Help us produce Faust Syndrome

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TIA returns to the stage this fall with Faust Syndrome!
But we need your help to get there…

Faust Syndrome is a new adaptation of the myth of Faust. TIA's production follows three activists who make deals with the devil, selling theirs souls to end a genocide, evade ICE, and survive this impossible moment. We ask our characters, and by extension our audience: What is your soul worth? What are you willing to sacrifice to make the world you want to see?

This full-length play will feature text both new (created by our playwright and the company) and old (lifted from Marlowe, Goethe, and others); material that is both original and found; puppets; clowning; stakes as high as heaven and hell; and a much-needed heap of hope.

This production will run October 29 through November 15, 2026 at the Episcopal Actors' Guild (EAG) on 29th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

We can’t wait to share this piece with you!

Our Ask & Our Gratitude
If you are in a position to donate, we humbly ask you to support this ambitious production. From $5 to $5,000, any amount is helpful and will make a difference! And now that we’re a 501(c)3 nonprofit on our own (no more fiscal sponsor!), 100% of your donation goes to making this production possible.

Plus, as an extra thank you for donating, we have a number of lovely perks for you to choose from!

Perks

• Donate Any Amount: Get early access to tickets.
• $25: The Dogs of TIA & 7 Deadly Sins. For $25, get a weekly dose of dopamine with a photo of TIA’s top puppies dressed up as one of the 7 Deadly Sins. We promise it will be sinfully silly.
• $35: A Drink with the Devil. Donate at this level and receive a collectible, reusable Theater in Asylum cup. Take it to the show, and we will fill it up with a glass of wine. Tempted? We urge you to give in.
• $50: 7 Deadly Sins + A Drink with the Devil. Can’t decide if you’d rather have puppies for 7 weeks or a drink with the devil? Be greedy, have both.
• $75: Kathryn’s Granola for Gluttons. Filled with pistachios, coconut, dried cherries, this granola has a five star rating on NYT cooking, and once you start eating it, you probably won’t be able to stop.  (LIMIT: first 10 people)
• $100: Rick’s Devilish Gochujang Caramel Cookies. Things are getting a little spicy in Rick’s kitchen. Enjoy these Gochujang Caramel Cookies which also have 5 stars from NYT Cooking.
• $150: Dan's Ethically Compromising Banana Bread. People lust after Dan’s (baked) goods. Here’s your chance to taste why. Indulge in a loaf of TIA Board Member Dan’s homemade banana bread. (LIMIT: first 5 people)
• $250: 2 Reserved Seats. Let your sloth self shine and secure two front-row seats at a Faust Syndrome performance of your choice so you can laze about right until curtain and not have to worry about arriving early to secure seats.
• $666: The Dealmaker. The holy grail. You’ve got some greed, some envy, some gluttony, a smidge of sloth. Donate at this level to be listed as producer of Faust Syndrome. Plus you’ll receive two reserved tickets; two souvenir cups that we will fill with wine at the performance; a batch of Rick’s Rick’s Devilish Gochujang Caramel Cookies; and a subscription to our 7 Deadly Sins Puppy Digest.

DONATE TO SECURE YOUR PERK!
I can’t donate, but I want to help. What else can I do?
Can you volunteer this year with Theater in Asylum? Email [email protected]. Can you share this fundraiser with others? Can you tell them how great Theater in Asylum is?

Our Expenses
Theater in Asylum commits to two competing goals: pay every working artist a meaningful stipend while keeping programming financially accessible to all.


We believe in radical transparency and accessibility. We know theater must be accessible to the widest audience possible in order for ideas to ignite, spread, and catch hold. Therefore, we have had a "Pay-What-You-Can" option at every Theater in Asylum event for the past eight years. It is also imperative to recognize the time, skill, and talent of each artist with whom we engage. With your help, we can meet both of these competing goals.

In a production year, our budget balloons, in particular due to collaborator stipends and space rental costs. Please find the budget for Faust Syndrome here:

• Personnel Costs: Pay 21 artists a $900 stipend (the highest stipend TIA has offered yet) plus hospitality and a childcare stipend: $20,250
• Space Costs: Rent space for a full production: $7,390
• Production Costs: Produce excellent work: $8,275
• Contingency Fund: Cover any unexpected costs: $1,796
• Total planned spending for Faust Syndrome: $37,711
  

*These numbers do not include our non-Faust 2026 expenses: about $13,000

Our Revenues
We rely on the support of our community to make this all possible. This year, we hope to raise:

• From this Fundraiser: $15,000
• Grants: $5,000  
• Ticket Sales: $9,830
• Donations at the Show: $300
• Savings from Previous Years: $7,581
• Total Funds Projected to Raise: $37,711

We are so grateful for YOU, our supporters and collaborators, for making these past 16 years possible, and we cannot wait to share our next work with you this fall! With eagerness, hope, and solidarity.

Paul, Katie, Kathryn, and Charlotte