It’s easy to think that the New York theater scene begins and ends with Broadway. Broadway has the Tonys, Broadway gets advertised on primetime television, Broadway has tentpoles like Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King. No one sings plaintively about seeing the lights go out Off-Broadway. But Off-Broadway still produces a good portion of what makes theater in New York interesting in the first place. There’s been a big push in the last couple of years, though, for new construction – brand-new, pretty expensive theaters that aim to increase amenities while maintaining Off-Broadway’s traditional experimental, devil-may-care vibe. The question now is whether or not that’s possible in a $47 million venue. (Charles Isherwood, ArtsBeat, The New York Times)