Magical Theatre Company

What Magical Theatre Company does

Magical Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theatre organization headquartered in the historic 1919 Park Theatre in Barberton, Ohio. Founded in 1972 as Akron Children's Theatre, the company produces live theatre performances, touring productions, student matinees, school residencies, summer drama camps, and theatre classes targeting children (PreK-12), families, and educators across Northeast Ohio. The company serves approximately 50,000 children and families annually, reaching 23 Ohio counties and 70+ school districts — including major district relationships with Akron Public Schools and Cleveland Metropolitan School District — covering roughly one-fourth of the state.

The company operates a dual-distribution model: a fixed-venue resident production model anchored at the renovated Park Theatre (capacity anchored by box office phone and online ticketing) plus a mobile touring arm that brings original and adapted productions directly to schools, libraries, churches, and community organizations. Its product portfolio includes literature adaptations (Cinderella, The BFG, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Charlotte's Web, A Wrinkle in Time, The Diary of Anne Frank), original touring productions (Squirrelock Holmes, Animal Yoga Jam, Mother Goose), and the KidScripts program where student-written stories are adapted into world-premiere plays. Educational programming is reinforced with free Teacher-Student Study Guides and curriculum-integrated residencies. Summer camps at four regional partner venues (Akron, Wooster, Hudson, Barberton) are priced at $175 per child for the Little K.I.D. Camp.

Revenue is generated through six streams: ticket sales (one-time), summer drama camp registration fees ($175/child, one-time), school residency/workshop fees (professional services), touring production fees, donations/fundraising from individuals, foundations (GAR Foundation, Peg's Foundation, Barberton Community Foundation, MG O'Neil Foundation, Ohio Arts Council), and corporate sponsors (ACME Fresh Market), and private theatre rentals. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by Co-Producing Directors Holly Barkdoll and Dennis O'Connell, both with 30-year tenures. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed; the organization is sustained by a mix of earned program revenue, grants, and donor contributions, with a 2018-created permanent endowment dedicated to artistic excellence.

Name

Magical Theatre Company

Legal name

Magical Theatre Company

Website

https://magicaltheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Magical Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional children's theatre in Barberton, Ohio, producing live performances, touring productions, school residencies, and summer drama camps for families and 70+ school districts across 23 Ohio counties, reaching 50,000 children annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Theatre and Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Children's theatre productions
• School educational residencies
• Summer drama camps
• Professional theatre company
• Young audience performances

Headquarters

HQ city

Barberton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from families purchasing tickets to attend live theatre performances at the historic Park Theatre venue in Barberton, Ohio.
2. Summer Drama Camps: Registration fees for summer theatre camps including K.I.D. Camp ($175 per child), Great Big Acting Camp, and So Ya Wanna Be An Actor programs held at various locations in Ohio.
3. School Residencies and Workshops: Fees charged to schools and organizations for professional actor workshops, residencies, and educational programming integrating drama into curriculum.
4. Touring Productions: Revenue from bringing original theatrical productions to schools, libraries, churches, and community organizations.
5. Donations and Fundraising: Contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations including matching gifts, bequests, memorial gifts, IRA transfers, and endowment contributions to support the not-for-profit mission.
6. Theatre Rentals: Private event rentals of the historic Park Theatre for team building events, corporate outings, and group experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Magical Theatre Company is a non-profit professional theatre company that produces live theatre performances for young audiences and families at its historic Park Theatre venue in Barberton, Ohio. It supplements resident productions with student matinees, traveling school productions, summer drama camps, theatre classes, school residencies, and the KidScripts program that adapts student-authored stories into performed plays. Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales, registration fees, program fees, and donations.

Product overview

Magical Theatre Company is an award-winning professional theatre for young audiences and families in Northeast Ohio, offering a portfolio of live productions at its historic 1919 Park Theatre venue. The company provides resident theatre performances, student matinees with educational study guides, traveling productions that visit schools and organizations, and summer drama camps for ages 5-17. Educational programs include KidScripts (student story adaptations performed as world premieres), theatre classes and workshops, and school residencies taught by professional actors. The 2025-2026 season features productions including Annie, Murder on the Orient Express, Dragons Love Tacos, and original works like Squirrelock Holmes and Animal Yoga Jam.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resident Theatre Productions Live professional theatre performances for young audiences and families presented at the historic Park Theatre in Barberton, Ohio, featuring adaptations of classic literature and original works.
• Student Matinees and Field Trips Educational theatre experiences for school groups (PreK-12) including guided theatre visits with curriculum-aligned study guides and post-show Q&A sessions with actors.
• Touring Productions Original professional theatre productions that travel to schools, libraries, churches, and other organizations, including Squirrelock Holmes, Animal Yoga Jam, and Mother Goose.
• Summer Drama Camps Immersive theatre programs for children and teens (ages 5-17) including K.I.D. Camp (singing-dancing-acting musical theatre), Little K.I.D. Camp, Great Big Acting Camp, and So Ya Wanna Be An Actor programs held at partner venues across Ohio.
• Theatre Classes and Workshops Age-appropriate performing skills instruction covering acting, monologues, improvisation, scene study, auditioning, movement, creative dramatics, and speaking for the stage, taught by professional actors.
• School Residencies Customizable drama education programs for schools delivered by professional actors, integrating drama into curriculum for flexible durations from hours to weeks.
• KidScripts Program Innovative program in which students write stories that Magical Theatre's professional team adapts into plays and performs as world premieres at the students' own schools.
• Theatre Rentals Private event rentals of the historic Park Theatre for team building events, corporate outings, scout troop activities, and group experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000 children and families reached annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered sponsor and minor.

• ACME Fresh MarketsponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for productions including Annie; provides marketing and promotional support.
• St. Sebastian Zwisler Hall, AkronminorOthersHost venue for Great Big Acting Camp, Akron - summer drama camp for ages 8-14.
• Wayne Center for the Arts, WoosterminorOthersHost venue for So Ya Wanna Be An Actor camp - professional instruction in theatre arts.
• Hudson Montessori SchoolminorOthersHost venue for Great Big Acting Camp, Hudson - summer drama camp for ages 7-13.
• Barberton High SchoolminorOthersHost venue for K.I.D. Camp - musical theatre production camp for ages 7-17.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Children's Theatre Company: Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis is the largest professional children's theatre in the US, producing a multi-season repertory of new work and adaptations for young audiences — directly comparable to Magical Theatre's core mission of professional theatre for children and families.

Direct peers

• Imagination Stage: Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD operates a professional producing theatre for young audiences with an in-house season, school matinees, touring programs, and education residencies — a near-mirror model to Magical Theatre's resident season plus outreach and workshop portfolio.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Nashville Children's Theatre (formerly Nashville Children's Theatre, a professional TYA company) operates a regional producing theatre with school programming and touring productions, making it a closely comparable peer in scale and mission to Magical Theatre.
• Dallas Children's Theater: Dallas Children's Theater is a professional nonprofit TYA company producing mainstage seasons, school field trips, and national/international touring productions — directly parallel to Magical Theatre's resident season + outreach model.
• First Stage: First Stage in Milwaukee is a professional children's theatre producing mainstage shows, school matinees, and theater academy classes — directly comparable to Magical Theatre's combination of performances, school programming, and summer drama camps.
• Adventure Theatre MTC: Adventure Theatre MTC in Maryland is a professional TYA company presenting season productions, academy classes, and touring shows — closely comparable in mission and programming mix to Magical Theatre Company.
• Oregon Children's Theatre: Oregon Children's Theatre is a Portland-based nonprofit producing professional theatre for young audiences with school matinees and educational outreach — comparable to Magical Theatre in regional scope and programming structure.
• Bay Area Children's Theatre: Bay Area Children's Theatre is a professional TYA company with mainstage productions, school programs, and theater classes — directly comparable to Magical Theatre's portfolio of performances plus educational programming for young audiences.

Regional players

• Great Lakes Theater: Great Lakes Theater is a Cleveland-based professional theater (Shakespeare-focused) sharing the same Northeast Ohio regional ecosystem, employing overlapping professional actors, and competing for the same family and school audience segments as Magical Theatre.
• Dobama Theatre: Dobama Theatre is a Cleveland-area professional theater producing adult-oriented productions but sharing the Northeast Ohio talent pool and venue market with Magical Theatre — comparable as a regional incumbent competing for the same donor and community audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC629Dtsm9FjMek9G9P1HkSw
• Facebookfacebook.com/MagicalTheatreCompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/magicaltheatreoh
• Xx.com/magicaltheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Magical Theatre Company