Roundabout Theatre Company’s board of directors has announced the public launch of its Next Stage Campaign, a $120 million fundraising effort. The campaign was announced on May 11 at “Dear Friend: A Tribute Concert for Scott Ellis.” The funds raised will go toward three major efforts: a renovation of one of Roundabout’s Broadway venues, Studio 54; a growth of its strategic financial reserves; and an expansion of its education programs, community partnerships and artistic development initiatives.
The Next Stage Campaign will be co-chaired by Katheryn Patterson Kempner and Thomas E. Tuft, the chair and first vice chair of Roundabout’s board of directors, respectively. Roundabout has already raised 75% of its $120 million goal, thanks in part to the support of Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York City Council, the Manhattan Borough President’s Office, Roundabout’s board of directors, Roundabout’s leadership council and other donors.
Roundabout has also announced the naming of the Scott Ellis Musical Production Fund, honoring Ellis’ 30-year career and three seasons as interim artistic director with Roundabout, following the passing of longtime artistic leader Todd Haimes in 2023. The fund will support the development and production of musical theatre at Roundabout.
“Roundabout’s future will continue to be shaped by the artists who come here to ask bigger questions, take real swings and respond to our changing world,” said Roundabout’s new artistic director Christopher Ashley in a statement. “But in order to make that happen, we need to be able to support our artists, and to make these spaces as inviting and as empowering to them as possible. The Next Stage Campaign gives us the chance to carry that essential work forward with real ambition while creating the conditions for what comes next: classics seen with fresh eyes, new work with room to grow, musicals developed with care and courage and a company ready to meet the next generation of artists and audiences.”
“The Next Stage Campaign comes at a pivotal moment for Roundabout as we complete our first leadership transition in 40 years,” added Roundabout’s chief advancement officer Christopher Nave. “Our generous community of donors has come together with our partners in city, state and federal government to expand our services to students across the city, create a cutting-edge home for musicals and build the financial strength Todd Haimes always envisioned for Roundabout’s future.”
In 2029, Studio 54 will undergo its first comprehensive renovation in over 100 years since the building’s 1927 construction — many of the theater’s systems date back to its original identity as the Gallo Opera House. Roundabout says the redesign will “conserve the character and magic” of Studio 54 while also modernizing it with improved seating, better sightlines and common spaces, upgraded production facilities and enhanced accessibility. The theater’s original orchestra pit, which was cemented over to create a dance floor when Studio 54 opened as a nightclub, will be excavated and restored, and the theater will be updated to align with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold Standard of sustainability.
The renovation will be led by architect David Rockwell, whose design is featured at the Museum of Broadway, the Perelman Performing Arts Center and the Shed Off-Broadway, and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, and Ennead, the architecture firm behind the Delacorte Theatre’s recent revitalization. Roundabout will also offer donors the opportunity to name individual seats in the renovated Studio 54.
In addition, part of the $120 million Roundabout hopes to raise will go towards its board reserve, a fund that goes towards its education and career development programs, its audience resources like talkbacks and transcripts, and its outreach programs like community nights. Finally, Roundabout will use some of the capital raised by the Next Stage Campaign to expand the artist residencies, fellowships, community engagement partnerships and educational programs it offers.
