Florence Gould Hall

Profile

Expats and Francophiles alike converge at this high-tech, subterranean theater to celebrate all things French. The not-for-profit French Institute Alliance Française�an organization that promotes French education, cuisine, and art�opened the 400-seat Florence Gould Hall in 1988 as its main theater space, one block south of the center's main building. The space is primarily used to screen classic and contemporary French films (with English subtitles), but thanks to its flexible design─ the front of the stage can be used as an orchestral pit or for additional seating─ the theater can also host concerts, plays, and dance performances. Peter George Associates─whose handiwork has graced spaces like the Joyce Theater, Merkin Concert Hall, and BAM's opera house─designed the compact theater space with advanced acoustics in mind. Above the stage, mobile convex panels made of red oak are manipulated in order to direct and diffuse sound, providing for optimal sound throughout the theater. Though mainly reserved for French cultural events, the hall occasionally hosts performances from the New York Theatre Ballet, as well as lectures and multimedia seminars by other organizations. — Alina Soler