Thomas Breen Photo
Aric Isaacs and Ian Alderman inside the space at 280 Blake St. to be developed into a black box theater.
A local theater troupe is setting the stage to bring a black box theater to Blake Street.
Support rained down on the troupe the Broken Umbrella Theatre Company, as the crew made their first pitch last week before the Board of Zoning Appeals to secure side yard and parking relief at 280 Blake St.
The community-based theater, which has operated out of New Haven since 2009 without a permanent home, presented its plan to establish a visual and performing arts space during the board’s latest online meeting. The troupe requested a variance and special exception to bring an abandoned mechanic shop to life.
Specifically, the group, represented by attorney Marjorie Shansky, has asked for a variance to permit a side yard of 1.5 feet where 8 feet is required to allow for the construction of a second-story addition to the building as well as two special exceptions to permit 17 off-street parking spaces where 38 are required as well as a full liquor license.
The idea is to build a restaurant and bar in the front half of the building and black-box theater in the back, with a lobby, box office, art gallery and tech room in between and dressing rooms and offices above. Dinner and intermission snacks will be served Thursday through Sunday while brunches will take place every weekend.
Read in detail about the broader vision for the property, which will be named “The Umbrella,” in a previous article here.
The company bought 280 Blake in October of 2022 under the corporate name “Peachy and Lala Productions LLC.”
“The Umbrella” will create space not only for the troupe’s personal performances, but for classes, workshops and events hosted by potential partners like the city’s cultural affairs department, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, and The Arts Council of Greater New Haven, among others.
Broken Umbrella is already teaming up with their neighbors to figure out the problem of parking near the property. Schools Superintendent Madeline Negrón said the Board of Education plans to draft a memorandum of understanding that would grant Broken Umbrella access to 40 parking spaces at L.W. Beecher Museum Magnet School. The theater also has a parking lease with the owners of 127 Fitch St., immediately adjacent to the property.
Deputy Director of Zoning Nate Hougrand said that 66 people wrote letters in support of the project to the city.
During Tuesday’s public hearing, which was held Tuesday night, people Zoomed in from across the country to praise the theater group.
Magician David Parr, meanwhile, tuned in from Milwaukee to say how Broken Umbrella has “deeply impacted neighborhoods all over the place.”
“I came here to effectively communicate how far their reach is … A quick google search will show you the many, many accolades they’ve received over the years.”
“Many of us were flattened when Artspace closed,” State Rep. Pat Dillon said. “I’m very grateful that something is happening to strengthen [New Haven’s] arts presence.”
“I’m a huge fan of Umbrella Broken Theater,” said Lizzy Donius, the director of the Westville Village Renaissance Alliance. “That intersection that it’s at is critical for helping to connect Southern Connecticut State University and all of the 15,000 people who spend time there with Westville.
“I know this will be a transformative economic project,” she stated.
The BZA will vote on whether or not to grant the applicants zoning relief following a review by the City Plan Commission.
280 Blake: Could soon be "The Umbrella."