At Under St. Marks in the East Village, NYC: Gotham Storytelling Festival Turns 15

FRIGID New York is staging the 15th Gotham Storytelling Festival from November 3 to 15 at Under St. Marks Theater, its basement black box at 94 St. Marks Place in the East Village.

This year's theme is "stranger in a strange land." The festival gathers stories about people who are somewhere they are not from: travelers, immigrants, emigrants, expats, displaced people, or anyone who has simply moved to the big city or a small town. For New Yorkers who came from somewhere else, the theme will likely feel familiar.

The program includes titles such as Paris Syndrome, Otto in Antarctica, Jersey Girl. Strange World., Learning to Speak, Welcome to Midday, Feet in the Forest, Killing Janet and How to Poop. Tickets for each show are sold through FRIGID's ticketing site.

Most FRIGID shows cost between $7 and $25, and some offer a pay-what-you-can option with a $7 minimum. Online purchases carry a $2.50 transaction fee. Tickets bought at the door, by cash or card, have no fee. The house holds only 45 seats, so shows can sell out, and the theater recommends buying in advance.

The theater is a basement black box reachable only by stairs, with general-admission seating that mixes cushioned theater chairs and free-standing plastic ones. The restrooms are up another small set of stairs. A small bar opens for most evening performances, serving wine, beer and cider along with soda and water. Latecomers arriving under 10 minutes behind may get in, though late arrival does not qualify for a refund.

Artists who want to take part should note that submissions open each year around June or July. There is no application or participation fee, and the story should run 15 to 60 minutes and fit the theme.