All the Village is a stage

Though it may not have the flashing billboards and gigantic theaters of Times Square, Greenwich Village fosters a theater scene just as energetic and innovative as the Great White Way, with an added touch of intimacy.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater at 50 W. 13th St. provides a place for actors, directors, and playwrights to develop their work in a small, nurturing environment. Home to the longest-running Off-Off-Broadway play, Line by Israel Horovitz, the 13th Street Repertory Theater now additionally features the musical comedy Some Things Get Better With Age, which opened in previews Thursday.

Though the venue appeals to long-time theater fans, it also includes a separate repertoire specifically geared toward child audiences, granting a family-oriented flavor unlike the more elite atmosphere uptown.

As the origin of theatrical movements like the Living Theater, the Theater of the Absurd, and Downtown Theater, the Village truly lives up to its stereotype as an artist’s haven.

The Cherry Lane Theater at 38 Commerce St., originally the Cherry Lane Playhouse, was the root of these movements. According to its Web site, the theater still strives to establish a strong “urban artist colony.” Today, Cherry Lane dedicates itself to producing quality work that specifically addresses contemporary issues. Jailbait, the story of two wild teenage girls posing as college students in a Boston club, is playing now through April 25.

In the interest of cultivating an artist’s colony, the Cherry Lane’s Mentor Project allows emerging playwrights to engage in mentorships with nationally distinguished playwrights and offers master classes to the public. Student discounts are also available.

Cherry Lane is not the only place for theater discounts. The Minetta Lane Theater on 18 Minetta Ln. currently offers rush tickets for their production of Garden of Earthly Delights, which closes this Sunday. The origin of numerous Off-Broadway hits, Minetta Lane prides itself on a high-quality theater in an intimate 399-seat venue.

As the resident artist’s colony of Manhattan, the Village gives shape to an artistry that sharply contrasts with that on Columbia’s campus or even in Midtown. Truly dedicated to artistic growth and a sense of community, the theater offerings of the Village provide refreshing authenticity in the face of the potentially overwhelming commercialism pervasive throughout the city.