Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

What Ordway Center for the Performing Arts does

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue located at 345 Washington Street in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota, operating continuously since opening in 1985 (40 years in 2025). The facility comprises two auditoriums — a 1,900-seat Music Theater and a 1,100-seat Concert Hall opened in 2015 — equipped with recently upgraded Meyer Sound line array and LINA audio systems, LED intelligent lighting, and MERV-13 HVAC filtration funded in part by a $3.9M federal grant secured in 2023. The Ordway's core product lines are Broadway @ the Ordway (a subscription touring-Broadway series), Ordway Presents (concerts, comedy, and dance), and the annual Flint Hills Family Festival (cumulative attendance above 1 million since 2001). Supporting offerings include subscription packages, group sales (10+), digital ticket lottery, rush tickets for students and educators, a mobile app for ticketing, school field-trip programs with bus reimbursement serving 10,000+ students annually, and venue rentals.

The organization generates revenue across five streams: ticket sales ($15–$165+ per ticket depending on show and seat tier), corporate sponsorships (Old National Bank as Broadway Series Sponsor; Flint Hills Resources as Festival Sponsor; Star Tribune as media partner), individual donations, foundation and government grants (Minnesota State Arts Board, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, Knight Foundation, Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment), and venue rentals. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the boxoffice.ordway.org website, phone, and the Ordway mobile app, with no third-party reseller channel. The Ordway is one of four Arts Partnership organizations — alongside Minnesota Opera, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Schubert Club — that collectively govern and maintain the venue.

The Ordway serves a broad customer base spanning individual theatergoers, families, school groups, corporate sponsors, and touring producers. Its audiences are concentrated regionally (Minnesota and the upper Midwest), with a customer footprint described as 'Minnesota's very own Broadway.' Leadership is provided by President and CEO Chris Harrington, with Ashley Ryan as Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Tanya Gertz as Vice President of Programming and Community Impact, and Terese Fasbender as Director of Institutional Relations.

Name

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Legal name

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Website

https://ordway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) venue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, operating a 1,900-seat Music Theater and 1,100-seat Concert Hall since 1985, presenting touring Broadway, concerts, and the annual Flint Hills Family Festival for regional audiences, schools, and families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Broadway touring productions
• Live entertainment programming
• Arts education programs
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from ticket sales to Broadway shows, concerts, and other performances at the Music Theater (1,900 seats) and Concert Hall (1,100 seats). Ticket prices range from $15-$165+ depending on show and seating tier.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships where companies like Old National Bank (Broadway Series Sponsor), Flint Hills Resources (Festival Sponsor), and others receive prominent branding, hospitality, and marketing benefits.
3. Foundation and Government Grants: Support from foundations including Minnesota State Arts Board, Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation, Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, and government funding through Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.
4. Individual Donations: Donations from individuals and organizations supporting musical theater, dance, comedy, concerts, and educational programs. The Ordway is a community-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
5. Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting the venue spaces for performances, events, and productions through the Venue Rentals program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue in Saint Paul, Minnesota that presents touring Broadway musicals, concerts, comedy, and dance performances in its 1,900-seat Music Theater and 1,100-seat Concert Hall. It supplements its programming with education programs for schools, the annual Flint Hills Family Festival, venue rentals, and individual/corporate/foundation fundraising support.

Product overview

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts operates as a nonprofit performing arts venue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, offering live entertainment through two primary product lines: the Broadway @ the Ordway Series featuring touring Broadway musicals in the 1,900-seat Music Theater, and the Ordway Presents series showcasing concerts, comedy, and dance performances. The flagship Flint Hills Family Festival provides an annual multi-day celebration with ticketed indoor performances and free outdoor programming. Supporting products include subscription packages, group tickets, digital lottery, rush tickets for students, a mobile app for ticketing, educational programs for schools, and venue rental options. The venue operates two performance spaces: the 1,900-seat Music Theater and the 1,100-seat Concert Hall.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Broadway at the Ordway: Subscription series featuring Broadway productions
• Flint Hills Family Festival
• Sally Awards

Products and services

• Broadway @ the Ordway Series Subscription series featuring touring Broadway musical productions such as SIX, Dirty Dancing: The Musical, The Music Man, and Oh, Mary! in the 1,900-seat Ordway Music Theater.
• Ordway Presents Curated performances including concerts, comedy, dance, and special events presented in the Ordway Music Theater and Concert Hall, featuring artists such as Branford Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, and the Hot Sardines.
• Flint Hills Family Festival Annual two-day family festival with free outdoor performances, ticketed indoor shows, and arts activities; includes School Week for field trips and Family Weekend open to the public, having welcomed over one million attendees since inception.
• Subscription Packages Season subscription packages offering discounted tickets and exclusive benefits for Broadway @ the Ordway and Ordway Presents performances, with options to pick multiple shows.
• Education Programs School field trips with bus reimbursement, Artists in the Schools, Beyond the Stage programming, and Festival School Week, providing arts and cultural educational experiences for students.
• Venue Rentals Rental of the Ordway Music Theater (1,900 seats) and Concert Hall (1,100 seats) for external events, productions, and special occasions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people have experienced Flint Hills Family Festival since 2001
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and supporting.

• Flint Hills ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Long-standing partnership since 2001 producing the annual Flint Hills Family Festival. Flint Hills Resources provides major funding and support, with 20+ year partnership. Festival has welcomed over 1 million people since inception. Flint Hills Resources Director of Community Affairs participates in festival planning.
• Minnesota OperacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Arts Partnership organizations that collaboratively share and maintain the Ordway venue. Minnesota Opera and Ordway co-present programming including NOOMA opera for babies.
• Saint Paul Chamber OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Arts Partnership organizations (along with Minnesota Opera, Ordway, and Schubert Club) that strategically work together to equitably share and effectively care for the Ordway Center. SPCO performs at the venue.
• Schubert ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Arts Partnership organizations sharing the Ordway venue. The Ordway was honored alongside Schubert Club with the Sally Awards Arts Legacy award recognizing their mutual impact on Minnesota's arts community.
• Old National BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadway at the Ordway Series Sponsor. Major corporate sponsor receiving prominent branding across Broadway series marketing, programs, and events. Series includes major touring productions like SIX, Dirty Dancing, and Oh, Mary!
• Arts PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance comprised of Minnesota Opera, Ordway, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Schubert Club, working collaboratively to equitably share and effectively care for the Ordway Center for Performing Arts. Received $3.9 million federal grant in 2023 for roof repairs and technical upgrades.
• LionsgatemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of Dirty Dancing: The Musical, which will launch its North American Tour at the Ordway August 12-September 6, 2026. Working with Showpath Entertainment Limited and Magic Hour Productions.
• Star TribunemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Partner for Broadway at the Ordway series. Major newspaper providing media coverage and promotional support for performances.
• Travelers InsurancesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for Mystic Pizza musical production. Corporate sponsorship providing marketing support and branding for the production.
• BLAZE Credit UnionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for The Music Man holiday production. Regional credit union supporting performing arts in the community.
• The Dakota Jazz ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting partner for Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves: Live at the Ordway jazz concert. Premier jazz venue in the Twin Cities area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guthrie Theater: Minneapolis-based flagship regional theater with a comparable large-scale performance venue serving overlapping Twin Cities arts audiences, donor pool, and corporate sponsors as the Ordway.
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Major Rocky Mountain regional performing arts complex combining Broadway touring presentations with resident companies, education programs, and venue rentals — closely analogous in business model to the Ordway.
• The Smith Center for the Performing Arts: Las Vegas-based nonprofit performing arts center presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and education programs in a multi-venue configuration with similar presenter-driven programming and community engagement model.
• Blumenthal Performing Arts: Charlotte, NC-based operator of multiple performance venues (Belk Theater, Knight Theater, Booth Playhouse) presenting Broadway tours, concerts, and education programs at a similar operational scale and programming mix.
• Hennepin Arts (Orpheum, State, Pantages theatres): Operates the major Broadway and concert venues in downtown Minneapolis, directly competing for the same Twin Cities Broadway touring audience, corporate sponsors, and group ticket buyers that the Ordway serves across the river in Saint Paul.
• Overture Center for the Arts: Multi-venue performing arts center in Madison, WI that books Broadway tours, concerts, and family programming in a similar mid-size Midwest market with comparable operating scale, programming mix, and education/community engagement model.
• Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts: Miami-based nonprofit PAC operating large-scale touring Broadway and concert programming, with similar reliance on corporate sponsorship, foundation grants, and donor support, and a comparable multi-venue operating structure.
• Wharton Center for Performing Arts: Michigan State University-affiliated PAC hosting Broadway touring series, concerts, and educational programming in a comparable mid-size market with a similar venue-driven, presenter-led business model.

Broad incumbents

• Kennedy Center: National flagship performing arts center with overlapping presenter/education functions at significantly larger scale; relevant as a broad incumbent whose touring and educational partnerships set the national standard the Ordway operates beneath.
• Lincoln Center: National-scale performing arts complex combining Broadway-style presenting with resident companies; comparable as a multi-venue presenter model but operating at substantially greater scale and brand reach than the Ordway.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theordway
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ordwaycenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/ordwaycenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_ordway
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ordway-center-for-the-performing-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts