Marjorie S. Deane
Little Theater
The next act begins—help restore and renew this historic stage.
A Small Theater With a Powerful Legacy
A 145-seat off-Broadway theater on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater is housed within the West Side YMCA—a nonprofit serving New Yorkers since 1885. One of the city’s loveliest professional stages, it has long been among its most consequential.
Opened in 1930 at one-fifth the scale of a Broadway house, the theater has hosted early work by artists including Tennessee Williams, Kirk Douglas, Etta James, Blake Edwards, and Bob Hope, and was the site of WOR Radio’s first live broadcast.
Nearly a century later, it continues to serve as a vital home for new plays and independent productions, steps from Lincoln Center. Through its restoration, the theater will expand opportunities for youth arts programming, theater camps, educational performances, community events, and emerging artists—ensuring the arts remain accessible to children, families, and audiences for generations to come.
To preserve this cultural resource, the West Side YMCA is leading a $1 million capital campaign—anchored by lead gifts from the Deane Family Foundation and Woody and Gregg Swain—to restore and modernize the theater for its next generation of artists and audiences.
A Landmark Restoration
These improvements will preserve the theater’s historic character while ensuring it continues to serve artists and audiences for generations to come.
• Restore the historic lobby and entrance
• Reupholster and refit the 145-seat house
• Replace stage curtains and modernize technical equipment
• Improve ventilation and acoustics throughout the theater
• Enhance interior and exterior wayfinding
FEATURED SPONSORSHIP
A Seat Reserved in Your Honor
Take your place in the restored auditorium with a permanently engraved seat plaque recognizing your support in a lasting way.
$1,750 per seat · 119 seats available
Additional Naming Opportunities
Named areas within the theater’s renewed home for artists and audiences offer a permanent way to recognize campaign support, including:
• Donor wall plaques
• Personal seat engravements
Contact Julianna Benfica at JBenfica@ymcanyc.org to learn more.
Donor Recognition
Donors at all levels are recognized as essential partners in preserving and renewing this historic stage for future generations of artists and audiences.
• Recognition at public launch and groundbreaking
• Listing in the theater's restored lobby
• Invitations to exclusive performances and previews
• Recognition in YMCA of Greater New York materials