The Jan Hus Theater
The Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and Neighborhood house is located on the Upper East side of Manhattan and is home to the Jan Hus Playhouse Theater. This church was built in 1877 and gets its name from the great Czech Religous reformer Jan Hus, who was excommunicated from the Catholic Church and was later burned at the stake as a heretic in 1415. His teachings greatly influenced the Protestant Movement for years to come.
The church served as a central hub for a large Czech Community, in the neighborhood then known as “Little Bohemia”, that totaled thirty or forty thousand in the late 1900’s.
From 1960 thru 1970, the 150 seat theater served as the home to LOOM (Light Opera of Manhattan), which was an Off-Broadway repertory theater company founded by William Mount-Burke and employed comedian Raymond Allen and choreographer Jerry Gotham. They performed the works of Gilbert & Sullivan and many European & American operettas.
Their first production was Pirates of Penzance in 1968. In 1981, Chicago City Limits (NYC’s Legendary Improv Comedy Show) would arrive at Jan Hus and make it their home for the next 11 years. Critically acclaimed Comedy Revues performed there seven nights a week with Friday night serving as Stand-Up Comedian Night. The Theater’s stage would be graced by the performances of Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Rita Turner Paul Reiser, Brett Butler, Larry Miller, and Bill Irwin. The theater also served as the home to the Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre Company who had performed many of Shakespeare’s works there regularly in the 80’s and 90’s.
Today, Jan Hus Church practices progressive thinking and is committed to encouraging and welcoming the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in it’s congregation and within the church’s hierarchy. They are also active in social outreach, serving as a place of spiritual inspiration, worship and a beacon of hope to the community it serves. Rev. Ray Bagnuolo, the current pastor of Jan Hus is very proud of the church’s community programs which include a senior center, preschool, homeless outreach program, public cafeteria, AA meeting hall and theater. Recently, Pastor Ray participated in the workshop Carl Stillitano facilitates. After witnessing Carl’s unique ability to guide his participants with grace & integrity, he was inspired to familiarize himself with Carl’s writings. He was so impressed with Kenny & The Virgin Mary, he chose this production to bring the stage at Jan Hus back to life in order to co-create an entertainment venue which serves humanity.