Croswell Opera House
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Welcome to the Croswell!

The Croswell Opera House has been a center for arts and culture in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio for 150 years. Read More

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Latest news

  • Performances from local and far-flung friends to highlight Croswell’s virtual gala
  • Announcing changes to our Summer & Fall Schedule
  • Reflections on Juneteenth

Sponsors

The Croswell's 2020 season is presented with generous support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, with the help of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Planned Giving

Making the Croswell a part of your estate planning does more than just help your community … it also can have huge financial benefits for both you and your family!

By including the Croswell in your long-term financial plans, you can make a positive impact on people’s lives for many generations to come.

To learn more about planned giving opportunities at the Croswell, please contact Kyrie Bristle at 517-263-6868 or kbristle@croswell.org.


Your Legacy, Your Way

Click each type of giving to expand and learn more!

Bequests From Your Will
A charitable bequest is one of the easiest and most flexible ways that you can leave a gift to the Croswell that will make a lasting impact.
Life Insurance As A Designated Gift
If you have a life insurance policy that has outlasted its original purpose, consider making a gift of your insurance policy to the Croswell.
Charitable Gift Annuity
A charitable gift annuity can provide you with a secure source of fixed payments for life, reducing the uncertainty of stock and real estate markets fluctuations.
Charitable Remainder Trust
You may be concerned about the high cost of capital gains tax with the sale of an appreciated asset. Perhaps you are considering selling property and are looking for a way to save on taxes related to that sale while you also plan for retirement. Consider a charitable remainder unitrust.
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust
This plan allows you to receive a fixed income for life or a number of years. It’s a good choice, especially if you are concerned about the high cost of capital gains tax with the sale of an appreciated asset or if you recently sold property and are looking for a way to save on taxes and plan for retirement. With this plan, you transfer cash or assets to fund a charitable remainder annuity trust.
Charitable Lead Trust
If you are looking for a way to pass on some of your assets to your family while reducing or eliminating gift or estate taxes, consider a charitable lead trust. With this plan, you make a contribution of your property to fund a trust that pays income to the Croswell for a number of years. You receive a gift or estate tax deduction at the time of your gift.

Member Benefits

We invite you to become a distinguished member of the Croswell’s 1866 Society by including the Croswell as a beneficiary in your estate planning.

Your gift creates a lasting legacy that will changes lives for years to come by
supporting the Croswell’s mission. More immediately, member benefits include:

  • Invitation to the annual Perk Party
  • Communications and updates of important estate and tax planning
    information
  • Recognition in the Croswell building
  • Listing in the Croswell’s playbill & on our website (donors may also remain anonymous)
  • Assurance that your gift will create and sustain the Croswell for
    decades to come
  • Your planned gift can also reduce your estate and income taxes while
    providing you with future income

Current 1866 Society Members

Thank you to the friends who have joined the 1866 Society by making the Croswell part of their estate plans! Click the photos below to read testimonials from some of our generous benefactors.

We have lived in Adrian for most of our adult lives, and when we started to think about what we want our legacy to be, the Croswell was the first thought on our minds. It’s a point of pride not just for the community, but for us personally. It’s the place we show off when friends visit from out of town, and it’s the place we go when we want to be surrounded by fun, friendship and creativity.

We believe in art as a game-changer. It doesn’t just change people’s lives; it shapes the community and moves us forward. We know from our time working with students that the Croswell is the cornerstone of downtown and it’s the nexus for art in our community. It has withstood a lot of ups and downs, and we know it’s going to last … and we want its future to be part of our legacy.

We are both firm believers in the power of art to transform everything it touches.

To quote The Wizard of Oz, “A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” If that’s true, then the heart of the Croswell must be immeasurable! The amount of love we have seen poured into this historic space is remarkable.

At the Croswell, both of us found a truly inclusive community where we could be ourselves. This theater has been a part of our lives for nearly a decade. We even got engaged on the Croswell stage! Aside from our love of theater, there’s one thing that keeps bringing us back here: the family atmosphere. We love being part of this place where friends, spouses, siblings, and parents and children can enjoy sharing the stage together. (Our own daughter made her stage debut in The Wizard of Oz at just 9 months old!) Now that we have children of our own, we hope our love of the performing arts will spread to the next generation.

When we worked on our estate plans to include our two young children, we wanted to be sure we were also preserving and protecting our other love: the Croswell. You’re never too young to think about planned giving, and while we hope our gift isn’t realized for many years to come, we want to show our long-term commitment to the Croswell. We want to ensure that there is a place for our children and grandchildren to learn about, appreciate, and participate in the performing arts. Throughout history, the theater has been a critical part of our culture — providing a respite from everyday life, telling the story of history, and addressing difficult conversations. Now, more than ever, we need a place for children of all ages to safely tell and hear these stories.

It was more than 50 years ago that Charlie Hickman stepped up and made it possible for the Croswell to continue serving our community, and it was my privilege to have been involved from the very beginning. That first year, Gaylord Baker, Catherine Smith and I spent many hours sitting at my kitchen table with a phone book and a stack of index cards. Then we got on the phone and called community members one by one, asking them to help the Croswell’s new theater program get off the ground. Through those phone calls we learned just how much Lenawee County loved this theater!

I am proud that the Croswell has continued to grow despite all of the obstacles it has faced over the years. Seeing where it has been and how far it has come, I couldn’t be more proud. The Croswell is in the hands of a group of individuals who truly believe in the future and longevity of the organization. Just as Charlie, Gaylord, Catherine and I asked friends to support the Croswell then, I hope you will consider joining me as a member of the 1866 Society.

I worked for the telephone company for 20 years and never imagined that my next stop in life would be the little theater downtown. Little did I know that one chapter closing would open another filled with the most amazing experiences. At the Croswell I found friends, mentorship and community that would last a lifetime.

The Croswell is like one great big family. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you look like, how old you are, where you come from — everyone learns from each other and works together to reach a common goal.

One of the most influential people in my life was Bob Soller, the artistic director of the Croswell for twenty years. Bob inspired me not just through his hard work and his love for the Croswell, but through how he lived his life. Bob used to work hard all summer at the Croswell and then, after the summer was over, he would take off for some exotic place to explore, learn, and soak up cultural experiences. I remember vividly the stories and pictures he would share upon his return. My husband Jim and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Africa, and as we stood looking over the majesty of Victoria Falls, all I could think was “Bob, I never would have done this if it weren’t for you.”

The mentorship, friendship and inspiration I received from the Croswell are why Jim and I decided to join the 1866 Society. I hope you will join us in ensuring that the Croswell continues to provide community for all.

Anonymous
Frank & Shirley Dick
Reide Garnett
Denis & Carol Jodis
Richard & Renee Merchant

The Croswell Opera House
129 E. Maumee St.
Adrian, MI 49221
517-264-7469
office@croswell.org

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Croswell Opera House and Fine Arts Association | Adrian, Michigan | Theme by ThemeBlvd

Due to the weather, Bingo with Bouvee will not take place tonight. As of now, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. is still on, and we will post about any other dates as soon as we have them!