ColLab
An Experimental Workshop
ColLab: An Experimental Workshop challenges NYC artists to create new, interactive and/or interdisciplinary live performance work to be workshopped and presented in the Off The Lane performance space. The ColLab program also hosts community and networking events for interdisciplinary artists to connect and brainstorm their collaborations! ColLab offers producing support for projects featuring theatre, dance, music, film, visual art, photography, and more.
We are inspired by work that centers and challenges both artists and audiences, and we envision creating new, performing arts works that are cross-genre, cross-discipline, and cross-cultural in a way that gives voice to new partnerships and adventurous, innovative ideas.
Have a project in mind? Submit here!
Questions? Contact our Producing & Programming Director, Sophie Brubaker! sophie.brubaker@offthelane.org
UPCOMING ColLab Events:
Stay tuned!
PAST ColLab Events:
small town icons
By SMJ
Directed by Mackenna Goodrich
small town icons is an unflinching look at poverty, bullying, friendship, and the agonizing pursuit of a picture-perfect life.
It’s the night before the opening of Mount Vernon, Ohio’s next community theater production: a barely legal adaptation of Our Town. The production’s “Emily,” Sabrina, is stuck at home, trying to rehearse. A mob sits outside of her house, demanding an answer for the disappearance of Mr. K, a popular science teacher… who burned Sabrina during a class experiment.
May 30 & 31, 2025
THE LAUNDRY PLAY
By Sarah Groustra
Directed by Rachel Sabo-Hedges
David is a museum curator whose panic attacks have gone untreated for years.
When he considers taking a job that will move him halfway across the country, this comes as a shock to his girlfriend, Eliza. Told largely through both characters’ conversations with a therapist, The Laundry Play paints a portrait of a relationship on the verge of either connection or collapse, and the emotional landscape of intimacy with clinical anxiety.
The first in a new ColLab staged reading series.
February 10, 2025
SONG CYCLE SESSIONS
A holiday party like no other! In just 90 minutes, our guests rote, recorded, and produced a brand-new holiday song from scratch. This session invited everyone to the creative process, whether they were a seasoned musician or simply curious to see the magic unfold. We brainstormed, crafted lyrics, and found the perfect melody to celebrate the season with holiday cheer and libations.
The evening was hosted by music producer Andrew Heringer (Sound Bath, The Guest and the Host), producer and playwright Kyle Holmes (Ranked, a Musical; Open, Stay) and composer and music director David Taylor Gomes (Ranked, a Musical; Snowed In) as part of our final ColLab project of 2024.
December 11-19, 2024
WHAT’S LEFT: an exploration of modern dance
A quiet space. Lights off. Candles dotted around the room fill the space with a warm glow.
Incredible vibes were brought to this intimate, pop-up evening of dance, featuring original choreography by Stephanie Nielsen and Cooper Grenke.
Dance was interwoven with text by Katherine Hunter, highlighting themes of body horror, body image, and interpersonal relational dynamics.
Feautred dancers included Stephanie Nielsen, Gigi Hausman, Paige Majewski, and Brooke McDaniel.
November 17, 2024
OPEN, STAY
We were delighted to invite folks to a pop-up production of the new musical OPEN, STAY (music and lyrics by Anna DeNoia, arranged and orchestrated by Joshua Villa). Featuring an original book by Kyle Holmes, this five character production captures a day in the life of your corner cafe, where private and public moments converge, over a favorite beverage.
As seen on TikTok (with over 1 Million Views on #OpenStay) and streaming on Spotify (With over 218k album streams) OPEN, STAY is a musical celebration of the human connection that we all crave. Interwoven stories that navigate how we love people, how we lose people, and the lessons we learn along the way. Endearingly awkward love confessions, gaslighting, grief, humor, true love– OPEN, STAY has it all and more.
September 5 & 6, 2024
TRUTH, DARE, OR LESBIAN?
At a sleepover nearly two decades ago, a group of girls were deciding on their next game, when suddenly– it hit them: “truth, dare…or lesbian.”
Everyone agreed…and then no one chose “lesbian.”
Years later, former sleepover participant Emily Drossell is committed to realizing the game that never fully came to be (and making up for her belated queer awakening).
And what better way to do so than through interactive musical comedy?
BAD JEWS by Joshua Harmon, Directed by Rachel Sabo-Hedges
On the second and third nights of Hanukkah, we hosted two vibrant audiences for a production of BAD JEWS by Joshua Harmon, a fierce, biting comedy about family, faith, and what you choose to believe. SEE MORE PHOTOS
Hootenanny Tonight! A Folk Music Experience
We were thrilled to host the world premiere workshop presentation of Hootenanny Tonight! A Folk Music Experience.
Based on music from James F. Leisy’s songbook “Hootennany Tonight,” Sophie Brubaker and Ciera Miller joined forces to write an original story that had our audiences hooting and hollering all night!
It was a lively, interactive evening of community and traditional folk and hootennany tunes.
Learn more about the artists and view photos on our blog.
Another mixer! We welcomed a friendly group of artists across all disciplines for an evening of mingling, painting, and sipping!
DAVE MALLOY’S GHOST QUARTET
Our next ColLab production is an exploration of a selection of songs from Dave Malloy’s Ghost Quartet, featuring professional actors, live music, and dancers participating in a dance painting practice to create visual art pieces. The performance and art pieces will be presented on June 3rd, 2023 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm, with the visual works available for auction throughout the evening. Doors open at 7:15pm for performance #1 and 8:15pm for performance #2.
If you choose to purchase tickets to both performances, our stellar cast will take on new roles, and perform with new set pieces and staging.
A NIGHT OF SPIRITS
Created by Ryan Gerberding, A Night of Spirits will be one night only, featuring shows and spirits! Audience members will have the opportunity to view three 1-on-1 performance pieces from dancers, musicians, and actors.
The audience will gather in a shared space for drinks and socializing, and then they will be individually invited to experience each of their 1-on-1 performances over the course of the night.
ColLab Workshop #2 – July 12, 2022
ColLab s for creatives who are interested in finding collaborators for their artistic projects. We created an environment where creatives could meet collaborators for their artistic projects. Our attendees mingled and tossed around ideas. And now, we have our first idea seed! Stay tuned for more details… Our focus is interdisciplinary, innovative new work! Artistic exploration and experimentation is deeply encouraged! And if you’re unsure if you’re right for this community and this event, the answer is that YOU ARE. We want you and all your beautiful ideas. See ya there!
ColLab Workshop #1 – June 2, 2022
We welcomed new and returning members of our community for our ColLab launch! Led by Community Coordinator Sophie Brubaker, attendees shared everything from current projects they’re working on to what TV shows they’re binging. It was an exciting evening that allowed people to make connections and utilize their community. Photos below!
