named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Big Green Theater
Free eco-playwriting program for elementary school students in Bushwick and Ridgewood that combines environmental justice education with theater-making, culminating in student-written productions using sustainable materials.
Creating Performance
After-school theater program for teens and young adults in partnership with El Puente, teaching performance, writing, and technical skills while supporting original work rooted in community issues.
Senior Storytelling
Free theater and writing program for older adults that uses storytelling, movement, and creative play to build intergenerational connection and combat social isolation.
Starr Reading Series
Free ongoing program that invites audiences to engage with the development of new plays through readings by some of New York City’s most exciting playwrights.
Summer Starr Theater Camp
Weeklong summer camp for children ages 8–14 that explores theater fundamentals including acting, directing, design, and playwriting, with tuition on a sliding scale starting at $300.
Summers at the Starr
Free August series featuring performances, music, workshops, markets, and community events that celebrate local artists and strengthen neighborhood connections in Bushwick.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Delivers youth theater education and creative development programsOffers Creating Performance, an after-school program teaching acting, writing, design, and technical theater skills to local teens and young adults, along with a two-week summer theater camp for children ages 8–14 focused on writing, acting, directing, and design. Also includes a 5-week summer workshop and 8-week winter intensive, developed in partnership with El Puente since 2016.
- Runs Big Green Theater eco-playwriting program for elementary studentsOperates Big Green Theater, a free environmental justice and theater program for public elementary school students in Bushwick and Ridgewood, where students write and perform original plays about climate and justice using sustainable materials. Includes creative workshops, field trips, dialogues with scientists and activists, and culminates in free public performances; produces dozens of student-written plays annually.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Hosts free community events and public programmingOrganizes "Summers at the Starr," a free community event series held at its Eldert Street location featuring music, markets, family-friendly activities, live performances, and artist-led workshops. Includes recurring events such as the Starr Bazaar (a vendor market), Body Mapping workshops, youth performances, salsa/bachata/cumbia concerts, and curated music events with local bands.
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New Play Development Programs 1 activity
- Hosts free reading series for emerging playwrightsRuns the Starr Reading Series, a free ongoing program that presents readings of new plays by emerging playwrights, featuring between four and eight writers annually; has hosted at least 60 playwrights since before 2018 across multiple seasons.
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Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Presents annual season of new performance worksProduces and presents an annual season of new theatrical works, including three mainstage premieres each year, original productions exploring narrative and dream logic, and performances rooted in diverse cultural traditions such as Maya cosmology. The organization also hosts sold-out tours and specific productions like "DeliaDelia! The Flat-Chested Witch!" and "i'm not even half."
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Senior Social & Enrichment Programming 1 activity
- Provides Senior Storytelling program for older adultsOffers a free theater and writing program for older adults that uses storytelling, theater games, movement, writing prompts, and collaborative exercises to foster self-expression, connection, and intergenerational dialogue. Participants develop personal experiences into creative work, leading to annual public performances since 2018.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Supports emerging and established artists through residencies and commissionsProvides research and development support, residencies, and commissioning opportunities for emerging professional artists to create new work and make career-defining leaps, while also offering space for established artists to experiment and innovate.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.82M
Contributions & grants$1.44M79%
Program service revenue$365K20%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$16K
expenses
Total expenses$2.55M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$1.46M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$9.78M
Cash$243K
Investments$0
Liabilities$4.61M
Net assets$5.18M
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -41.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noel Allain | Artistic Director | 40 | $82K |
board members · 13
- Ali Kennedy Scott — Member
- Asenhat Gomez — Member
- Christina Gu — Secretary
- Danielle Thomson — Member
- David Herskovits — Member
- Eric Mendez — Member
- Gita Deo — Member
- Jennifer Sendrow — Member
- Keanu Reeves — Member
- Luis Munive — Member
- Michael Contini — Board Chair
- Robin Griffiths — Treasurer
- Tom McMillan — Member
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Aya Ogawa Partner — Translator of the production
- BK ROT Partner — Collaborates with BK ROT on the Big Green Theater program.
- Brizzo Torres Partner — Artist and collaborator who creates original musicals and curates music events for the Summers at The Starr program.
- Brooklyn Magazine Network — Cited recognition of The Bushwick Starr as a leading space for ambitious and cutting-edge theater
- CultureBot Network — Cited recognition of The Bushwick Starr’s balance between artistic ambition and community commitment
- El Puente Partner — Partnership to deliver the Creating Performance program for local youth at El Puente’s Bushwick Leadership Center.
- El Puente Bushwick Partner — Collaborates on the Creating Performance program, hosting a culminating youth performance developed through the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program.
- Fisher Center at Bard Partner — Provided research and development support through its LAB residency and commissioning program for the creation of "DeliaDelia! The Flat-Chested Witch!"
- Jennifer Gutierrez Government — Councilmember who supports funding for the Senior Storytelling program.
- Mike Visser Partner — Longtime artistic collaborator who curates live music events for the Summers at The Starr series.
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Partner — Funds the Senior Storytelling program through its SU-CASA Program.
- NYC Mayor’s Office for Media and Entertainment Government — Supports the Summers at The Starr program as a funder or institutional affiliate.
- New York City Council Partner — Supports funding for the Senior Storytelling program through municipal partnerships.
- Newtown Creek Alliance Partner — Partners with Newtown Creek Alliance in delivering the Big Green Theater program.
- Revada Foundation Partner — Longtime funder and champion of the Starr's education and community programs, especially Big Green Theater.
- Sandy Nurse Government — Councilmember who supports funding for the Senior Storytelling program.
- Superhero Clubhouse Partner — Developed and ran the Big Green Theater program in partnership from 2010 to 2020.
- TDF Network — Cited acknowledgment of The Bushwick Starr as a successful incubator for handmade, risky theater
- Tei Blow Partner — Collaborator serving as director for the production
- The NYC Department for the Aging Partner — Cofunds the Senior Storytelling program in partnership with city council members and agencies.
- The New York Times Network — Cited positive review of The Bushwick Starr's programming
- The Revada Foundation of the Logan Family Funder — Provides financial support for the Creating Performance program.
- The Village Voice Network — Cited comparison of The Bushwick Starr to a rock club for early-stage, influential performance acts
- Theatermania Network — Cited endorsement of The Bushwick Starr as a venue for emerging theater artists
- Time Out New York Network — Cited designation of The Bushwick Starr as one of New York’s best-curated Off-Off venues and Brooklyn’s hottest incubator
- Toshiki Okada Partner — Playwright and writer of the production
- Vulture Network — Cited positive review of The Bushwick Starr's role in presenting risky, in-flux theatrical work
- ¡Oye! Group Partner — Co-produced the mainstage show "i'm not even half" with The Bushwick Starr.
- ¡Oye! Group Partner — Co-produced the theatrical work "i'm not even half."
- ¡Oye! Group Partner — Collaborates with the Starr through the leadership of Modesto Flako Jimenez to support community-based theater initiatives.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Partnered Artistic Developmentmethodology: community_participatory_artBy co-developing programs with local artists and community members, the organization strengthens neighborhood ties and ensures cultural relevance, because shared ownership increases engagement and artistic authenticity.
- Intergenerational Dialogue and Elder Voice Activationmethodology: intergenerational_dialogue_through_artBy using theater and storytelling to connect elders and younger generations, the organization combats social isolation and preserves community memory, because intergenerational creative exchange builds mutual understanding and cultural continuity.
- Youth Empowerment Through Autobiographical and Vocational Theatermethodology: arts_as_vocational_trainingBy guiding youth to transform personal experience into performance, the organization builds creative confidence and civic voice, because storytelling rooted in lived reality fosters agency and educational transformation.