Illinois Shakespeare Festival

Name

Illinois Shakespeare Festival

Legal name

Illinois Shakespeare Festival

Website

https://illinoisshakes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre Productions

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Shakespeare performances
• Youth theatre education
• Professional repertory festival
• Summer theatre festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Normal

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from mainstage productions, preview performances, and season tickets. Single tickets and season subscription packages available at various price tiers.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising events including John Stevens Memorial Golf Outing and Bard Bash Cabaret. Donations support artistic excellence and professional actor salaries.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships and program advertising provide revenue while offering companies visibility to festival audiences.
4. Youth Education Programs: Summer camps and classes for youth (grades 1-12) generate program fees while fulfilling educational mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is a professional repertory theatre company that produces a summer season of Shakespearean and classical plays at two Illinois venues (Ewing Theatre and the Center for the Performing Arts). Offerings include three mainstage productions per season, free Theatre for Young Audiences performances, the Bard in a Box touring troupe for schools, paid youth summer camps, a college internship program, and community fundraising events.

Product overview

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is a professional theatre organization operating as a single unified offering—a summer theatre festival that produces live theatrical performances and provides educational programming. The core product consists of mainstage theatrical productions presented at two venues (Ewing Theatre and Center for the Performing Arts), supplemented by Theatre for Young Audiences free performances, Bard in a Box touring productions for schools, and youth education camps and internship programs. Additional offerings include pre-show entertainment (Green Shows, live music, talk-backs), venue tours, special events (Bard Bash, Golf Outing, Spring Meet and Greet), and dramaturgy content through the Beyond the Stage article series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Professional theatrical performances of Shakespearean and classical plays presented during the summer festival season at Ewing Theatre and the Center for the Performing Arts, featuring three mainstage productions per season for ticketed general public patrons.
• Bard in a Box Touring Troupe

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches over 10,000 patrons each season
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1978Illinois Shakespeare Festival is affiliated with Illinois State University's Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, School of Theatre, Dance, and Film. The university provides institutional support, student participation, and academic integration through internship programs for college credit.
• Illinois Arts Council AgencycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Illinois Shakespeare Festival is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, which provides funding support for the festival's programming.
• Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors BureaucoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe festival is made possible by a grant from the Illinois Office of Tourism and the Bloomington-Normal Area Conventions Bureau, which promotes the festival as a cultural tourism destination.
• Illinois Prairie Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Illinois Prairie Community Foundation provides grant support for festival programming, including Theatre for Young Audiences productions.
• Actors' Equity AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe festival operates under an Actors' Equity Association U/RTA contract, employing professional actors who are members of the actors' union.
• URTA (University/Resident Theatre Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional theatre association providing support and standards for resident theatres and summer theatre festivals.
• USA 829 (United Scenic Artists)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion representing scenic, lighting, and sound designers; operates under associated contract for design professionals.
• SDC (Stage Directors and Choreographers Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion for stage directors and choreographers; operates under associated contract for directing and choreographic professionals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Utah Shakespeare Festival: A professional repertory Shakespeare festival operating multiple venues in Cedar City, Utah, with similar season-based programming, Equity actors, and educational outreach. Direct structural comparison to ISF in scale and programming model.
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: The largest U.S. professional Shakespeare repertory company, producing a multi-play season with Equity actors and extensive education programs. Closest analog in mission, though materially larger in scale and budget.
• American Shakespeare Center: Operates the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia, producing Shakespeare in rotating repertory with a resident company of Equity actors. Direct comparator in repertory model and classical Shakespeare focus.
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival: A university-affiliated (University of Colorado Boulder) summer Shakespeare festival producing a repertory season with professional Equity actors. Closely comparable to ISF given its university program structure.
• Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival: A professional summer Shakespeare festival affiliated with DeSales University producing mainstage productions, youth programming, and educational outreach. Comparable in scale, season structure, and education-program emphasis.
• Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival: A university-affiliated (University of Notre Dame) Shakespeare festival producing mainstage productions and touring educational programs. Highly comparable structure to ISF's ISU affiliation and education-driven outreach.
• Nashville Shakespeare Festival: A regional repertory Shakespeare festival producing summer performances and year-round educational outreach in Nashville, Tennessee. Comparable in programming mix, regional footprint, and education focus.
• Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival: A professional summer Shakespeare festival producing outdoor and tent-based repertory productions in the Hudson Valley, NY. Comparable in seasonal outdoor repertory model and Equity actor engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Shakespeare Theatre Company: A larger, year-round LORT-class professional theatre in Washington, D.C., producing classical Shakespeare and contemporary work. Comparable in classical Shakespeare focus but operates at significantly larger scale and as a year-round organization.

Others

• Illinois Arts Council Agency: State arts funding agency that provides grant support to ISF. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem funder; included to reflect the funding/regulatory environment in which ISF operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/illinoisshakes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAlYNVtDe-tARZjhNA-RuVg
• Facebookfacebook.com/IllinoisShakes
• Instagraminstagram.com/illinoisshakes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Illinois Shakespeare Festival