PushPush Theater closing New Street Arts, launching ‘GRFX’

• Joeff Davis
• END OF AN ERA: PushPush’s Shelby Hofer and Tim Habeger outside New Street Arts in 2006

Thanks in part to a two-year grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, PushPush Theater is moving from its New Street Arts space into cyberspace. At least partially. The Wed., Sept. 5, performance of the monthly show Naked City, will be the final performance at New Street Arts, making a dramatic transition to the playhouse’s next phase.

Artistic director Tim Habeger explains that economics partly drove the decision to relinquish New Street Arts, given the company’s financial reliance on rental shows. “We realized that our rental stuff was causing trickle up poverty. We were getting about 60 percent of our income by providing rental space for homeless groups, and that breaks even, it doesn’t actually make money.” Giving up the space seemed like a relatively painless option. “We’re not in debt now. We can make this move and do it nice. One thing that scared us is that the AC went out on a 106-degree day — if we had a show going on that day, would’ve been terrible.”

From the administrative perspective, PushPush will be moving literally across the street, opening new offices and larger rehearsal hall at 114 New Street. Monthly performances like ISMprov, Syllabus, Naked City and Write Club Atlanta will be held at 627 East College Avenue, and the company has several productions planned for locations to be announced, including co-artistic director Shelby Hofer’s one-woman show, The Interview Show.