Angelina Fiordellisi to Sell Historic Cherry Lane Theatre

Angelina Fiordellisi, the artistic director at the nonprofit Cherry Lane Theater, has announced that she will step down next year and that she plans to sell the historic building, according to a story in The New York Times. Fiordellisi bought the space in 1996 and renovated it.

As previously reported, the company had announced a period of reorganization over the summer, citing ongoing financial difficulties, including a deficit, which, at that time, was $167,000.

The facility, which includes a 179-seat main stage and a 60-seat studio, has been home to works by such playwrights as Edward Albee and Sam Shepard. In addition, the Cherry Lane has offered such programs as The Mentor Project, which matches emerging playwrights with more seasoned writers, ultimately presenting the younger artists’ work.

The theater has also made its two spaces available to other organizations and producers, serving as a rental facility.