Profit for DC Theatricks | wgrz.com

BUFFALO, NY — On March 1, 2023, a four-alarm fire claimed the life of Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno. It is a tragedy that has affected the entire community.

But that day, overshadowed by this immense loss, there was another loss, that of a life of work, of a couple’s passion, of a beloved business.

Dave Dejac, co-owner of DC Theatricks, clearly understands that the greatest tragedy of the day was the loss of one of Buffalo’s bravest,

He, along with his wife Lynn and business partner Doug Caskey, have spent the last 15 months realizing that more than four decades of painstaking work and collecting were also lost in an instant. Their business occupied the first floor of the building.

“We knew immediately. It took 41 years to build and acquire this, that without spending another 41 years on it, you could never replace this,” he said.

They had developed a huge following, creating costumes for area theater productions, events and the World’s Largest Nightclub, as well as a steady stream of major Broadway productions. They did most of it by hand.

Costumes, supplies and specialized equipment all burned in the fire.

Longtime customers and friends tried to help them immediately, to help them rebuild their collection, but the task at hand was too monumental. Given the circumstances of the fire, they were always hesitant to participate in a fundraiser.

“It took them a while, several different people spoke to us at different times telling us we wanted to do charity,” Dejac said.

“We just said, we’ll get back to you and let you know. To be honest, we just didn’t really want to do it. Everything we did, we learned to do things on our own. We always been sufficient, and many wanted to benefit from it, I don’t know, it’s not us, you know?

But then the family stepped in and said it was time. Lynn’s cousins, Debbie Knoll and Marylou Saur, put together donation baskets and a number of groups for a fundraiser this Saturday.

Saur explained: “When this happened, we discussed a little benefit. When I started telling people about it, would you come? Would you do this? I realized that not everyone “I kept saying we can’t have a small advantage, it has to be a big advantage and it has to occupy an important place.”

And they had one of the biggest, The Town Ballroom.

Knoll says it’s as much about reconnecting Dave, Lynn and Doug with their many longtime customers and friends as it is about raising money.

“It was always a big hug when you saw them, I mean, they were like our family. You sit there and ask how they’re doing. So all their customers were like family,” Knoll said.

The benefit evening will take place on Saturday, June 15 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Family and friends will gather at the Town Ballroom to celebrate and support DC Theatricks.

And it’s worth mentioning that as a community continues to heal, DC Theatricks is embroiled in two lawsuits surrounding the fire. They are defendants in a lawsuit filed by Jason Arno’s family. They are also plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the owners of the Main Street building.