The building where the Astor Place Theatre is situated was originally constructed in 1831 as a part of the historic Colonnade Row. The building was home to the Astor and Vanderbilt families.

The Building was awarded New York City landmark status in 1963. The building was converted into a live theatre in 1965, after being purchased by Bruce Mailman. The inaugural production – Israel Horowitz’s The Indian Wants the Bronx - opened in January 1968 and starred a young Al Pacino. Over the years, the Astor Place Theatre has housed a number of landmark productions including premieres by Terrence McNally and A.R. Gurney, as well as the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.

Since 1991, the venue has been home to cult entertainment act The Blue Man Group, which led to the acquisition of the theatre by Blue Man Productions (now a subsidiary of ‘Cirque du Soleil’) in 2001.