Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center

When Teatro SEA opened on the Lower East Side in 1991, founder and creative director Manuel Morán produced separate English and Spanish versions of his original plays. In 1999, the language barrier was broken: Both tongues now feature prominently in every performance. Shows, which are usually adaptations of folk and fairy tales, provide an opportunity for budding linguists to hone their skills—especially after curtain calls, when actors mingle with the audience. This LES institution boasts a number of other performance spaces and regularly hosts various community-friendly events, including shows booked by the bighearted folks behind the annual Vision Festival.