Historic Fort Salem Theater Is Up for Sale; 2026 Season Will End August 15

Fort Salem Theater, the upstate New York venue whose alumni include Connie Britton, Casey Nicholaw and Tina Landau, is for sale.

Kyle West, the theater's executive and artistic director, and his husband, Jared West, announced the decision in a letter to supporters Monday night. The historic Salem, N.Y. building is listed at $499,000.

"After much thought, and with heavy hearts, Jared and I have made the decision to put the Fort Salem Theater building up for sale," West wrote. "Our hope is that this is not the end of Fort Salem Theater, but the beginning of its next chapter. We truly believe another theater-maker will see the incredible potential of this beautiful historic space and continue creating memories here for years to come."

Because the timing of a sale can't be predicted, the company has paused ticket sales beyond August and cut its 2026 season short. The year was originally scheduled to close with the annual holiday revue SNOW BUSINESS on Dec. 13; it will now end with three summer offerings: JAGGED LITTLE PILL, on stage through Aug. 2; THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL: YOUTH EDITION, Aug. 7-9; and THE STORYTELLING PROJECT, presented by New York City's Life Jacket Theatre Co., on Aug. 15.

Also scrapped from the season are TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Whispering Bones' Halloween-themed SEASON OF THE WITCHES, and LIZZIE. Patrons holding tickets for September through December performances are being offered exchanges into one of the remaining summer productions, conversion into concessions or merchandise, or the option to pass the ticket along to a community member who might not otherwise be able to attend.

Speaking to the Times Union, West said the sale was not driven by financial strain but by a need to reset his work-life balance. "If I'm not at the theater working on a production or at home writing a grant, I am just the kind of person who is responding to patron emails at a stoplight, or waking up in the morning and getting my phone out to draft a marketing email," he said.

The Wests, both originally from Dallas, bought the theater in 2020 for $235,000 - three days after touring it - converted the operation to a nonprofit and reopened the doors in 2021 under pandemic restrictions. In August 2025, the theater publicly appealed for donations amid a financial crisis brought on by falling grant revenue, softer ticket sales and more than $23,000 in unexpected building costs. The community response covered the rest of the 2025 season and carried the theater into 2026.

"While we are not closing now because we are unable to financially continue, it would be dishonest to view the success of last year's financial support as an ongoing opportunity," West told the paper.

The building dates to 1774, with its chapel added in 1882. It became a performance space in 1972 under William Drohan, a former New York State Supreme Court justice, and grew into a prominent summer stock house under Quentin and Karen Beaver - the era that drew Britton, Nicholaw and Landau. Owner Jay Kerr oversaw a major renovation in 2006 that turned the chapel into a cabaret space and installed seating salvaged from Broadway's Helen Hayes Theater.

The Wests say they will continue maintaining the property until a buyer is found.

"To every patron, volunteer, donor, and friend: thank you," West wrote. "We're incredibly proud of what we've accomplished as a community, and we're hopeful for a bright FST future ahead."

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