Fundraiser to Save the West Bank Cafe and Laurie Beechman Theater Raises Over $319,000

A fundraiser was recently launched to help save the West Bank Cafe and Laurie Beechman Theater. Since 1978, West Bank Cafe has been one of the epicenters of New York City's theatre community, and due to the pandemic, it is on the verge of permanently closing.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched, alongside a Virtual Telethon, to raise the necessary funds to stay afloat.

The goal was to raise $250,000. At press time, the fundraiser has raised over $319,000.

The Save West Bank Cafe Virtual Telethon streamed at 12pm EST on Christmas Day (December 25th). The event featured a day's worth of holiday music, stories, greetings, and West Bank memories from a vast roster of talent, including Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Pete Townshend, Debra Messing, Chita Rivera, Andre De Shields, Betty Buckley, Alan Cumming, and many more.

Learn more about the fundraiser, and make a donation, at https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-west-bank-cafe-and-laurie-beechman-theater.

The West Bank Café is a favorite hotspot for a preshow meal, a post show drink, a place to catch the hottest stars and up-and-coming talent in the downstairs "Laurie Beechman Theater", and a place where many New York memories have been made. It is the spot where Joan Rivers performed her final show. It's the spot where Sunday In The Park With George rehearsed. It is the spot where the hottest stars from RuPaul's drag race perform. It's the spot where rising talent make their NY debut at Broadway Sessions. It is the spot where playwrights gather, producers mingle, stars grab a cocktail, and everyone is treated like family by proprietor Steve Olsen.