▁purchased ▁the ▁building ▁at ▁ 7 4 A ▁East ▁ 4 th ▁Street ▁using ▁grant ▁money ▁from ▁the ▁Ford , ▁Rock ef eller , ▁and ▁Dor is ▁Duke ▁Found ations . ▁ ▁The ▁ground ▁floor ▁of ▁ 7 4 A ▁E . ▁ 4 th ▁is ▁a ▁theatre ▁which ▁seats ▁one ▁hundred ▁people . ▁Origin ally ▁called ▁the ▁La ▁M ama ▁Re pert ory ▁Theatre , ▁the ▁theatre ▁is ▁now ▁called ▁the ▁First ▁F loor ▁Theatre . ▁The ▁second - floor ▁space ▁is ▁a ▁cab aret ▁called ▁the ▁La ▁Ma Ma ▁Ex perimental ▁Club ▁with ▁the ▁capacity ▁to ▁seat ▁sevent y - five . ▁With ▁additional ▁fund ing , ▁the ▁third ▁floor ▁became ▁a ▁re he ars al ▁space ▁and ▁work shop . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁top ▁floor ▁was ▁turned ▁into ▁an ▁a partment ▁for ▁Stewart . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁a ▁decay ing ▁seven - story ▁lo ft ▁building ▁at ▁ 4 7 ▁Great ▁Jones ▁Street ▁was ▁purchased ▁for ▁additional ▁re he ars al ▁space , ▁using ▁money ▁from ▁the ▁Ford ▁Foundation . ▁▁▁ 2 3 6 ▁East ▁ 3 rd ▁Street ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁La ▁Ma Ma , ▁a ▁fairly ▁new ▁experimental ▁the ater ▁company , ▁founded ▁by ▁Ellen ▁Stewart , ▁acquired ▁ 2 3 6 ▁East ▁ 3 rd ▁and ▁other ▁abandoned ▁buildings ▁on ▁the ▁Lower ▁East ▁Side ▁to ▁turn ▁them ▁into ▁art ▁spaces . ▁No . ▁ 2 3 6 ▁was ▁used ▁primarily ▁for ▁community ▁work sh ops , ▁in