Maui Academy of Performing Arts

What Maui Academy of Performing Arts does

Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1974 in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. Originally established as Maui Youth Theatre by Linda Takita as an afterschool drama program and renamed in 1990, MAPA operates as the longest-running performing arts academy on Maui, serving an all-ages audience from keiki (children) to kūpuna (elders). The organization delivers a multi-vertical portfolio including main stage theatrical productions, year-round academy classes in theatre and dance (via in-residence partner Evolution Dance Academy), Theatre for Young Audiences school tours and classroom residencies, summer camps, and free community programs such as Brave Acts, MAPA Lit, and the Community Book Exchange. Over its 51-year history, MAPA claims to have served more than one million people through productions, classes, camps, and school programs.

MAPA's core operating base is the Main Street Arts Project campus, a $15 million capital campaign that delivered a permanent home in November 2025 after decades as a nomadic organization. The campus comprises three owned buildings on Main Street in historic Wailuku: the Naylor Theatre (a state-of-the-art reconfigurable Wenger black box venue at 2027 Main Street), the Promenade Building at 2050 Main Street housing administrative offices, dance/drama classrooms, and a food court, and a scenery/props storage facility at 2020 Main Street. The Naylor Theatre's inaugural show, Cabaret, sold out nine performances, validating demand for a permanent professional-caliber venue on Maui.

The business model combines earned revenue and contributed revenue. Earned streams include ticket sales through the Naylor Theatre box office and online, academy tuition (semester subscriptions with three-installment payment plans, trial classes priced at $25–$30, and need-based scholarships including free tuition for families displaced by the 2023 Maui fires), and venue-related offerings. Contributed revenue is sourced from individual donations, a tiered Producers Circle sponsorship program (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze), naming opportunities ($1,500 per theatre seat; $100,000 lighting grid; $200,000 theatrical lighting package), and grants from a broad coalition of funders including the Makana Aloha Foundation, County of Maui Office of Economic Development, National Endowment for the Arts, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawai'i Community Foundation (Robert Emens Black Fund), County of Maui Department of Human Concerns, Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation, Bendon Family Foundation, Rotary District 5000 Foundation, and the Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Carolyn Wright (since 1986), with David C. Johnston having transitioned to Artistic Director Emeritus.

Name

Maui Academy of Performing Arts

Legal name

Maui Academy of Performing Arts

Website

https://mauiacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Maui Academy of Performing Arts is a Maui-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1974 that operates main stage theatrical productions, year-round theatre and dance classes, school touring programs, and free community events from its newly opened Naylor Theatre campus in Wailuku.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education and Theater

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts education
• Theatrical productions
• Dance instruction
• School residencies
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Wailuku

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to theatrical productions at the Naylor Theatre and other venues, including main stage shows like Anastasia, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Last Five Years, POTUS, and Hadestown: Teen Edition.
2. Academy Tuition: Tuition fees for theatre and dance classes taught by professional teaching artists. Payment plans available with three installments and approximately $25 surcharge. Trial classes offered at $25-$30.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, including the Producers Circle sponsorship program with Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze tiers, and naming opportunities for theatre elements.
4. Grants: Funding from foundations and government entities including Rotary District 5000 Foundation, County of Maui Department of Human Concerns, Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation, Bendon Family Foundation, Robert Emens Black Fund of the Hawai'i Community Foundation, and Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) is a nonprofit performing arts organization that delivers live theatrical productions at its Naylor Theatre in Wailuku, Maui, plus a multi-decade Academy Program of theatre and dance classes, a Theatre for Young Audiences school tour, summer camps, and free community programs (Brave Acts, MAPA Lit, Community Book Exchange). Programming serves all ages from keiki to kupuna and is supported by a producer circle of foundation, government, and corporate sponsors.

Product overview

Maui Academy of Performing Arts (MAPA) is a nonprofit performing arts organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs centered on live theatre productions, arts education, and community engagement. The core offering consists of main stage theatrical productions (musicals, plays) presented in the Naylor Theatre, supplemented by the Academy Program (theatre and dance classes since 1974), MAPA in Schools (touring productions and classroom residencies), summer camps, and free community programs including Brave Acts, MAPA Lit, and the Community Book Exchange. The organization operates from its Main Street Arts Project campus in Wailuku, Maui, featuring the Naylor Theatre (black box venue), Promenade Building with classrooms, and production storage facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions Full-scale theatrical productions including musicals, plays, and dramatic performances presented in the Naylor Theatre and other Maui venues for community audiences, with recent examples such as Anastasia, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Last Five Years, POTUS, and Hadestown: Teen Edition.
• Academy Program (Classes) The longest-running performing arts academy on Maui offering semester-based theatre and dance classes taught by professional teaching artists for all ages from keiki (children) to kupuna (seniors). Includes acting, drama, and dance classes with pro-rated registration, three-installment payment plans, trial classes, and need-based scholarships (and free tuition for families displaced by the 2023 Maui fires).
• 2026-27 Season Subscription Series Subscription-based season ticket series presenting five main-stage productions at the Naylor Theatre for the 2026-27 season.
• Summer Musical Theatre Camp (Uncommon Stages) Annual summer camp for youth offering musical theatre training; the long-running Uncommon Stages program provides immersive performance and training experience for young people.
• MAPA in Schools (Theatre for Young Audiences Tour and Classroom Residencies) Free touring Theatre for Young Audiences productions and K-12 classroom residencies bringing professional performing arts programming into Maui preschools and elementary schools, funded by government, foundation, and corporate grants.
• Community Engagement Programs Free community programming including Brave Acts (kupuna performance), MAPA Lit (literary sharing event), Community Book Exchange, internships in Production Management, Properties, Stage Management, Arts Administration, Directing, Teaching, and Marketing, and volunteer opportunities.
• Naylor Theatre Venue Rental and Operations State-of-the-art black box theatre at 2027 Main Street, Wailuku, with reconfigurable Wenger Corporation seating supporting proscenium, in-the-round, thrust, corner, and immersive layouts. Hosts MAPA productions, community events, and serves as a venue partner for events such as the Wailuku Film Festival.
• Evolution Dance Academy (In-Residence Dance Program) In-residence dance training provider offering classes in ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap, contemporary, and more for all ages, delivered in partnership with MAPA at the Promenade building and Naylor Theatre campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people served since 1974
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Evolution Dance AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvolution Dance Academy is in residence at MAPA, providing dance training for all ages in ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap, contemporary, and more. The partnership enhances MAPA's comprehensive performing arts education offerings.
• Wailuku Film FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMAPA serves as a venue partner for the Wailuku Film Festival, an inaugural County-supported festival scheduled for June 17-21, 2026 in Wailuku, Maui. The festival features 80+ films across Hawaii, Indigenous Voices, Watersports, and Student categories.
• Pacific Media GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for Wailuku Film Festival providing promotional support for the inaugural festival.
• MauiNow.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for Wailuku Film Festival providing promotional support for the inaugural festival.
• Akakū Maui Community MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership for Wailuku Film Festival providing promotional support for the inaugural festival.
• Maui Arts & Cultural CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partnership for Wailuku Film Festival, complementing MAPA's role as a venue partner for the event.
• MauiOnStageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partnership for Wailuku Film Festival.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Honolulu Theatre for Youth: Honolulu-based nonprofit producing professional theatre for young audiences with extensive school touring and classroom residency programs across Hawaii. Most directly comparable peer to MAPA's combined education-and-production model in a Hawaii island context.
• MauiOnStage: Community theatre on Maui producing main stage plays and musicals at the historic 'Iao Theater. Directly comparable as a fellow Maui-based performing arts company sharing the same audience pool and venue partnerships.
• Seattle Children's Theatre: Major nonprofit combining professional theatre for young audiences productions with acting classes, camps, and school programs. Closest model peer to MAPA's combined academy-plus-school-tour-plus-main-stage approach in a single regional market.
• Imagination Stage: Maryland-based nonprofit combining professional theatre productions with extensive performing arts education, classes, camps, and school residencies. Directly comparable operating model to MAPA's academy + productions + school programs structure.
• National Theatre for Children: National touring company producing live educational theatre for K-12 schools across the country. Comparable to MAPA's MAPA in Schools Theatre for Young Audiences touring and classroom residency model.

Broad incumbents

• Maui Arts & Cultural Center: Largest multi-disciplinary arts venue on Maui hosting touring productions, festivals, and educational programming. Comparable as a venue partner on the Wailuku Film Festival and as a broader competitor for Maui performing arts audiences and donors.
• Hawaii Theatre: Historic Honolulu performing arts venue presenting touring productions, local artists, and educational programming. Comparable as a Hawaii performing arts institution with education components, though primarily a venue operator rather than producing company.
• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta-based regional theatre with a strong professional production season plus a deep education and school programs division. Comparable broader incumbent with a similar theatre-plus-education dual mandate at greater scale.

Regional players

• Kumu Kahua Theatre: Hawaii-based nonprofit theatre producing original and local works. Comparable as a Hawaii-focused performing arts nonprofit, though operating on Oahu rather than Maui and focused on playwright development rather than youth education.
• Diamond Head Theatre: Hawaii's oldest continuously operating community theatre producing musicals and plays on Oahu. Comparable as a long-running Hawaii community theatre with subscription seasons, though it does not emphasize the same K-12 school touring model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mapamaui

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maui Academy of Performing Arts