In 2008, we put Carlo Scandiuzzi on the Genius short list for all the innovation and hard work he’s invested in helping ACT Theater. (After starting the Central Heating Lab series there, he was hired as executive director).

At a fundraiser for the Seattle Rep last Friday, Scandiuzzi made a theatrical—though very real—gesture to help Seattle’s other regional theaters. From the Business Journal:

But the highlight of the evening came during the ‘Raise the Paddle’ section of the live auction. The levels of giving spanned thousands of dollars to $100. When the crowd was asked who would give at the $100 level, A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) executive director Carlo Scandiuzzi, who with wife Laile had just donated $20,000, leapt to his feet to say he would not only match every $100 donation, turning it into $200 for the ‘Rep,’ but he would also give another $100 per raised paddle to the troubled Intiman Theatre nearby, which is in dire financial crisis. At that point, almost every paddle at the gala shot up in the air.

The Scandiuzzis were the major donors of the evening – $42,000 in all with $22,000 split between the ‘Rep’ and the Intiman.

People were floored by the generosity of spirit and pocket.

Well done, Carlo.

Brend an Kiley has worked as a child actor in New Orleans, as a member of the junior press corps at the 1988 Republican National Convention, and, for one happy April, as a bootlegger’s assistant in Nicaragua....

4 replies on “Good Sportsmanship”

  1. I have tremendous respect for Gian-Carlo, he’s one of the best things to happen to local theatre in literally decades. But I have to ask – where the HELL does he get all this money? He shows up at just about every major theatrical fundraiser in town and drops buckets of cash.

    Seriously, Carlo – how do you do it? The residuals from “Bugsy” can’t be THAT good – can they? 🙂

  2. I was there. No exaggeration. Every paddle in the room went up, and one of the young women from Intiman (who was helping out at the event that night) burst into tears when she saw the level of support in the room.

  3. @3:

    The rate things are going (or not) over at Intiman, some of my friends may very soon BE homeless – certainly jobless – without some heavy cash infusion, so you know, thanks for your concern and all.

  4. Carlo is a friend. Not just to me, but to the arts in general. He is the real deal, and I am so proud to call him a Seattleite.

Comments are closed.