Alia Shawkat and Paul Cooper in the 2026 production of “You Got Older.”
Photo by Marc J. Franklin
Nestled in a quiet corner of the West Village, the birthplace of off-Broadway is getting a new beginning.
The Cherry Lane Theatre was founded in 1923 and is the oldest off-Broadway theater in New York. Since its inception, the theater has been a pivotal part of the theater scene and is known for housing nontraditional works. Samuel Beckett, Terrence McNally, Edward Albee and Lorraine Hansberry have all had their works staged at the Cherry Lane, and Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger have performed on its stage.
Now, the Cherry Lane Theatre looks a little different from how it once did. It was acquired by the film studio A24 in 2023 and underwent a $2.3 million renovation. The theater reopened under A24’s ownership in September 2025, beginning its inaugural season with a run of Natalie Palamides’s one-person show, “Weer.” Currently playing at the Cherry Lane is Clare Barron’s play “You Got Older,” which is, just like the venue it is being performed in, getting a second chance.
“You Got Older” first premiered in 2014 at HERE Arts Center, just months after Barron had finished the first draft. The play follows the protagonist Mae, who returns home after losing her job and getting broken up with, to take care of her father as he undergoes treatment for throat cancer. While writing and staging the play at age 27, Barron’s father had just been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and she had just gotten out of a long-term relationship.
“When I was doing the play the first time, I was still living the reality of the play while we were putting it on in front of an audience,” Barron said. “So it feels very different to do it 12 years later.”
The premiere production and this new iteration were both directed by Anne Kauffman, whose work was most recently seen on Broadway in “Marjorie Prime” with Cynthia Nixon and June Squibb. Kauffman’s life also mirrored the play during the 2014 run, having just lost her mother to cancer.
“We were unstable in very, very profound ways when we first did this, and now, as we’re older, we’re more sure of ourselves in life and in our art,” Kauffman said. “It’s just a totally different, delightful and revelatory experience.”
Barron and Kauffman aren’t the only ones who have changed, as this production introduces audiences to an entirely new cast. Alia Shawkat of “Arrested Development” and “Search Party” is making her stage debut with her performance as Mae, with Tony-nominee Peter Friedman playing her father.
“The thing that’s so interesting is that we’re discovering new things about the play, not just because we’re older, but by the way that the actors are approaching it,” Kauffman said. “I don’t feel the need to try to get this cast to do what the original cast did.”
The central message of the play has also been reframed, with the cast and creative team focusing on the struggle of being present with your parents.
“It’s about how you love your parents so much, but then you go home and they drive you crazy,” Barron said. “I think that’s really what the heart of the play is: how we take our parents for granted and how hard it is to actually just be with them in the moment and love them the way you want to.”
Kauffman added that she believes the play is a “real palette” of different family connections and interactions, and encourages audiences to interpret and interact with the play in the most personal way they can.
Back in 2014, “You Got Older” was unable to extend its run because the theater where it played was booked — now, the play has been extended twice as performances continue to sell out.
As the Cherry Lane Theatre continues to provide a home for innovative performances, audiences are sure to flock to the beautiful theater — and the attached bar and restaurant Wild Cherry — as it enjoys a second chance at life.
“It’s such a historic theater, and there’s been so many different companies and productions and plays, so there’s all these beautiful ghosts in the walls of amazing artists who have worked there,” Barron said. “It’s such a beautiful legacy to inherit.”
The Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce St. in the West Village. “You Got Older” is running until April 26, with tickets available online at CherryLaneTheatre.org.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.amny.com ’
