spooky action theater

The Bequest

Spooky Action Theater has received a bequest valued at$1.6 million from an anonymous donor, a longtime supporter of the theater. The bequest is extraordinary not only in amount but also in nature, consisting entirely of a diverse collection of art works, antiques and other unique items.

The Donor

The donor was an avid and insightful collector. A very private individual, the donor formed personal relationships with a relatively small number of artists, whose work the donor supported extensively. Spooky Action Theater was fortunate to be among their number.

Large collection

The donated collection includes works by Tiffany, Art Deco furniture by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, drawings by Fragonard, modern sculptural furniture by Wharton Esherick and a wide range of American and European artists. The collection runs to over 1,000 items, large and small – everything from designer clothing, jewelry, musical instruments and antique autos to Native American textiles and clay dolls. Auction sales are scheduled in Washington, New York, Paris and Geneva, Switzerland. The theater also plans a Gala event for March 31, 2012, which will feature items from the collection.

Small Theater

Funds from the sale of the collection are designated for an endowment, rather than current spending. The theater expects income from the invested proceeds will provide 15 - 20 % of its operating budget in the coming years. Spooky Action Theater now performs in a black box space with audience capacity of 70. With this new source of support, the theater plans to maintain its intimate scale and continue its mission to explore our shared imagination at its deepest levels.