Long-running NYC show still owes theater millions in unpaid rent — after closing months ago

The long-running, immersive theatrical spectacle “Sleep No More” whitethorn person taken its last front astatine nan McKittrick Hotel successful Chelsea successful January — but nan drama’s not over.

Known for its enchanting, noir-style adjustment of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, nan show had been a fixture successful nan city’s theatre segment since 2011.

While slated to adjacent successful 2024, celebrated request kept nan accumulation astir different year.

And while nan curtain has yet fallen, producers Arthur Karpati and Jonathan Hochwald apparently still beryllium millions to nan venue.

A New York judge ruled past week that nan brace are liable for astir $5 cardinal successful unpaid rent and ineligible fees — siding wholly pinch nan show’s landlord, Centaur Properties.

The determination follows much than a twelvemonth of progressively bitter ineligible entanglements betwixt nan 2 parties, culminating successful 4 abstracted lawsuits and a courtroom showdown.

“This was not an eviction case, because they near astir a period agone — voluntarily left, without tendering nan rent,” Terrence Oved, lawyer and co-founding partner astatine Oved & Oved LLP, which represented Centaur, told The Post.

“We didn’t inquire for an eviction. It wasn’t necessary. They near already. We’re conscionable chasing them for nan astir $5 cardinal that was owed.”

According to tribunal filings, Centaur Properties apparently forgave much than $5 cardinal successful rent during nan COVID-19 pandemic — successful an effort to springiness nan show financial breathing room.

But aft nan theatrical acquisition resumed and reportedly became profitable again, Centaur alleges nan accumulation erstwhile again defaulted successful 2023, accruing an further $4.5 cardinal successful rent arrears earlier closing nan show for good.

The ineligible conflict began successful February 2024 — when Centaur sued Karpati and Hochwald arsenic individual guarantors of nan lease.

In response, nan duo countersued Centaur and respective of its representatives, claiming they were fraudulently coerced into signing nan lease amendment that had antecedently wiped nan slate clean.

The tenant’s title alleged a scope of wrongdoing — but nan tribunal rejected these claims.

“This conflict is not astir rule but astir principal,” brothers Terrence and Darren Oved said successful an earlier statement.

“PDNYC’s [who nan show’s producers run under] title is simply a baseless, misguided and transparent effort to debar its responsibility to salary complete $4 cardinal successful past owed rent.”

In its ruling, issued Friday, May 16, nan tribunal dismissed each counterclaims brought by Karpati and Hochwald and recovered them jointly liable for nan amounts owed nether nan lease, including attorney’s fees.

“We are grateful for nan court’s swift and sound dismissal of nan baseless allegations against our clients,” nan attorneys said successful a connection pursuing nan decision.

“Harlan Berger and Centaur person acted pinch utmost integrity passim this drama. ‘Sleep No More’ will find neither slumber nor slumber until its important financial obligations to our customer person been fulfilled.”

According to Oved, nan determination to vacate nan premises was a strategical one, apt made to limit further damage.

“They started realizing that it was closing successful connected them more,” he said. “And we told them that nan longer they enactment there, nan longer our damages are gonna beryllium accruing. So they near successful a hopeless effort to effort to unopen their damages.”

The show’s producers declined to comment.