“ETAGE died trying to be daring”

– The Evening Bulletin, June1981

E.T.A.G.E. (Environmental Theater And Gallery Experiment)

Mission

ETAGE is designed to provide working artists and performers with an alternative space and a sympathetic atmosphere in which to create and present their work. ETAGE operates on two principles: one that Philadelphia is home to numerous artists and performers working experimentally whose work needs a showcase, and two, that experimentation is itself to be taken seriously and encouraged. Consequently ETAGE functions simultaneously as a performing space and an artists’ resource center. Its schedule regularly includes avant-garde theatre, electronic music, modern dance, film, video, performance poetry, and artist run workshops — all created by Philadelphians.

– from flyer October 1978

Sometime during 1975 Sigmund Kaye started his Environmental Theater And Gallery Experiment (ETAGE) at 253 North 3rd Street, close to the northern border of Old City. He was a recent grad from Temple University where he had majored in Theater. He also directed some plays at ETAGE. It was a narrow 19th century building, where he created a flexible black box space on the street level floor. ETAGE usurped the Bride on South Street as a better and maybe hipper place to perform. It also had more theatrical capabilities, in terms of lighting and sound. Still the performing stage space couldn’t have been more than 20 feet wide. Folding chairs on the same level didn’t create ideal audience viewing.

Artists of various disciplines used the space. An October calendar of events from 1978 lists electronic music, film, dance, theater and visual art. It cites ETAGE’s goal as “designed to provide working artists and performers with an alternative space and a sympathetic atmosphere in which to create and present their work. ETAGE operates on two principles: one that Philadelphia is home to numerous artists and performers working experimentally whose work needs a showcase, and two, that experimentation is itself to be taken seriously and encouraged. Consequently ETAGE functions simultaneously as a performing space and an artists’ resource center. Its schedule regularly included avant-garde theatre, electronic music, modern dance, film, video, performance poetry, and artist run workshops – all created by Philadelphians.”