▁people ▁and ▁the ▁d irt ▁floor ▁was ▁pl ank ed ▁with ▁orange ▁cr ates . ▁There ▁was ▁one ▁set ▁piece : ▁a ▁bed . ▁Stewart ' s ▁initial ▁intention ▁of ▁using ▁the ▁space ▁as ▁a ▁bout ique ▁during ▁the ▁day time ▁quickly ▁disappeared . ▁As ▁Stewart ▁said , ▁" Once ▁our ▁theatre ▁got ▁started , ▁I ▁didn ' t ▁have ▁the ▁discipline ▁to ▁se w . ▁I ▁was ▁too ▁busy ▁doing ▁other ▁things ▁– ▁not ▁writing ▁or ▁direct ing ▁– ▁but ▁just ▁doing ▁theatre ." ▁The ▁plays ▁ran ▁for ▁one ▁week , ▁from ▁Wed nes day - S aturday , ▁and ▁major ▁theatre ▁critics ▁did ▁not ▁come . ▁ ▁Even ▁operating ▁as ▁a ▁" ca f é ," ▁C afé ▁La ▁Ma Ma ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁close ▁and ▁re open ▁ten ▁times ▁during ▁its ▁first ▁year . ▁Although ▁the ▁neighb ors ' ▁fear s ▁concerning ▁Stewart ' s ▁supposed ▁bro th el ▁had ▁been ▁quel led , ▁fire ▁inspect ors ▁often ▁found ▁viol ations ▁at ▁the ▁theatre , ▁which ▁created ▁serious ▁legal ▁problems . ▁Stewart ▁herself ▁was ▁arrested ▁twice , ▁and ▁several ▁other ▁times ▁under ▁another ▁alias . ▁Iss ues ▁with ▁fire - code ▁viol ations ▁at ▁C afé ▁La ▁Ma Ma ' s ▁first ▁bas ement ▁location ▁led ▁Stewart ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁space . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁the ▁C afé ▁was ▁closed ▁by ▁the ▁Build ings ▁Department ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁z oning ▁viol ation . ▁▁▁ 8 2 ▁ 2 nd ▁Avenue : ▁La ▁Ma Ma