Dear Friends of Fort Salem Theater,
I am writing to you today with urgency and transparency: Fort Salem Theater is facing an immediate cash flow crisis. Without your support, we will be forced to close our doors.
As we shared in our 2024 recap, this season began with a major reduction in grant funding. We received only $10,000 - down from the $20,000–$30,000 we had come to rely on annually. We worked hard to stretch every dollar, but several unexpected challenges have created a shortfall we cannot overcome without immediate community support.
Candidly, here is a look at how we got here:
- Unanticipated expenses in 2025: $23,575 - including a new $5000 annual review, $2000 in truck repairs, a $5000 year-over-year increase in utilities, $7,575 in HVAC system payments (the necessary HVAC replacement costs us $1225/month until paid off in 3 years).
- Reduced ticket revenue: As one example, our 2025 summer musical earned $29,132 in ticket sales - down from $48,462 in 2024. While we had many full houses this season, overall sales have decreased, yet the cost of physical resources continue to rise.
- Reduced grant funding: Down $10,000–$20,000 from previous years.
Combined, this is a gap of over $50,000. Our bank account currently sits at $6,872.66 (with bills pending.)
We are very proud that Fort Salem Theater has historically sustained itself through ticket sales. Since becoming a non-profit organization in 2020, approximately 74% of our revenue is from sales, while the national average for theaters is around 40% (the remainder covered by large donations and grants). This position leaves us vulnerable when unexpected expenses and reduced funding strike at once.
To continue operations, we urgently need to raise:
- $24,000 by September 20 to move forward with “The Rocky Horror Show.”
- $48,000 by November 10 to complete the remaining 2025 season, as planned.
- $72,000 by January 15 to responsibly begin the 2026 season.
Our Board is actively pursuing new grants and funding opportunities. In the meantime, your tax-deductible contribution today will determine whether Fort Salem Theater survives through next week’s payroll. Please understand, if we are able to continue our planned 2025 productions, ticket sales do offer us the potential to generate $30,000–$50,000, providing not only sustainability but a path forward into 2026. The curtain is not closed yet.
Do you believe that arts, education, and entertainment are valuable contributions to a community? If you do, and you can, please consider making a gift today so we can reopen our doors for you again soon, marking the 54th year of memories on this incredible stage!
Tax-deductible donations can be made by check to Fort Salem Theater, on Venmo (@FortSalemTheater), or through this trusted online donation page. Our mailing address is PO Box 10, Salem, NY 12865. If you do send a check or would like to pledge a future gift, please feel free to alert us so we can accurately track our financial status in this tight timeline. To keep you up-to-date, we will send you a weekly email update detailing our progress, or sharing other important updates.
With lots of gratitude and urgency,
Kyle West
Executive & Artistic Director
Fort Salem Theater
PO Box 10 | Salem, NY 12865
TAX ID: 86-2432612 (Salem Stages, dba Fort Salem Theater)
Organizer
Salem Stages
Beneficiary