The next time you miss the bus to Jersey, why not take in a show at the Hidden Jewel Box Theater nestled inside Port Authority’s south wing? We guarantee it’s a great way to spice up your commute.
Coined “a sweet little treasure of talent in the heart of the Theater District,” the secretive space is stationed behind a steel door one would think is reserved for MTA workers. In reality, it’s New Yorkers’ buzziest new Off-Broadway spot. Who would’ve thunk it?
Step inside the Hidden Jewel Box Theater
Blink and you might’ve missed the city’s on-brand cultural experience: the door to the theater is not marked, and it’s stationed next to a pub and a Dunkin’ Donuts — common territory for a bus terminal. Once you step inside, the small and cozy space houses the Love Show NYC, a “baroque pop-up theater” that brings a sensual, gothic atmosphere to what was once a drab area. Now, there are red lights, antique chairs, bold curtains, framed photos, and a welcomed burlesque vibe straphangers might not have necessarily expected while en route home from work.
“I think that the mission we have is to communicate sincerity and we really want people to walk away from any experience with us feeling touched and connected to what they saw but also connected to something within themselves,” says Angela Harriell, the founder of Love Show NYC.
At the time the space in the station became available, Harriell had lost her Bushwick studio, and quickly needed a place to house 20+ years of costumes and continue her work. She thanks ChaShaMa and the New York Foundation for the Arts for turning the space into a reality that helped keep her dream alive.
“The catalyst for this was something difficult and sad, and it’s become something beautiful,” she says.
She also credits her lighting and sound designer, Justin Henry, with creating the warm feel of the space and adding “transformative” professional lighting that takes the shows to the next level. Plus her performers have been there through every step of the transition.
“It’s so much more than a theater,” Harriell adds. “We’re very much a family.”
And that’s a sentiment all guests will feel upon entering the unexpected space.
“Angela is really talented and she is taking it to a whole level that I could have never imagined and making the space magical,” says Liza Kruth, projects manager at ChaShaMa. “Her number one priority is making sure people who stop by feel that kind of magic.”
This spring, the theatrical organization will present Glamour! on March 21st, 22nd, 27th, and 28th, which the group described as a combination of “dance, live singing, burlesque, and whimsy” — amazing elements that make missing your ride home totally worth it, in our opinion. Once you snag tickets online, you’ll receive the exact location.
But, the only risk that does come with operating out of Port Authority is that should a retailer express interest in the space, Love Show NYC would have to relocate — but it’s not something we’re entertaining right now.
“The reality of the space is that I have no idea if it will be over in a month or a year, and I don’t want to operate with fear or anxiety, so I am trying to embrace the time that I’m in here, but as far as a plan b, I think I just have to…I don’t have one,” Harriell notes.
ChaShaMa will work with any potential retailer so that the artist has 30 days notice, but since the theater has been operating since fall 2024, we’re hopeful this quirky and delightful attraction will be commuters’ new favorite tradition.
To learn more about the elusive venue and theater troupe, check out @thehiddenjewelboxtheater and @theloveshownyc on Instagram. If you can’t make it to Midtown for Glamour! have a look at the other fantastic live shows and performances taking place in NYC.