicago City Limits Theatre in the summer of 1980. Producer Martin R. Kaufman purchased the theatre in 1987, and the theatre operated under the name the Martin R. Kaufman Theatre until Kaufman's death in 1996. The Kaufman Theatre opened with a celebrated revival of

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

's ''Gay Divorce'' in March 1987; a production which earned actor Joaquin Romaguera a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. The Kaufman Theatre was host to several plays, musicals, and cabaret events; including performances featuring Kaye Ballard, Tallulah Bankhead, Wesla Whitfield, Julie Wilson, Steve Ross (cabaret singer), Steve Ross, and Jo Sullivan Loesser. In September 1998 the theatre was purchased by actress and producer Angelina Fiordellisi who rechristened the theatre as The Seven Sisters. After the death of Circle in the Square Theatre founder José Quintero, the theatre was renamed the José Quintero Theatre in his honor on May 2, 2000. In 2006 the theatre was demolished and replaced by a new neo-brutalist residential building.

References

{{reflist category:Off-Off-Broadway Former theatres in Manhattan 2006 disestablishments in New York (state) 1923 establishments in New York City