How would you spend David Geffen's money?

Just read this in The NY Times about his philanthropy for the arts, and how he's going to be giving away the rest of his $7 billion dollar fortune. What would be a good use of his $ in the theater space that he hasn't done yet?

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/30/arts/music/david-geffen-hall-philanthropy.html

He could buy back the Hellinger and name it the David Geffen Theatre... Maybe build a new one?

Endow a tuition free (students cover room and board) world class performing arts training center (college degree awarded and/or certificate of achievement) with an emphasis on cultivating underrepresented populations of artists and mounting productions and events that tell stories or use artistic norms currently underrepresented in the commercial arts.

Update all theaters to add elevators and make them accessible to all theatergoers. Elevators that go up to the top floor, not just one floor below that so then they might have to walk the rest of the way when they can't. Put aside money to have ASL interpreters at performances, because I think that is *so* important.

Create at least two new in-the-round or otherwise non-proscenium flexible Broadway theatres. Circle In the Square shouldn't be the only one!

Come on, folks! Dream bigger, here!!!

$7 Billion dollars toward the arts, and your first thought is to build/renovate some Broadway theatres, to serve commercial producers and landlords?

How about none of it goes to commercial theatre, and how about none of it even goes to New York City? NYC is already has one of the most prominent arts infrastructures in the world. Surely we don't need that money most.

Many people in this country don't think it's worth investing in the future of the arts, and Geffen's money would be best spent by helping to change that on a foundational level.

Start with communities that have barely any arts infrastructure at all, either by funding arts education, or by giving local theatres more resources. This could be enough of a reward in and of itself, but it also has the potential to yield larger cultural "returns" on the investment. Best case scenario, it helps cultivate a community-wide appreciation for the arts that will result in more people supporting the arts in other capacities, either with their own money, or by lending popular support to government-funded initiatives.

oknazevad said: "Lavieboheme3090 said: "There is boarded up Broadway theater next to the Lyric, and with less than 1% of that money we could have a restored Broadway theater."

The Times Square Theatre is not viable for a modern Broadway theatre as it doesn't have any sort of rear entrance on 43rd for load-ins. That's why it's being converted to a retail space. The Liberty Theatre across the street, with its stage door on 41st, is far more likely to return to theatre use."

With that kind of money, you can make a new load area or stage door wherever the heck you want!

fashionguru_23 said: "oknazevad said: "Lavieboheme3090 said: "There is boarded up Broadway theater next to the Lyric, and with less than 1% of that money we could have a restored Broadway theater."

The Times Square Theatre is not viable for a modern Broadway theatre as it doesn't have any sort of rear entrance on 43rd for load-ins. That's why it's being converted to a retail space. The Liberty Theatre across the street, with its stage door on 41st, is far more likely to return to theatre use."

With that kind of money, you can make a new load area or stage door wherever the heck you want!"

Sure, let's just destroy the Lyric!