Rubicon Theatre Company

What Rubicon Theatre Company does

Rubicon Theatre Company, legally Burnon, Inc. dba Rubicon Theatre Company, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) professional regional theatre founded in 1998 by James O'Neil and Karyl Lynn Burns in Ventura, California. The company operates the 185-seat Karyn Jackson Theatre (a converted 1920s church) and, across 27 seasons, has produced more than 175 productions spanning plays, musicals, revivals, and world premieres. Audience and artist base draws primarily from Ventura County and Southern California, with the company's work attracting Tony, Oscar, Obie, Olivier, and Ariel Award winners. Recognition includes 15 Ovation Awards (L.A. Drama Critics' Circle / L.A. Stage Alliance), a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revue, the L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Margaret Harford Award for Sustained Excellence, an NAACP Award, and a 2022 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Direction.

Revenue comes from seven streams: single ticket sales and multi-show season subscriptions (4-show/5-show/6-show packages at 15% savings, with per-seat pricing from $235 to $915); individual donations via the Jewel Club VIP program ($1,250–$6,000+ annual tiers over three-year commitments) and Legacy Society planned giving; corporate and foundation sponsorships for shows and season; government grants including a $1.5M State of California capital grant (December 2023); venue rentals for the theatre, Rose Room, and Rehearsal Hall/Recording Studio; summer youth education programs ($750–$1,000 tuition) for ages 5–21; and curated travel tours (NYC at $6,550 per person double occupancy plus a $950 tax-deductible donation; London 2026). Ticketing and subscription management run on OvationTix with AudienceView as the internal donor and ticket database.

Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website, phone, and a physical box office (32 South Laurel Street, Ventura), supported by group sales (10+ tickets), three active digital content series (The Rubicon Experience podcast, Rubicon Connections, Crossing the Rubicon), email newsletter (Crossings), social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube), and earned media via DEMAND PR. Customer segments include general theatre-going residents and visitors, families enrolling children in summer programs, and groups renting the venue for private events. The company is in an artistic leadership transition: co-founder Karyl Lynn Burns is retiring following the fall 2026 Ragtime production, and J. Scott Lapp (2022 Craig Noel Award winner) has taken over as Producing Artistic Director ahead of the 2026/2027 'The Ties That Bind' season. The company's first Off-Broadway production, Crazy Mama, opens at 59E59 Theatre in September 2026, and the company continues to develop new works through its Innovation Fund program.

Name

Rubicon Theatre Company

Legal name

Burnon, Inc. dba. Rubicon Theatre Company

Website

https://rubicontheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rubicon Theatre Company is a Ventura, California-based 501(c)(3) non-profit regional theatre producing live plays, musicals, and world premieres at its 185-seat Karyn Jackson Theatre, serving Ventura County audiences with season subscriptions, youth education, venue rentals, and donor-supported programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Live theatrical productions
• Regional theatre
• Youth theatre education
• Season subscriptions
• Theatre venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Ventura

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, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales & Season Subscriptions: The primary revenue stream comes from single ticket sales and season subscription packages for live theatrical productions. Subscriptions offer a 15% discount and include guaranteed seating, presale access, and flexible exchanges. Individual show tickets range from approximately $243.50 to $915 depending on performance type (preview vs. opening night) and package tier (4-show to 6-show plans).
2. Individual Donations & Fundraising: Individual donors contribute at various levels including one-time gifts and multi-year commitments. The company operates donor programs including the Legacy Society (planned giving), Jewel Club (VIP membership tiers from $1,250/year for Ruby up to $6,000/year for Diamond), and Innovation Fund campaigns. A match campaign of up to $120,000 was active in late 2023.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate and foundation sponsors support specific shows and the season. Sponsors receive marketing visibility (house seats, name in programs and on all marketing materials). Named sponsors include Stacey & John Birchfield, Mary Ann Cohen, Nora McNeely Hurley & Michael Hurley, the Jack Oakie & Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation, The Manitou Fund, Barbara Meister, Shawn Baker & Jeffrey Naylor, Valerie & Jeff Snider, and Becky & Steve Snyder.
4. Government Grants: Rubicon receives government funding from state and local sources. Most notably, a $1.5 million grant was announced in December 2023 from the State of California (secured by Senator Monique Limón and Assemblymember Steve Bennett) for building renovations and equipment expenditures — the largest single government investment in the company's 25-year history.
5. Venue Rentals: The 185-seat Karyn Jackson Theatre, Rose Room, and Rehearsal Hall/Recording Studio are available for rental for events, weddings, rehearsals, filming, and conferences, generating additional revenue.
6. Summer Education Programs: Youth theatre education programs (Stinky Feet Theatre Project, Fearless Shakespeare Intensive, Intermediate Musical Theatre Camp, Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop) charge tuition ranging from $750 to $1,000, with a presentation sponsor from the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation.
7. Travel Tours: The company organizes and sells Theatre Lovers' Trips — curated group travel experiences to NYC (September 2026 at $6,550 per person double occupancy, plus $950 tax-deductible donation) and London (2026). These include Broadway show tickets, accommodations, culinary experiences, and behind-the-scenes access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rubicon Theatre Company is a non-profit 501(c)(3) professional regional theatre that produces and presents live theatrical productions — including plays, musicals, and dramatic works — at its 185-seat Karyn Jackson Theatre in Ventura, California. It also offers season subscription packages, summer youth theatre education programs for ages 5–21, theatre venue rentals, VIP membership tiers, and curated travel experiences for theatre enthusiasts.

Product overview

Rubicon Theatre Company is a not-for-profit professional regional theatre offering a diverse portfolio of live theatrical productions, digital content, and education programs. Core offerings include mainstage plays and musicals presented at its 185-seat Karyn Jackson Theatre, along with season subscription packages with savings of 15%. The company produces digital content through three podcast/interview series: The Rubicon Experience Podcasts, Rubicon Connections, and Crossing the Rubicon. Youth education programs include four distinct summer tracks: Stinky Feet Theatre Project (ages 5-11), Fearless Shakespeare Intensive (ages 16-21), Intermediate Musical Theatre Camp (ages 12-15), and Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop. Additional offerings include the Jewel Club VIP membership, Legacy Society planned giving program, theatre rentals, travel packages for theatre enthusiasts, and gift cards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Theatrical Productions

Quantifiable outcome

• 175+ productions produced since 1998, including World Premieres that transferred to Off-Broadway and National Tours.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GoCityShopper.com / Local Link App (Media Partner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner providing promotional and advertising support for Rubicon productions. Represented by Jill Webb.
• 59E59 Theatre (New York)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRubicon's production of 'Crazy Mama' will begin previews on September 16 at 59E59 Theatre in New York. This is Rubicon's first Off-Broadway production as a company, marking a significant milestone in the company's development of new works.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Laguna Playhouse: Southern California non-profit regional theatre that has co-produced with Rubicon (The Best is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman). Comparable in programming model, intimate venue profile, and donor-supported operations.
• Geffen Playhouse: Westwood-based non-profit professional theatre presenting a season of plays, musicals, and new works. Comparable in award-winning productions, subscriber base, and California regional theatre audience profile, though operating at larger venue capacity.
• PCPA (Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts): Santa Maria-based professional regional theatre with a conservatory-style education program serving youth and pre-professional actors. Closely comparable to Rubicon in combining mainstage productions with structured youth training programs.
• South Coast Repertory: Costa Mesa-based professional non-profit regional theatre that produces a season of plays and musicals in multiple performance spaces. Closely comparable to Rubicon in scale, mission (new works + classics), subscriber model, and California donor ecosystem.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Bay Area Tony Award-winning non-profit regional theatre known for new works development and notable transfers to Broadway. Comparable in producing mission and donor-supported model, though operating at a larger scale and more national brand recognition.
• East West Players: L.A.-based non-profit professional theatre producing a season with a distinct cultural/mission focus. Comparable in intimate-venue regional theatre model, donor-supported operations, and award-recognized productions within the Southern California market.
• San Jose Stage Company: San Jose-based professional non-profit regional theatre producing a season of contemporary and classical works. Comparable in venue scale (240-seat), subscriber model, and California-based donor-supported operations.
• TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: Silicon Valley-based non-profit regional theatre producing new works and classics in the Bay Area. Comparable in producing model, world-premiere development focus, and subscriber-donor hybrid revenue structure, though serving a different California region.

Regional players

• Arizona Theatre Company: Statewide professional non-profit regional theatre producing a season across venues in Tucson and Phoenix. Comparable in producing model and donor-supported operations, though serving a different geographic market than Rubicon's Ventura base.

Broad incumbents

• Center Theatre Group: L.A.'s largest non-profit theatre operator running the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, and Kirk Douglas Theatre. Functions as the dominant incumbent in the same Southern California market, with significantly broader programming scale and donor network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rubicontheatre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkV_lbyF6LJLHQby8bxK5OQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/RubiconTheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/rubicontheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rubicon-theatre-company

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Rubicon Theatre Company