Legacy-Driven Cultural Immersion

Supports the development and presentation of American theater via its ongoing artistic programming and organizational practices.

Stages plays with pro-union themes consistently since the organization's founding, reflecting a sustained commitment to labor-focused narratives in American theater.

Creates and stages theater productions that examine contemporary issues using heightened language and storytelling from major American playwrights of the past, as part of its core programming.

Offers 60-minute docent-led and guided tours of The Players clubhouse across four floors, featuring historical artifacts such as the founding room of Actors' Equity Association, Mark Twain's pool table, 18th-century stage props, and a museum-quality art collection. Also hosts monthly educational discussions in The Players Library focused on theatrical history and artifacts.

Organizes special events such as an intimate evening on Edwin Booth’s life after Lincoln’s assassination, a Broadway cabaret benefit gala, and educational field trips including a guided tour of Green-Wood Cemetery to explore Edwin Booth’s history and associations.

Offers scholars, researchers, students, and the public access to a collection of theatre-related artwork, books, costumes, correspondence, Edwin Booth artifacts, and over 2,500 volumes on Shakespeare and theatrical history through appointment-based visits and a renovated Research Room. The collection is cataloged using PastPerfect, a professional museum collections management system.

Published a book compiling the first fifty essays from the "Artwork at The Players" series for public purchase and produced a hand-numbered facsimile edition of Walter Oettel's Sketch Book of The Players, limited to 100 copies.

Conducts ongoing conservation and restoration of historic items and interiors, including the Booth Room, Edwin Booth’s leather club chair, a 130–140-year-old Persian rug, historic portraits and frames, the sitting room chandelier and wallpaper, the mantel mirror, and antique furniture such as the Mary Devlin chair, using professional restoration partners and museum standards.

Arranged for young performing artists to attend the 2020 Broadway production of “Death of a Salesman” through a partnership with Broadway for All, expanding educational access to professional theatre.

Reads names of deceased members in memory of whom donations were made during quarterly Council meetings and the annual meeting, and records these donation honors on the member's Roster page.

Developing finding aids for the organization's archives to be published online in 2026, enhancing public and scholarly access to archival materials.

Accepts tax-deductible donations to support the ongoing cataloging, preservation, and restoration of historical and archival materials related to theater history.

Provides financial support to theatrical charities, educational programs, and nonprofit theater companies, including through the creation of the Scott Glascock Scholarship in partnership with the American Musical & Dramatic Academy in New York.

Hosted 210 weekly dinners with live entertainment during World War II, serving over 50,000 meals to Allied military personnel.

Maintains and restores a collection of art, memorabilia, theatrical ephemera, contracts, letters, papers, photographs, rare books, manuscripts, sound recordings, and musical scores related to New York theater history dating back to the mid-1800s, including a collection of sixty oil paintings. Adds to the collection when possible.

Provides educational programming for student field trips, including docent-led orientation, gallery access, and 15-minute discussion-based sessions aligned with New York State learning objectives. Offers personalized group tours of all sizes, motorcoach visits, and "Lucytown Tours" — guided bus tours of locations significant to Lucille Ball’s life — along with coordination of regional attractions and event bookings.

Produces the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, which has showcased over 300 comedic artists across more than 30 years. The festival includes headliner shows, stand-up showcases, late-night comedy, block parties, educational programming, and live performances by emerging and established comedians.

Operates The Comedy Shop at the National Comedy Center and two gift shops at the Lucy Desi Museum, selling official comedy and I Love Lucy merchandise. Generated $107,335 in gift shop revenue and $280,808 from live comedy shows in 2020, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit mission of presenting the story of comedy in America.