Frigid New York
FRIGID New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the UNDER St Marks Theater in NYC's East Village, running eight annual theater festivals, a Resident Artists Program, co-productions, space rentals, and integrated ticketing and live streaming services for independent theater artists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Frigid New York does
FRIGID New York, Inc., legally incorporated in New York, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit independent theater company founded in 1998 originally as Horse Trade Theater Group, adopting its current name in 2006 upon acceptance into the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. The organization operates the UNDER St Marks Theater, a 45-seat basement blackbox venue at 94 St. Marks Place in the East Village equipped with ETC ColorSource LED lighting, a Qlab-controlled 12-channel mixing board, a 3.6K Lumens short-throw projector with retractable screen, and a live streaming infrastructure that has been active since the 2020 pandemic pivot. Although the venue is not currently wheelchair accessible, FRIGID has publicly committed to finding a fully accessible replacement venue after departing The Kraine Theater in 2023.
The company's core offerings layer three service tiers: (i) community-facing festivals — eight annual programs including New York City Fringe, The Fire This Time, Queerly, Gotham Storytelling, Little Shakespeare, Days of the Dead, Neurotica, and EstroGenius — where the Fringe Festival returns 100% of box office to artists while other festivals apply a first-$200-to-house / 50/50 split; (ii) artist support services including a Resident Artists Program (40+ companies supported since 1999), co-productions, and approximately two dozen monthly recurring shows (open mics, improv, comedy, storytelling); and (iii) transactional venue services — space rentals where artists retain all box office, optional technical and front-of-house staffing at $75/person/performance, projector rental at $50/performance, and integrated ticketing through tickets.frigid.nyc.
Revenue is diversified across earned income (box office splits, space rentals, co-production shares, ticketing fees, advertising placements sold via email blast to 19,000 recipients) and contributed income (Patreon subscriptions at four tiers, memberships and gift certificates, tax-deductible donations, and institutional grants from NYSCA, NYC DCLA, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Black Seed, Children's Theatre Foundation of America, U.S. SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, Emma A. Sheafer Charitable Trust, and Sundance Institute). The customer base is composed primarily of independent theater artists, LGBTQIA2S+ artists, Black and African American playwrights, and theater audiences; the organization is governed by a board including President Emily Godfrey, Secretary Randi Berry (co-founder of IndieSpace), Treasurer Paul Leobowitz, and ex-officio member Managing Director Erez Ziv, with a small dedicated staff of artists, producers, techs, and creatives.
Frigid New York firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Frigid New York
- Legal name
- FRIGID New York, Inc.
- Website
- https://frigid.nyc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- FRIGID New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the UNDER St Marks Theater in NYC's East Village, running eight annual theater festivals, a Resident Artists Program, co-productions, space rentals, and integrated ticketing and live streaming services for independent theater artists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Frigid New York industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Theater Productions
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL)
Keywords
Where Frigid New York is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Frigid New York business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Space Rentals: Artists rent the UNDER St Marks venue for performances, rehearsals, screenings, film shoots, and classes. Renters retain all box office revenue. The venue provides ticketing services, staffing options (tech/front of house at $75 per staff member per performance), and live streaming capability.
- Co-Productions: Artists work in collaboration with FRIGID to stage performances with minimal up-front cost. Box office sales split between producer and FRIGID, typically with house keeping first $200 then 50/50 split. FRIGID provides ticketing, marketing, and staffing support.
- Festival Box Office: During the New York City Fringe Festival, 100% of box office proceeds go directly to artists. For other festivals like Queerly, the first $200 per performance goes to the theater with remainder split 50/50 with artists.
- Donations and Memberships: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, FRIGID accepts tax-deductible donations, Patreon support at various tiers (King Penguins, Los Pingüinos, Fledgling Penguins, Penguin Chicks), and sells memberships and gift certificates.
- Advertising and Sponsorship: The venue offers advertising options including bar menu spots, pre-show announcements, stream ads, website features, social media posts, and email blasts to 19,000 recipients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | New York City Fringe Festival - Artists retain 100% of box office proceeds |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Queerly Festival - Box office split after $200 house |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Co-Productions - 50/50 split after $200 house |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Space Rentals - Artists retain all box office revenue |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Staffing - Technical and front of house support |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Rental - Projector and screen |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Frigid New York product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FRIGID New York operates the UNDER St Marks Theater, a 45-seat basement blackbox venue in NYC's East Village, providing affordable venue access, production support (ticketing, marketing, technical staffing, front-of-house), and live streaming to independent theater artists. The organization runs seven annual festivals (New York City Fringe, The Fire This Time, Queerly, Little Shakespeare, Days of the Dead, Gotham Storytelling, Neurotica), a Resident Artists Program supporting 40+ indie companies, monthly recurring shows, co-productions, and space rentals for performances, rehearsals, screenings, and film shoots.
Product overview
Frigid New York is a 501(c)(3) non-profit independent theater company operating Under St Marks Theater, an off-off-Broadway venue in New York's East Village. The organization functions as a platform combining venue operations with festival programming, artist support services, and ticketing/streaming infrastructure. Its core offerings include: a 45-seat blackbox performance venue with full technical capabilities (lighting, sound via Qlab, projection); seven annual festivals (New York City Fringe, The Fire This Time, Queerly, Little Shakespeare, Days of the Dead, Gotham Storytelling, and Neurotica); a Resident Artists Program supporting indie theater companies; approximately two dozen monthly recurring shows; a co-production program for collaborative works; space rental services; and integrated ticketing and live streaming for all performances. The product portfolio centers on providing affordable access to theater production for emerging and established artists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- New York City Fringe: The flagship festival of FRIGID New York, formerly known as FRIGID Fringe Festival. An open, lottery-based theater festival where 100% of box office proceeds go directly to artists.
- The Fire This Time Festival
- Queerly Festival
- The Little Shakespeare Festival
- The Days of the Dead Festival
- The Gotham Storytelling Festival
- Neurotica Festival
- UNDER St Marks Theater
Products and services
- Under St Marks Theater (Venue & Space Rentals) A 45-seat basement blackbox theater venue at 94 St. Marks Place in NYC's East Village, available for rent by independent artists for performances, rehearsals, screenings, film shoots, and classes. Renters retain all box office revenue. Includes ETC ColorSource LED lighting, Qlab sound mixing, 3.6K Lumens short-throw projector with retractable screen, and live streaming capability.
- New York City Fringe Festival FRIGID's flagship open, lottery-based theater festival running annually in April. Artists retain 100% of box office proceeds. Formerly known as the FRIGID Fringe Festival.
- The Fire This Time Festival OBIE Award-winning festival providing a platform for early-career playwrights of African and African American descent. Features 10-minute play programs, staged readings, panel discussions, and a playwrights' lab. Has developed more than 100 playwrights since 2009.
- Queerly Festival Annual LGBTQIA2S+ celebration festival running mid-June through July, providing space for queer artists to represent themselves and tell their stories. Curated by Resident Artistic Director Jimmy Lovett.
- The Little Shakespeare Festival Festival celebrating independent theater inspired by William Shakespeare. Features shows with casts of five or fewer. Curated by Conor Mullen, running annually in August.
- Days of the Dead Festival Festival celebrating Día de los Muertos and Halloween, featuring death and afterlife themed performances. Curated by Resident Company Something from Abroad. Runs October through November.
- Gotham Storytelling Festival Annual storytelling festival bringing together diverse storytellers. Runs in November at Under St Marks Theater.
- Neurotica Festival Festival launched by Iris Bahr featuring solo shows, stand-up, bouffant, storytelling, book readings and films. A 4-day festival championing diverse artists not yet seen on NY stages, running in September.
- Resident Artists Program Program founded in 1999 offering select indie theater artists an artistic home through rehearsal and performance space, plus consulting, administrative, marketing, and artistic assistance. Has supported over 40 companies since inception.
- Monthly Recurring Shows Approximately two dozen monthly recurring shows including open mics, improv, comedy, plays, storytelling, and more. Includes The Open Mic Downstairs (Tuesdays), Adam Wade: LIVE IN NEW YORK!, and As You Mic It.
- Co-Production Program Collaborative performance program offering NYC artists opportunities to stage work with minimal upfront cost. Provides ticketing, marketing support, and staffing. Box office splits first $200 to theater, then 50/50 between FRIGID and artists.
- Ticketing Services Comprehensive ticketing service for all shows including online streaming. Manages customer support, ticket sales, and festival ticketing setup for participating artists through tickets.frigid.nyc.
- Live Streaming Service Streaming service for majority of shows, enabling worldwide audience access beyond the 45-seat physical venue. Integrated with ticketing platform for hybrid in-person/digital attendance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Artists in New York City Fringe retain 100% of box office proceeds
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Frigid New York
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Frigid New York technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Frigid New York partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- All Arts (The WNET Group)majorAll Arts is an Emmy-winning arts and culture hub created by The WNET Group, the community-supported home of New York's PBS stations. They are featured as a sponsor on FRIGID's website and provide broader arts media exposure.
- Indie Theater Fund / IndieSpacecoreThe Indie Theater Fund (formerly LIT Fund) is designed to financially and otherwise assist organizations and individual artists creating independent theater in New York City. Board member Randi Berry is co-founder of IndieSpace.
- Sundance InstituteminorSundance Institute's Interdisciplinary Program (IDP) has supported FRIGID artists through grantee cohorts and Art of Practice Fellows programs.
- Emily Owens PRcoreNYC-based press agent specializing in new work premiering Off and Off-Off Broadway. Handles PR for FRIGID's festivals and productions.
- Patreon SupportersminorMonthly supporters through Patreon at various tiers help keep FRIGID's lights on, pay staff, and provide artists with resources and support.
- Canadian Association of Fringe FestivalscoreFRIGID was accepted into this association in 2006, which enabled the creation of the FRIGID Festival (now New York City Fringe) as the first open and unjuried indie theater festival in NYC.
- Apollo Stages at The VictoriamajorThe 17th annual Fire This Time Festival Ten-Minute Play Program will be hosted at Harlem's historic Apollo Stages at The Victoria, partnering with the Apollo New Works program.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Frigid New York competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dixon Place: Lower East Side nonprofit performance venue supporting experimental theater, dance, and performance art. Comparable to FRIGID as a small NYC indie venue offering curated programming and artist support.
- New Ohio Theatre: Two-stage off-off-Broadway venue in Manhattan producing indie theater and curated festivals such as the ICE Factory festival. Closely comparable festival-and-venue model to FRIGID.
- HERE Arts Center: Long-running NYC nonprofit performing arts venue producing original hybrid and indie theater work in SoHo. Closely comparable to FRIGID as a small, mission-driven indie theater operator hosting curated festivals and supporting emerging artists.
- The Flea Theater: Downtown NYC nonprofit theater producing experimental and new work with resident artist programs. Comparable in mission, scale, and indie-theater focus to FRIGID's Resident Artists Program and festival model.
- La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: Pioneering off-off-Broadway venue in the East Village supporting experimental and international theater. Directly comparable as an indie nonprofit theater platform nurturing emerging artists through residencies and festivals.
- The Brick Theater: Brooklyn-based indie theater focused on new and experimental work, including curated festivals (e.g., Exponential Festival). Highly comparable as a small nonprofit venue running themed indie theater festivals.
- Ars Nova: NYC nonprofit dedicated to developing and producing new work by emerging artists, with resident programs and festivals. Comparable in mission and indie-theater artist development focus to FRIGID.
- The New York Neo-Futurists: NYC ensemble producing original, experimental, and interactive theater including long-running monthly shows. Comparable as a small nonprofit producing recurring experimental performances with artist-led creation.
Others
- IndieSpace (Indie Theater Fund): NYC nonprofit supporting the indie theater community through funding, real estate consulting, and advocacy; co-founded by FRIGID board member Randi Berry. Comparable as a peer institution in the indie theater ecosystem and a direct strategic ally rather than a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- New York Theatre Workshop: Established Off-Broadway nonprofit that has incubated Tony- and Pulitzer-winning new work. Comparable mission of supporting new and experimental theater but operates at significantly larger scale and resources than FRIGID.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Frigid New York social profiles
Digital presenceFrigid New York financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Frigid New York leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Frigid New York funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frigid New York M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Frigid New York
What does Frigid New York do?
FRIGID New York operates the UNDER St Marks Theater, a 45-seat basement blackbox venue in NYC's East Village, providing affordable venue access, production support (ticketing, marketing, technical staffing, front-of-house), and live streaming to independent theater artists. The organization runs seven annual festivals (New York City Fringe, The Fire This Time, Queerly, Little Shakespeare, Days of the Dead, Gotham Storytelling, Neurotica), a Resident Artists Program supporting 40+ indie companies, monthly recurring shows, co-productions, and space rentals for performances, rehearsals, screenings, and film shoots.
Is Frigid New York a public or private company?
Frigid New York is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Frigid New York founded?
Frigid New York was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Frigid New York based?
Frigid New York is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Frigid New York make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Space Rentals are the primary driver. The others are co-Productions, festival Box Office, donations and Memberships and advertising and Sponsorship.
Who are Frigid New York's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dixon Place, New Ohio Theatre, HERE Arts Center, The Flea Theater, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, The Brick Theater, Ars Nova and The New York Neo-Futurists. IndieSpace (Indie Theater Fund) is listed as an others. New York Theatre Workshop is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Frigid New York have an API?
No public API is recorded for Frigid New York.
What industry is Frigid New York in?
Frigid New York's product category is Independent Theater Productions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAI, Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts, with a secondary code of MPAGABAG, Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.