Zach Theater

What Zach Theater does

Zach Theater (legal entity: Zachary Scott Theater Center) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional producing theater founded in 1921 in Austin, Texas, and one of the original ten regional theaters in America. The organization operates a downtown campus at 202 South Lamar anchored by the 427-seat Topfer Theater (proscenium), the 225-seat Kleberg (thrust), the 130-seat Whisenhunt (arena-in-the-round), the 6,700-square-foot People's Plaza outdoor event space, rehearsal studios, and a second Zach North campus in Cedar Park with classrooms, a dance studio, and a black box theater. It produces Mainstage plays and musicals and a Family Series of children's productions, while running year-round Zach Youth education programs (camps, classes, audition-based training, academy) for ages 3.5-18, plus adult acting classes.

The organization's revenue mix is diversified across five streams: ticket sales (single tickets from $17 student rush to standard adult pricing, $25 front-row, Pay What You Wish nights, season subscriptions for up to five productions, and the monthly Zach XP membership); annual fund donations across tiers from Ensemble Cast ($100-299) to Artistic Visionary Circle ($15,000+); production underwriting by corporate and individual sponsors ($15,000 Mainstage, $10,000 Family Series); venue rentals across seven venues for corporate events, weddings, and galas; and youth education program fees. Ticket sales cover approximately half of operating costs, with the balance funded by philanthropy. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website, in-person box office, phone, group sales concierge, gift certificates, and the Zach mobile app.

The leadership team comprises Producing Artistic Director Dave Steakley and Managing Director Jamie Herlich (joined September 2022 from Seattle Rep). The organization employs 51-100 full-time and part-time staff and engages 250+ actors, musicians, and designers annually, including 100+ AEA and Non-Equity actors each season. It serves 125,000+ Central Texans annually, including 35,000+ youth through education, and is supported by major institutional funders including Chevron, the Moody Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, H-E-B, AT&T, Baylor Scott & White Health, Frost Bank, and the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation.

Name

Zach Theater

Legal name

Zachary Scott Theater Center

Website

https://zachtheater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zach Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional producing theater in Austin, Texas, founded in 1921. It operates three performance venues, runs youth education programs for ages 3.5-18, and serves 125,000+ Central Texans annually through productions, classes, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater and Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Performing arts education
• Venue rental services
• Youth theater training
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual show tickets, season tickets, and subscription packages. Prices range from $25 front row to standard adult pricing, with various discount tiers for students, seniors, and military.
2. Annual Fund Donations: Donor contributions at multiple levels from Ensemble Cast ($100-299) to Artistic Visionary Circle ($15,000+), providing tax-deductible charitable support with associated benefits.
3. Production Underwriting: Corporate and individual sponsors fund specific productions ($15,000 Mainstage, $10,000 Theater for Families) in exchange for recognition, tickets, and exclusive experiences.
4. Venue Rentals: Seven unique venues available for private events including weddings, corporate gatherings, and celebrations. Rental income from The Topfer, The Kleberg, The Whisenhunt, and outdoor spaces.
5. Youth Education Programs: Revenue from camps, classes, and training programs for ages 3.5-18 through Zach Youth programming and Zach North education center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Zach Theater is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional producing theater that produces and presents live plays, musicals, and family series across multiple performance venues in Austin, Texas. It also delivers youth and adult theater education programs (camps, classes, academy training), and rents out its theaters, studios, and outdoor spaces for corporate events, weddings, and private gatherings.

Product overview

Zach Theater is Austin's leading professional producing theater, operating as a platform of interconnected venues and programs. The core offering includes three main performance venues (The Topfer with 427 seats, The Kleberg with 225 seats, and The Whisenhunt with 130 seats), supplemented by The People's Plaza outdoor event space, The Studios for rehearsals, and Zach North as a second campus. The theater produces a diverse lineup of Mainstage plays and musicals alongside a Family Series. Education programs under Zach Youth serve ages 3.5-18 through camps, classes, and academy training, while Adult Acting Classes offer ongoing development for adults. Revenue streams include ticket sales (single tickets, season subscriptions, and Zach XP monthly memberships), group sales, venue rentals, and donor support through various giving programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Professional plays and musicals produced in-house by Zach Theater for general audiences, including world premieres and innovative interpretations of classic works.
• Family Series Productions tailored for young audiences and families, including works such as Charlotte's Web and Zapata: A Folklórico Superhero Musical.
• Zach Youth Programs Theater education programs including camps, classes, audition-based training, and academy for children and teens ages 3.5-18, building acting, singing, and dancing skills.
• Adult Acting Classes Classes for adults offering scene work, foundational acting methods such as Meisner and Stanislavski, and coaching for audition preparation or creative outlet.
• Season Tickets Subscription packages offering up to five productions per season with priority seating, advance ticket access, and complimentary parking.
• Zach XP Membership Monthly auto-renewing membership offering flexible ticket booking, bar and parking perks, 10% off extra tickets, and access to Holiday Add-ons.
• Group Sales Group ticketing service for parties of 8 or more, offering exclusive discounts, flexible reservations, priority booking, and personalized concierge service.
• Venue Rentals Rental of seven venues (The Topfer, The Kleberg, The Whisenhunt, The People's Plaza, The Studios, classrooms, and Zach North) for corporate events, weddings, and private gatherings.
• Gift Certificates Gift certificates usable for Zach Theater ticket purchases, available online, at the box office, or by phone.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches over 125,000 Central Texans annually including 35,000 young people through education programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Querencia at Barton CreekminorOthersHealthcare sponsor providing senior discount program support for patrons 65 and older attending Zach productions.
• Brightstar LotteryminorOthersMilitary and veteran discount sponsor providing 10% off tickets (20% for Family Series) for veterans and active military.
• National Alliance for Musical TheatreminorOthersAwarded Frank Young Writers Residency Grant to Zapata production; professional theater organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TheatreSquared: Regional professional theater in Fayetteville, Arkansas that combines Mainstage productions with new-work development and community programming. Highly comparable scale and business model to Zach, with similar mix of ticketed productions, education, and donor-supported operations.
• Alliance Theatre: Tony Award-winning regional theater in Atlanta known for producing new works and hosting world premieres alongside mainstage productions. Comparable to Zach in producing model, world-premiere pipeline, and education/community programming focus.
• Pasadena Playhouse: Historic California theater with a long producing history and strong education/youth programs. Comparable to Zach in legacy positioning, producing repertory, and youth-focused programming; serves a different regional market.
• Guthrie Theater: Iconic regional repertory theater in Minneapolis producing a mix of classics and new works in a multi-stage facility. Comparable as a long-standing nonprofit producing theater with multiple venues and education programs, though larger in scale.
• McCarter Theatre Center: Regional theater and presenting house in Princeton, NJ producing a mix of classic and contemporary work with strong education programming. Similar mid-sized regional producing-theater scale, multi-venue campus, and educational mission to Zach.
• Austin Playhouse: Austin-based professional theater company that produces plays and musicals for local audiences and operates its own performance venues. Closest direct competitor to Zach within the Austin market, competing for ticket buyers, donors, and educational partnerships.
• Seattle Repertory Theatre: Major regional theater in Seattle producing a subscription season of plays and musicals. Highly comparable institutional scale; Zach Managing Director Jamie Herlich came directly from Seattle Rep, indicating overlapping talent pool and operational benchmarks.

Broad incumbents

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Larger and more nationally prominent Chicago theater producing ensemble-driven new work and classics. Comparable in nonprofit producing-theater model, original-work development, and multi-venue campus, but at a larger scale and broader recognition.

Regional players

• Paramount Theatre (Austin): Historic Austin performing arts venue that presents touring Broadway, concerts, and comedy rather than producing its own repertory season. Not a direct producing rival but competes for the same Austin live-entertainment dollar and donor mindshare.
• Long Center for the Performing Arts: Multi-venue Austin performing arts center that hosts resident companies (including Zach-adjacent programming) and presented touring work. Competes in the same Austin market for patrons, rentals, and foundation/corporate sponsorship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/zachtheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zach-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Zach Theater