“Art is alive in Brooklyn!”
BrooklynONE Productions celebrated its 18th anniversary with the grand opening of the Tom Kane Theatre at the company’s new home in Industry City.
Founded by Tom Kane and Anthony Marino in 2006, bkONE has become a cornerstone of the Brooklyn arts scene thanks to its “bold, alternative and experimental works.”
Since its founding, bkONE has produced both more traditional theater — like the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival — and immersive, site-specific shows, like the theatrical bar crawl the Mari Lwyd. The company moved into its first permanent home in Industry City in May 2023, where it has since hosted music shows, punk concerts, plays, movie nights, and its signature ONE/act festival.
The grand opening of the Tom Kane Theatre not only marked the company’s success and growth, but also paid tribute to the vision and dedication of its founders.
“We are thrilled to celebrate our 18th anniversary and the official opening of the Tom Kane Theatre at Industry City,” said Marino. “Industry City provides us with an exciting new space to thrive and continue bringing quality arts and entertainment to the community that we love, and being able to honor Tom with a theatre in his name means everything to us.”
Kane is remembered on bkONE’s website as a “voice of Bay Ridge” and a craftsman of experimental theater works, local events and all-around community activism — quoted once as saying, “Art is alive in Brooklyn! You’d be delusional to think anything else could be more fun.”
Kane died in 2011 after a nine-month battle with cancer. He was 53 years old.
Guests attending Saturday’s celebration enjoyed a day filled with festivities, including a preview performance of the upcoming production of the musical “American Idiot,” showcasing the talent and creativity that brooklynONE Productions is known for. The Winter Blues Art Gallery, featuring works by local artists, was also on display.
“The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate brooklynONE Productions and the Tom Kane Theatre at Industry City,” said Randy Peers, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “Theater and the arts are so important to growth and economic development of Brooklyn. We are proud to participate in this milestone event.”
