The Players Preservation Fund

11/27/2021

Dear Fellow Friends of The Players,

I hope that this letter finds you well as we end another disruptive year with hope for the future. Many of you know me as the former Treasurer of the Players, where I have been a proud member for 15 years. Now I am pleased to be writing to you as the new President of The Players Preservation Fund, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with the mission of restoring and preserving the historic structure at 16 Gramercy Park South.

Many new Players were not here back in 2013, when a few enterprising Players led by Mary Workman established the Preservation Fund to address the urgent state of the clubhouse’s façade. At that time the front of the building was a wreck, with unsightly scaffolding and netting obscuring the intricate ironwork and columns to prevent chunks of debris from landing on the sidewalk. Thanks to the work of the Preservation Fund and individual donors like you, not a trace of the century of wear and tear remains, and the clubhouse is now a commanding presence on Gramercy Park. The Preservation Fund even won the prestigious New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Lucy G. Moses Award in 2015 for this dramatic turnaround, a pivotal moment in the clubhouse’s recovery that has benefitted us all.

Ever since that initial triumph, the Preservation Fund under Mary Workman’s leadership has used your tax-deductible contributions to complete many more projects great and small to safeguard this landmark for the future, from extensive foundation plumbing work to replicating and replacing the exquisite Kinstler Room windows and doors. That is why I have stepped up to lead the Preservation Fund and the building in its care into a new chapter in its history. I and the rest of the Preservation Fund’s board members intend to build on this success for the benefit of all who use and care about the future of 16 Gramercy Park South.

I am therefore asking you to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Preservation Fund on this upcoming “Giving Tuesday.” There are many ways to give:

• Give online via PayPal with this link: https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=IPWzJXZTmoj6bzC4hwXC4BYetZ8VMcEKYr73cBEmXXkyBD9p1ANZoIuejyOrEgKHlcrflCpLmFwjo0Hs
• Mail a check to The Players Preservation Fund at 16 Gramercy Park South, NY, NY 10003
• Make a contribution of appreciated securities—contact me for details
• When shopping on Amazon, you can designate the Players 16 Gramercy Park South Preservation Fund as your charity on smile.amazon.com

After 134 years of use as a social gathering place, the needs of the building remain as urgent as ever, and the Preservation Fund has critical work in front of it. Most critically, the exterior roofing of the clubhouse that protects The Players’ precious art and artifacts is over three decades old and frequently springs leaks that require emergency repairs. Replacement of the roof is not glamorous work, but maintaining the exterior and structure of Stanford White’s masterpiece is what the Preservation Fund does.

Wishing each of you a happy and healthy holiday season, and looking forward to completing the work needed to get the clubhouse ready for the next generation of Players.

Sincerely,

Philip Berg
President
The Players Preservation Fund

Help support The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South, Preservation Fund, Inc. by donating or sharing with your friends.

05/24/2021

A wonderful write-up from Dennis King, 1968...

By DENNIS KING Even as a young actor in Britain in my days with the Birmingham Rep I had heard of The Players — that rather special New York club for “American actors.” Over there most of us in theatre knew that the Garrick Club in London served as Edwin Booth’s inspiration when he set about...

11/23/2020

My Dear Players:

We are the Players Preservation Fund, and since 2013 we've been working hard to help maintain Stanford White's historic and beautiful clubhouse at 16 Gramercy Park South. We're a 501c3 dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the building, which anchors the unique streetscape of Gramercy Park so beloved by the people of this community.

This year has created unprecedented challenges for the city’s landmarks—and the museums, restaurants, theaters, and clubs they house. Nevertheless, in 2020 we've already been able to complete projects from extensive foundation plumbing to replicating and replacing the exquisite Kinstler Room windows and doors, which had rotted through.

Our next project will be the building’s roof, which will require significant funding. This will be perhaps our most ambitious undertaking since the painstaking restoration of our landmark facade—which was honored by the New York Landmarks Conservancy at the 2015 Lucy G. Moses Awards. All of this work is made possible by gifts from members and friends like you. Please help us keep our masterpiece safe with the award-winning love and care only the Players Preservation Fund can provide.

Yours Sincerely,

Mary Workman
President, The Players Preservation Fund

Mail Checks to:
The Players Preservation Fund
16 Gramercy Park South
New York, NY 10003

or Donate Here

theplayerspreservationfund.org

12/31/2019

09/19/2019

Tonight, Players Preservation Fund Board Member Joan Dim Launched Her Beautiful Book "Lady Liberty" at The Players. The wonderful stories she's collected have been masterfully illustrated by Antonio Masi. Here are his works on The Players Stage: A timely and important collection. New York History must be preserved and celebrated.

08/17/2019

Re-posting Morgan Beetham's Award-Winning Photo. Delightful.