On August 17, Susan Lieu transitioned to becoming permanent Executive Director of Theatre Off Jackson (TOJ), after serving on an interim basis. Alongside this new responsibility, Lieu has accomplishments to share and new goals to pursue, all with the help of the Chinatown International Examiner (CID) community.
Lieu initially stepped in as interim Executive Director in July 2025 because the future of Theatre Off Jackson seemed uncertain. “As Board President, I raised my hand to ensure this cultural anchor didn’t disappear,” Lieu said. “I wanted to actively contribute to the revitalization of the Chinatown International District and help counteract the decline of Seattle’s broader arts ecosystem.” Her aim was to save the 15,000-square-foot venue which serves hundreds of artists and thousands of patrons through over 150 live events per year.
Now, as Executive Director, Lieu envisions a twenty-year era of reinvention. She describes TOJ’s top challenges as operational capacity, deferred facility maintenance, and the financial precariousness of independent artists. In addition to expanding the current two-person staff, Lieu plans to “pair affordable stage access with practical business empowerment, equipping creators with marketing acumen, audience-development tools, and community partnerships so they can sell out runs, achieve financial stability, and take bold artistic risks without personal financial ruin,” she said.
While supporting TOJ’s people, Lieu will also make the building itself a primary focus. Plans include launching a comprehensive capital campaign in order to fund an overhaul of the front facade, replace the roof and HVAC systems, and modernize the restrooms.
All of this work is now more feasible, because after renting the space on a month-to-month basis for 16 years, TOJ has now signed a twenty-year lease. “Operating month-to-month made long-term planning and capital investments impossible,” Lieu stated.
The new lease has been a 16-year effort between TOJ and the building owner. “The breakthrough came through a rigorous nine-month negotiation process starting in July 2025, propelled by critical pro bono legal support from Paul Okner at Fremont Law Group and then completed by Michelle Pham, a partner at Buchalter Law Firm,” Lieu explained. “To secure the space, TOJ agreed to take on significant financial obligations, including roughly $500,000 in upcoming building renovations.”
Lieu recognizes that this is an immense undertaking for a grassroots arts organization, but considers the lease to be the foundation of TOJ’s future. “Without long-term permanence, we could not sustainably invest in our physical home or our community,” she asserted. “In the past several months, we have already raised $79,000 toward capital improvements, including a new entrance that will align with community history.” In 2027, TOJ will officially launch its capital campaign and call on the CID and the greater Seattle arts community to lend their support.
But the full weight of this work won’t fall solely on the arts community. “A twenty-year lease unlocks eligibility for major city, regional, and statewide capital grants that require site control, allowing us to fund vital renovations and ensure a safe, functional environment for our artists, patrons, and staff,” Lieu elaborated. “Backed by seed commitments from two cornerstone individual donors and a matching pledge from our growing board, we now have the runway and confidence to mature into a resilient, permanent cultural institution.”
The new lease was such a positive development that TOJ held a celebration on July 20. Called The Signing, in a playful riff on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, the event included past board members, co-producers, and longtime supporters, and a key highlight was an eight-minute parody piece that Lieu wrote just for the party. “It featured our board members acting alongside me, a surprise cameo from our pro bono real estate attorney, and a prop axe retrofitted with a pen head so I could dramatically ‘sign’ the lease,” Lieu enthused.
The celebration was catered with Cambodian food from Phnom Penh Noodle House, and attendees had the pleasure of an array of sweets as well. “Flipping the iconic REDRUM/murder trope on its head, we built a green door with the word STRESSED spelled out, which reverses to DESSERTS,” Lieu said, “to transition the audience into a post-show reception featuring port and chocolates.”
With the party over, the real work begins, especially the improvements to the building façade. “The stucco is crumbling, paint and signage are severely weathered, and our recessed driveway has become a chronic safety hazard involving vandalism, biohazard waste, and arson attempts,” Lieu admitted. To initiate the project prior to finalizing the lease, TOJ secured early-stage municipal grants, including $80,000 in city funding, anchored by a $50,000 grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
TOJ also partnered with local firm SHED Architecture & Design, located at 14th and Jackson, which provided pro bono and in-kind architectural work to create conceptual renderings. Currently, TOJ is navigating the city permitting process.
But all of this work doesn’t mean that the theatre performances will stop. Throughout autumn, TOJ will be hosting an array of theatre productions ranging from burlesque Much Ado About Nothing in September, to a world premiere by Pork Filled Productions in October, to some fun holiday fare as 2026 comes to a close.
Alongside these productions comes TOJ’s next fundraising event on October 3. Big Damn Party: Building TOJ’s Future will include dinner, cocktails, and live entertainment, hosted by emcee and auctioneer Sasha Summer Cousineau. “As we advance the permitting process for our front facade renovation, we invite community members to invest in our next twenty years,” Lieu said.
Big Damn Party: Building TOJ’s Future will be held on October 3 at Theatre Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Avenue South, Seattle.
