Video: Inside the New York Public Library's Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab

I'm Harvey Firestein, and we are in the Harvey Firestein Theater Lab

at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. This is an artistic womb of sorts that David Rockwell designed

for people to come and to find themselves to work, to discover what they want to do in the arts

in the theatrical arts, be it dance or music or theater. It's a laboratory space

There are computers that run a sound system, a lighting system. You have a full wall of screen there that you can show stuff on

And then there's another one here. There are seating for like 30-something people

If you wanted to do a reading, there are tables that come. out if you want to work around the table and all that

Behind you there an entire pin wall that you can put stuff up on your inspiration wall to put stuff up to figure out where you are And it all surrounded in this beautiful velvet that is warm and embracing

And you can feel that in the room, can't you? It's a really nice feeling room

It's a very powerful project to be a part of and be trusted by the library

and create something that will be used by many other people. It's very emotional

I am here because I am so honored and grateful to celebrate not only my dear friend Harvey Firestein

but also my other dear friend, David Rockwell, and this beautiful, important resource that they have created

The room has many layers. One layer is beautiful blue drapes that can surround the room

and those can be peeled back piece by piece to reveal lots of different things

You have lots of pin-up space and everyone needs the ability to kind of pin-up references

And you know as a relationship as an architect you learn by studying buildings of the past And here you can really learn about theater from the past why you making new work Many many pieces that can come out and be used to create a staging

There's seating for a screening. There's the ability for someone who's just learning or a student

to try out some of the software that you're going to need to work on the road or in commercial theater

with lighting and video. So there's a flexible lighting grid. It's a small lighting grid

There is great video potential at both ends of the room. I think it shows how libraries can be really important members of the community

not of just repositories of archives and culture, but also as community hubs

We can be a place where people can come to rehearse, to learn, to connect with each other

So I think that what's great about the space and it being very flexible

is that it will allow us to do a lot more. Yeah, everything that happens in the space will be completely free

We plan to program it regularly, and then at regular intervals, we'll look to see what

times are free and then we have a process where people can sign up to use the space when it not otherwise booked We plan to have some training sessions just to make sure that people know how to use the lab And then once you been through the training session you be able to book this space for your rehearsal or your performance

I always say that the library is my favorite part of Lincoln Center

It's been so vital to me as an artist, not only as a student, but also as a professional

And this space is so needed, so unique. and I think is really going to be a treasure for artists from, you know, beginners to the prose

It's kind of magical what is possible in here. What you do with it is up to you, but it's a sort of space where anything can happen

Maybe you are an artist, maybe you are a writer, maybe you're a composer, maybe you're a lyricist, maybe you're an actor, maybe you're a singer, maybe you just want to play with that stuff

and there's no place else to play. Here's a place to play

Here's a little playroom that you can use and, as I said, free to the public, open to you

and come and dream here