Lincoln Center Building New Theater for Young Artists

Lincoln Center unveiled the design on Thursday for a new theater dedicated to the work of emerging playwrights and directors. The 131-seat Claire Tow Theater will actually sit on top of the Vivian Beaumont Theater just off of 65th Street, with a terrace that will overlook Lincoln Center. The “black box” theater will house the work of LCT3, an existing program for young artists that has had to stage its work at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street, the New York Times reported.

The new theater has already garnered some controversy, because some preservationists fear it will alter the look of the Beaumont Theater, which was designed by famous architect Eero Saarinen. But public boards have approved the project. Time Out New York is already giving Lincoln Center suggestions about what to do with the space, including “monthly reading series with booze.” Construction is expected to start this Spring, and be finished by late 2011 or early 2012. (rendering by Michael Klausmeier)