Tony-winning regional theater Intiman succumbed to money troubles this weekend when its board of trustees voted to cancel the remaining four shows of the 2011 season. "With our current income limitations there’s no alternative," reads the statement on Intiman’s website.

The public learned of Intiman’s financial struggles in early February, when the theater issued an open letter to the arts community detailing the troubled story of the theater’s mismanagement: months of bookkeeping backlog; a dwindling endowment; lapsed rent payments to Seattle Center. Managing director Brian Colburn resigned in November after 18 months on the job—citing personal reasons—but a recent article in the Seattle Times suggests that the problems go beyond Colburn’s time, with multiple seasons in the red.

Intiman was in the middle of a vigorous fundraising campaign—to raise $1 million by September—and had banked a little more than $450,000 by late March. Theater greats from around the country, including Tony Kushner, had pledged their support, and peers from Seattle’s professional regional theaters donated generously. But longtime arts consultant Susan Trapnell (who helped save ACT back in 2003) took a look at the books and recommended cutting this season and shoring up funds so Intiman could attempt a comeback in 2012.

Our primary intent has and continues to be to preserve the future of Intiman – and our hope was to save the season, too, the statement reads. Simultaneous efforts to accomplish both are simply unattainable. While we are driven by that “show must go on” kind of determination, we must ensure that shows go on the Intiman stage for years and that can only happen if we pause, plan, and prepare for strong seasons in 2012 and beyond.

Intiman ended its season with the April 17 performance of All My Sons, forgoing productions of The Call, The Playboy from the Western World, The Piano Teacher, and A Boy and His Soul. Employees were given two weeks’ notice and the board is currently negotiating options for Intiman’s 5,000 subscribers—which could include a deal that honors Intiman tickets at ACT, according to The Stranger.

We’ll update as soon as we learn more.

UPDATED 5:30pm. ArtsWest in West Seattle will honor Intiman tickets for its upcoming production of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment,which runs April 27–May 21. Call the box office at 206-938-0339 and reference the 2010–2011 Intiman tickets to exchange.
UPDATED 4/21/11. The following arts organizations will now honor Intiman tickets: 5th Avenue Theatre, Annex Theatre, ACT Theatre, ArtsWest, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Seattle Men’s and Women’s Choruses, New Century Theatre Company, On the Boards, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Public Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Seattle Theatre Group (for select shows), Strawberry Theatre Workshop, Taproot Theatre, UW School of Drama, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Open Circle Theatre. Contact the organization’s ticket office on the day of to swap a ticket.