The Little Theatre of Walla Walla

What The Little Theatre of Walla Walla does

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-driven community theatre founded in 1944 and based in a 186-seat historic venue at 1130 E. Sumach Street, Walla Walla, Washington. It operates from a 1939 WPA-built World War Memorial Building purchased by the organization in 1948, producing four main stage productions per season spanning Broadway musicals, dramas, comedies, and mystery whodunits, alongside three summer children's theatre programs (Playmakers, Upstage Teens, Spotlight Kids) that are tuition-free. Approximately 6,000 patrons and volunteers participate annually, with governance provided by a 13-member Board of Directors and operational leadership from a full-time Executive Director (Martin Fortney, since August 2022).

The theatre monetizes through a multi-stream revenue model: individual tickets ($15-$25 by audience type) and $85 season passes (Save Your Seat and Flex Pass) sold via the OvationTix platform; tiered corporate sponsorships from $500 (Spotlight) to $8,000 (Season); individual donor tiers from Fans ($1-$49) to Benefactors ($5,000+); an annual Wine, Dine & Death signature fundraiser ($125-$1,000 tickets, sponsorship up to $10,000); 186-seat sold-house performance rentals; a $575 Legacy Seat naming campaign; and an endowment accepting cash, securities, real estate, and planned gifts. The Arts Club program bundles wine service from four premier Walla Walla wineries (Amavi Cellars, Kontos Cellars, Pepper Bridge Winery, Woodward Canyon) into the performance experience.

Technology is limited to standard theatrical systems and SaaS administration: OvationTix for ticketing, Greater Giving for donation processing, Ludus for volunteer and membership management, Google Calendar ICS feeds for event distribution, and Google Drive for media galleries. A planned north-side building expansion will add ADA-compliant lobby, restrooms, box office, and stage access, funded in part by the 2023 sale of the adjacent Pope property. The theatre operates exclusively in the Walla Walla Valley with no disclosed geographic expansion plans.

Name

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla

Legal name

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla

Website

https://ltww.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) community theatre founded in 1944, operating a 186-seat historic Walla Walla venue to produce four main stage shows and three youth programs annually for approximately 6,000 patrons and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre / Live Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Community theatre productions
• Live stage performances
• Youth theatre programs
• Season ticket packages
• Performing arts venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Walla Walla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets sold at $25 for adults, $20 for seniors/veterans, and $15 for students/youth. Revenue generated through box office sales during performance weeks and online ticket purchasing.
2. Season Pass Packages: Season pass packages sold at $85, providing 4 seats per production across all four main stage shows. Two types available: Save Your Seat (reserved seating) and Flex Pass (flexible usage of 4 tickets).
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship tiers including Season Sponsor ($8,000), Show Sponsor ($2,500), Production Sponsor ($1,250), and Spotlight Sponsor ($500). Sponsors receive tickets, program recognition, and advertising benefits.
4. Individual Donations: Individual donor program with tiered recognition from Fans ($1-$49) to Benefactors ($5,000+). Includes Playwrights ($1,000-$4,999), Producers ($500-$999), Directors ($250-$499), and Actors ($100-$249) tiers.
5. Wine, Dine & Death Fundraiser: Annual signature fundraising event featuring dinner, wine, silent auction, and interactive murder mystery. Individual tickets at $125, full tables at $1,000. Includes sponsorship packages from Curtain Raiser ($300) to Standing Ovation ($10,000).
6. Sold House Performances: Private event rentals where organizations buy the entire house (186 seats) for fundraiser performances. Organizations set their own ticket prices and can raise approximately $2,000 if sold out.
7. Legacy Seat Campaign: Seat naming program at $575 per seat with brass plaque engraving. Donors can name seats in honor of individuals, families, or businesses.
8. Endowment Fund Donations: Endowment fund accepting various donation vehicles including cash, life insurance, real estate, bequests, securities, IRA contributions, and charitable remainder uni-trusts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) community theatre that produces four main stage productions each season (ranging from Broadway musicals and dramas to comedies and mysteries) along with three summer children's theatre outreach programs. It sells individual tickets, season passes, sponsorships, donations, and fundraising event tickets to support ongoing operations from its 186-seat historic venue in Walla Walla, Washington.

Product overview

The Little Theatre of Walla Walla is a volunteer-driven community theatre offering a portfolio of live theatrical productions and community arts programs. The core offerings include four main stage productions per season (spanning Broadway musicals, dramas, comedies, and mysteries) and three summer children's theatre outreach programs (Playmakers, Upstage Teens, and Spotlight Kids). Revenue-generating products include individual tickets and season passes (Save Your Seat and Flex Pass), along with add-on programs such as the Legacy Seat Campaign ($575 per seat naming), Sold House private performance rentals, Wine Dine & Death annual fundraiser events, and production sponsorships at various tiers ($500-$8,000). Additional offerings include The Arts Club wine service partnership with four local wineries, volunteer opportunities across all production areas, and youth programs (all tuition-free). The theatre operates from a historic 1944 venue with approximately 186 seats and serves an annual audience of 6,000 patrons and volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Playmakers Program: Youth theatre production program for young performers (grades 1-6 through age 15) featuring original pirate-themed shows written by local students
• Upstage Teens
• Spotlight Kids
• The Arts Club

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 6,000 annual participants (patrons and volunteers)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amavi CellarscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Walla Walla winery partnership in The Arts Club initiative. Amavi represents love, life, and wine with 100% estate, sustainable wines. Featured at selected LTWW performances, offering wine club members $8 glasses of featured wines at theatre events.
• Kontos CellarscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSecond-generation winemakers with six generations of Walla Walla Valley history. Founded by Chris and Cameron Kontos in 2006. Partnership through The Arts Club offering wine club members access to wines at LTWW performances.
• Pepper Bridge WinerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWalla Walla winery focused on Bordeaux-style wines from estate vineyards, made with 100% French oak. Partnership through The Arts Club program with wines featured at theatre performances.
• Woodward CanyoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-owned winery established in 1981, one of the region's oldest. Led by Rick Small and Darcey Fugman-Small, now in second generation with Jordan and Sager. Partnership through The Arts Club featuring wines at selected performances.
• Gesa Powerhouse TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalla Walla performing arts venue partnered in The Arts Club initiative. Both venues offer Arts Club wines at their events, celebrating wine and theatre culture in the community.
• Whitman CollegeminorOthersLocal educational institution receiving equipment, props, costumes, and volunteer support sharing from LTWW.
• Walla Walla UniversityminorOthersLocal university receiving equipment, props, costumes, and volunteer support sharing from LTWW.
• Walla Walla Catholic SchoolsminorOthersLocal school system receiving equipment, props, costumes, and volunteer support sharing from LTWW.
• Walla Walla Summer TheaterminorOthersRegional theatre organization receiving equipment and volunteer support sharing from LTWW.
• Burwood BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery providing craft beer (Czech Lager and Coach's Brew IPA at $8 each) for the theatre's refreshment bar during performances.
• Walla Walla RoasteryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal coffee roaster providing decaf coffee for complimentary cookies and coffee served during intermission at performances.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Gesa Powerhouse Theater: Walla Walla's other performing arts venue and explicit Arts Club partner; directly comparable community theatre with overlapping audiences, similar ticketed productions, and co-marketing relationship.
• Walla Walla Summer Theater: Regional theatre organization in the same Walla Walla market that receives equipment and volunteer support from LTWW; directly comparable live theatre offering serving overlapping audiences.
• Capital Repertory Theatre: Albany, NY-based LORT community theatre producing a multi-show season at a similar small/mid venue with subscription model; comparable in scale, season structure, and mixed drama/musical programming.
• Oregon Children's Theatre: Portland-based non-profit producing theatre for young audiences and family programming; comparable mission around youth/family theatrical production and education.
• Peninsula Players Theatre: Door County, WI community professional theatre in its 90th season; comparable small-town venue model producing a season of plays with a defined resident audience and donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Seattle Children's Theatre: Larger, established Pacific Northwest children's theatre with broader programming portfolio; serves overlapping youth-theatre audience segment but at significantly greater scale.
• Imagination Stage: Mid-Atlantic professional children's theatre with education programs; comparable youth-theatre programming component but operates as a much larger professional organization.

Regional players

• Idaho Shakespeare Festival: Regional repertory festival in Boise, ID producing a summer season; comparable live-theatre model serving a regional audience in the Pacific Northwest, though with a different programming focus.

Others

• OvationTix: Ticketing platform provider used by LTWW; not a competitor but a key technology vendor common to community theatres of similar size and operational model.
• Greater Giving: Donation processing platform used by LTWW; an enabling vendor typical for small non-profit theatres managing donor programs and fundraising events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdIUtBMxCF46kMVbbJTqOhw/feed
• Facebookfacebook.com/ltwallawalla
• Instagraminstagram.com/littletheatrewallawalla
• Xx.com/LittleTheatreWW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-little-theatre-of-walla-walla

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 The Little Theatre of Walla Walla