NW Actors Studio needs $25,000

Northwest Actors Studio, a walk-up fringe theater venue in the heart of Capitol Hill, is in financial trouble and needs to raise $25,000 by Jan. 1 to stave off eviction.

The latest of numerous local theaters that have struggled to stay afloat, Northwest Actors Studio is a small venue that has hosted hundreds of plays, musicals and festival events featuring Seattle artists. It is also one of the few remaining venues that can be rented at moderate cost by low-budget fringe companies. In addition, the studio has served as a teaching facility, offering acting classes and other theatrical training.

To raise the money needed to pay two months of back rent, insurance and taxes and avoid eviction, supporters of the studio are asking patrons to bid for and sponsor upcoming benefit performances. The scheduled shows start Friday and include a night of music and theater; an evening of erotic burlesque; a film screening; and a concert by the traditional Celtic band Ockham's Razor.

For information, call 425-444-1632 or 206-324-6328 (between 4 and 7 p.m. daily).