May 5, 2023

Laura Pels was a valued member of Roundabout's Board of Directors for 28 years, from 1995 to 2023.

She, along with the Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater, helped underwrite Roundabout's current production of Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, which started previews yesterday. 

She was an early advocate of our work celebrating modern classic authors like Brian Friel, Arthur Miller and Harold Pinter to name a few.

When Roundabout decided to open an Off-Broadway theatre that would extend our mission to include new plays by established writers, Laura played a leading role in helping us achieve that goal with lead support for our productions. In 1995, we honored Laura’s passion and dedication to Roundabout by naming our new Off-Broadway theatre after her. 

Just four years later, Roundabout was evicted from the Criterion Center – and went about seeking a new home for the Laura Pels Theatre.

Throughout this uncertain time, Laura continued to support programming as Roundabout expanded its commitment to new plays by mid-career writers as well as established.

Then on the 10^th anniversary of Roundabout's New Play Initiative, Laura again made a lead gift to establish the new Laura Pels Theatre in a more permanent home on 46^th Street now known as the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, in partnership with the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.