upcoming events
Mondays w/ Mav Weekly Jam Session!
A free community open jam, hosted by Maverick, EVERY MONDAY OF EVERY WEEK! Our Monday night jams are close to our heart, forming the core of what community at Prototype is all about. Maverick kicks off the night with a set and then opens up the stage for a night of improvisational collaboration. If you’ve never been to Prototype, this is a great night to meet us. We have a house drum kit and amps.
FREE. Door Code: #Date#
ON MARCH 17TH, COME CELEBRATE OUR GIANT STUFFED DOVE, PATRICK. IT’S HIS BIRTHDAY AND WE’RE GONNA RING IT IN PADDY’S DAY STYLE.
THIRD THURSDAY
Join Prototype 237 every third Thursday of every month for a lineup of new bands, who sign up for set slots organically via Instagram at the top of each month- FIRST SAY, FIRST PLAY!
Are you experimenting with a new project and wanna try it out? Do you love our stage and just haven’t been on it yet? WE GOT YOU! Third Thursday is a chance to dive into the magic of our slice of heaven. It’s a night of “First Say, First Play” sets, picked right from Prototype's home-grown community. Here’s how it works:
1. At the top of each month, we’ll post the Third Thursday graphic to Instagram. Bands DM us to snag a slot!
2. Yes, this show will be hosted EVERY third Thursday, of EVERY month.
3. Performers MUST arrive at 7p for soundcheck.
4. We always pass the hat for bands, so bring all of your friends and come ready to support!
October Features TBA!
$5 | Pay What You Will at the door
Door code: #1016#
sunbeam colleen, birds on the ground, i’m not holden caulfield, w/ dracula & his band the draculas
Come on out for a night of Indie-Rock / Folk-Punk! Check out band pages below.
Dracula and his band The Draculas
Door Code: #1017#
thieves & poets: Improvisational music & poetry- A Paterson Poetry Festival Event in collaboration w/ Word Seed
We are so excited to once again be part of the annual Paterson Poetry Festival! Join us for this evening of live improvisational music from local experimental jazz quartet, Thieves in Paris. Featured poets will improvise verse in collaboration with the music.
Featured Poets:
Reg E Gaines
Danny Shot
Mia x
$15 or pay what you will at the door.
DOOR CODE: #1018#
Fourth Thursday: UNJAZZ Feature JAM
A spinoff of our Monday night jam session, Fourth Thursdays’ UNJAZZ Invited Jam happens EVERY fourth Thursday of EVERY month and features a guest musician for the night to set the tone of the jam.
October’s host is 90eeze!
$10 or Pay What You Will at the door
Door Code: #1023#
joy on fire, thieves in paris, Guesstimate
Catch these Prototype funk/experimental jazz regulars joined by Guesstimate! Check out their Spotifys below!
$12 or Pay What You Will at the door
Door Code: #1024#
Speakeasy Milonga: Halloween edition!
Welcome to Speakeasy Milonga!
Focused and relaxed Milonga in an adventurous artist-built warehouse theater.
Every 4th Saturday at Prototype 237 in Paterson, NJ. Experience the freedom of Tango in a non-judgmental, beautifully curated art space, with hardwood floors, professional lighting and sound, and a welcoming, risk-taking environment. There’s a featured live DJ and instructor every time!
October’s Milonga is HALLOWEEN THEMED! Costumes are encouraged, but are not required- there will be a costume contest!
$25 at the door
Door Code: #1025#
Euphoria halloween!
EUPHORIA IS HERE TO SLAY!
Come all to this quarterly night of queer joy featuring dance beats by the legendary IZM and special performances by local drag and ballroom artists. It’s HALLOWEEN EDITION, so come dressed in all your ghoulish glory!
Lock the door. Lower the blinds. Fire up the smoke machine. Let’s KiKi!
$10 OR PAY WHAT U CAN AT DOOR.
DOOR CODE: #1031#
LIVE BAND HIP HOP FT. COPE AESTHETIC, LYLE OMOLAYO, FREts & BEATS, B:PM
Each artist hip hop artist will perform with live music accompaniment.
Frets & Beats - more info coming soon!
DOOR CODE: #1011#
JACK POWERS PAJAMA PARTY W/ THE PETAL TONES, CALYX!, EDDIE BULL, & GOLDER
Let's get cozy and pajama jam out! Put on your comfy clothes and join us for:
Eddie Bull (drag artist)
DOOR CODE: #1010#
NRISH: COMMUNITY OPEN DECKS
NRISH OPEN DECKS is an open, supportive space for new and experienced DJs to hang out, play some tunes, and enjoy a community atmosphere. Featuring projections by @draconicfeathersv2, a 4,000 W sound system from Crown, Electro Voice, and JBL, and drinks served to you by prototype residents, it's a great night to come play and bring your friends!
DOOR CODE: #1003#
FREE!
UPROOTED: Paintings BY ANDREA MCKENNA
Prototype 237 and The Fold Present: Uprooted, work by Andrea McKenna
Prototype 237 Directors Alex Pergament and Miranda Dahl, and The Fold Directors Eric and Hoda Saltzman proudly present “Uprooted”, paintings by Andrea McKenna, an interdisciplinary artist known for her distinctive use of burlap, Limestone plaster, and acrylics who has exhibited work throughout the Tri-State Area for over 30 years. Also the Director of Jersey City’s Art House Gallery, McKenna returns to Paterson for the first time in a decade—her last local installation, “Doll House,” was shown at the Art Factory in 2015. Prototype and The Fold are both located on separate floors of the same industrial warehouse at 237 River Street.
The exhibition will be on display at The Fold Gallery (Third Floor) from Friday, September 19th to Sunday, October 12th, 2025. The opening reception will be held Friday, September 19th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A closing reception and artist talk will take place on Sunday, October 12th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Uprooted will be on view during Prototype’s fifth anniversary party on September 27th, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Additional gallery viewing hours are: Sunday, September 21st from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM and Sunday, October 5th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Exhibition viewings are free.
ABOUT THIS EXHIBIT
Uprooted is a compilation of McKenna’s work that spans three years of the artist’s practice.
“I construct broken, textured figures that resemble torn bodies marked with scars—wounds that allow light to emerge, revealing a hidden energy. While I use physical materials, these figures are spiritual in nature, evoking a sense of mystery and the unknown. Working on burlap, I layer limestone plaster with stains and acrylics, sometimes burning the surface as a symbolic act of release—letting go of what once was. The burlap becomes a rich tapestry, layered with color, soot, and memory.
My work invites viewers to shift their perspective, to consider an alternate realm—one that exists between worlds. These figures are not of this world, but perhaps of an "in-between" space, where the spirit is forming, evolving, and preparing for its final destination—shedding earthly burdens and illuminating its inner light”. - Andrea McKenna
ABOUT ANDREA MCKENNA
Andrea McKenna is an interdisciplinary artist focusing on painting and video making. After graduating from The School of Visual Arts, she followed a path in set design, interning at Drew University’s Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey and Fordham College at Lincoln Center. After realizing this was not her dream, she went back to painting and started exhibiting around the tri-state area.
The evolution of her work brought her to create large-scale installations, incorporating found objects and using nontraditional materials in her practice. Her work became a more extensive idea when she discovered her love for video making. Andrea's painted figures are rooted in the spiritual realm, between death and the afterlife. Video-making adds additional layers to these concepts.
Work-life led Andrea to become an interior Faux Finisher. After moving to Jersey City in 1999, she formed her own business, Videre Decorative Arts, which grew a client list spanning the state New Jersey. From March 2014 to September 2017, she co-founded and operated The Raven Gallery and Boutique in downtown Jersey City with best friend, Javiera Rodriguez. This gave the local community a place to show and sell their work and connect with their peers. Additionally, Andrea's involvement as a volunteer for Jersey City’s performing and visual arts Non-Profit, Art House Productions, brought her back into the world of set design, where she worked on several productions and became the lead designer for their largest fundraising gala, Snow Ball. In 2018, she was asked to curate for Art House's gallery and now serves as the Gallery Director.