For nearly a decade, Theater 86 has been a home for rigorous, ensemble-driven theater. Many of you have been with us from the beginning—sitting in the room, watching the work grow, returning again and again.

In 2025, despite losing our long-time venue, the work did not stop. We produced The Snow Queen and The Master and Margarita, hosted Essence Theatre Studio's Kholstomer, developed The Three Musketeers, and closed the year with The Dragon. Alongside these productions, our Theater Lab students shared their work in showcases, and we continued to host readings of new plays and new voices.

This spring, that search for a new home came to an end. In April, we signed a new lease at 315 West 39th Street—nearly 2,000 square feet, just steps from Times Square, in the heart of New York City. It has been a race against time ever since: our landlord gave us four months to complete the build-out, and September 1st marks the day we begin paying full rent on the space.

This fundraiser is not about starting over. It is about carrying the work we have already built together into this new chapter—turning a lease into a home, and a home into a stage.

Funds raised will support:

Administrative expenses that allow the company to remain operational

If Theater 86 has mattered to you—if you have found something lasting in the room with us—we ask for your support as we open this next chapter. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at the link below.

With your help, the work continues—in a home we can finally call our own.