Imagination Stage

What Imagination Stage does

Imagination Stage is a Bethesda, Maryland-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) theatre arts organization founded in 1979 (originally as Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts) that delivers performing-arts education and professional theatre programming for children and youth ages 1-18. Its core products span five revenue streams: professional theatre productions staged in the 364-seat Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Theatre and the 142-seat Christopher and Dana Reeve Studio Theatre at its Auburn Avenue headquarters; year-round classes and summer camps in acting, musical theatre, dance, and filmmaking offered in Bethesda, Rockville, and Northwest DC; in-school residencies and after-school enrichment (the At Your School program) delivered across Montgomery County and all DC wards; the Theatre for Change social-justice program with specialized tracks for immigrant youth (Óyeme), justice-involved youth (Voices Beyond Bars), and DC police cadets; and the Access & Inclusion programs including the Pegasus conservatory for students with disabilities and ASL-bilingual classes. The organization also rents its theatre, studio, and gallery spaces for external events and operates a nationally touring Educational Theatre program focused on mental health awareness, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. The underlying delivery model is human-capital-intensive professional teaching artistry rather than technology-mediated, with curriculum described as a "theatre arts education methodology combining performing arts training with positive youth development principles."

The organization's go-to-market is hybrid direct-to-consumer and institutional. Consumer-facing channels include the imaginationstage.org website with integrated class registration and ticket purchasing, email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), and earned media (Washington Post, WAMU). Institutional channels operate through partnerships with Montgomery County Public Schools and DC Public Schools (including Title I third-grade classrooms through Learning Through Theatre DC), county and municipal health/human services agencies, juvenile justice facilities, and specialized schools such as Ivymount, Kennedy Krieger, Lourie Center, BroadFutures, and the Auburn School. Pricing for tickets starts at $15 with dynamic pricing and group discounts scaling to 25% off for 100+ tickets; subscription bundles range from a $64 Bear Cub 3-Pack to a $155 All Access 7-Pack; space rentals range from $75/hour (board room) to $465/hour (Main Gallery). Financial aid, tuition assistance, school-employee discounts, and payment plans broaden access.

Revenue is a mix of earned income (tuition, ticket sales, space rentals, fee-for-service educational programming) and contributed income (individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and government arts funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Montgomery County Government, and FEMA). Imagination Stage serves as both a producing theatre company — commissioning new works for young audiences annually, atypical in the children's theatre sector — and as a community-impact nonprofit, reaching over 75 locations across DC and Montgomery County with measurable programs including the Cadets Program (nearly 200 cadets served) and the 10 Seconds tour (30+ schools, 14 community centers).

Name

Imagination Stage

Legal name

Imagination Stage Inc.

Website

https://imaginationstage.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Imagination Stage is a Bethesda, Maryland-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) theatre arts organization delivering professional productions, classes, summer camps, and community programs for children and youth ages 1-18 across the DC and Montgomery County region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education / Children's Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610), 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 & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE), Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)

Keywords

• Theatre arts education
• Youth performing arts
• Children's theatre productions
• Arts education classes
• Community theatre programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethesda

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from professional theatre productions and ticket packages for family audiences
2. Class and Camp Tuition: Year-round classes and summer camp fees for acting, musical theatre, dance, filmmaking, and early childhood programs
3. Educational Theatre Services: Fee-for-service educational theatre programming delivered to schools, supported by Kaiser Permanente grant funding
4. Donations and Grants: Philanthropic contributions from individual donors, foundations, and government arts agencies including Montgomery County Government, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts
5. Space Rentals: Rental revenue from theatre spaces including the Lerner Family Theatre, Reeve Studio Theatre, and various studios for events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Imagination Stage produces professional children's theatre performances and delivers year-round performing arts education (acting, musical theatre, dance, filmmaking) for youth ages 1-18 through classes, summer camps, conservatories, in-school residencies, and Theatre for Change social-justice community programs. The organization operates from a dedicated Bethesda, Maryland facility housing two theatre spaces and serves over 75 locations across the D.C. metropolitan area.

Product overview

Imagination Stage is a holistic theatre arts organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of performing arts education and professional theatre products for children and youth ages 1-18. The core offerings include: Professional Theatre Productions (mainstage shows in the Lerner Family Theatre and intimate productions in the Reeve Studio Theatre); Year-round Theatre Classes and Summer Camps covering acting, musical theatre, dance, and filmmaking; Performance Ensembles and Conservatories for advanced training; Theatre for Change (social justice programming with Óyeme, Voices Beyond Bars, Cadets Program); At Your School in-school residencies; Educational Theatre national touring productions on mental health (Empathy Quest, Ghosted, RISE UP) supported by Kaiser Permanente; Access and Inclusion Programs including Pegasus conservatory for students with disabilities; and Space Rentals. The organization operates from its Bethesda, MD facility and serves over 75 locations across DC wards and Montgomery County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Theatre Productions Professional theatre productions for young audiences featuring adapted books, classic works, and contemporary stories performed in the Lerner Family Theatre (364 seats) and Reeve Studio Theatre (142 seats) at the Bethesda campus. Aimed at families and children ages 1-18.
• Theatre Classes (Acting, Musical Theatre, Dance, Filmmaking) Year-round theatre arts classes for ages 1-18 covering acting, musical theatre, dance, and filmmaking disciplines, with options for all abilities including access and inclusion classes. Designed for children and youth seeking performing arts education.
• Summer Camps One to four-week summer camps for ages 4-18 in Bethesda, Rockville, and Northwest DC, covering acting, musical theatre, dance, filmmaking, and performance disciplines. Includes extended care and early childhood options.
• Performance Ensembles and Conservatories Advanced pre-professional training programs for youth including IStage Performance Ensemble, Speak Out On Stage Ensemble, IStage Dance Theatre, Teen Improv Troupe, Acting Conservatory, Musical Theatre Conservatory, Dance Academy, and Pegasus (for students with disabilities). Provides pathways from beginner to pre-professional training.
• Theatre for Change Program Social justice theatre program using productions and educational workshops to bridge cultural divides and lift up underrepresented voices, including Óyeme (for immigrant youth), Voices Beyond Bars (for incarcerated youth), the Cadets Program, and Youth and Police Partnership. Targets vulnerable youth populations including immigrant youth and incarcerated youth.
• At Your School (In-School Residencies) Arts integration and theatre arts residencies delivered at schools by professional teaching artists, including specialized programming for special education classrooms. Designed for K-12 schools seeking arts integration partnerships.
• Educational Theatre (National Tour) Mental health-focused educational theatre programming for schools including Empathy Quest, RISE UP, and Ghosted, supported by Kaiser Permanente and offered at no cost to schools. Targets students and educators with critical health messages using live theatre.
• Access and Inclusion Programs Inclusive programming for students with cognitive, developmental, and/or physical disabilities, including Pegasus (two-year conservatory), Pegasus Jr., and ASL Bilingual classes. Designed for students with disabilities and their families.
• Space Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 75 locations across all DC wards and Montgomery County served through community programming
• +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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kaiser PermanentecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Kaiser Permanente has partnered with Imagination Stage to use the power of live theatre to deliver critical health messages to students and educators. The partnership focuses on mental health awareness for the 2026-2027 school year, including Empathy Quest interactive play, Ghosted production, and RISE UP professional development. All programs are offered at NO COST to schools.
• DC Police FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Lead partner in the Cadets Program with District of Columbia's Metropolitan Police Department: Cadet Corps. Uses creative arts training to support cadet's public speaking, teamwork, and leadership skills. Project also supported by Wells Fargo, DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, and The Children's Theatre Foundation of America.
• Montgomery County Department of Health & Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partnership for the Óyeme program (translated as 'Hear Me' in Spanish), an intensive series of educational workshops for immigrant youth offered through in-school programs. The program provides a creative arts outlet in a trauma-informed manner using theatre and arts activities to create community among participants.
• The Ivymount SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized arts residency experiences designed and implemented for students with special needs.
• Kennedy Krieger School (Rockville Campus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized arts residency experiences designed and implemented for students with developmental disabilities.
• The Lourie Center for Children's Social and Emotional WellnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for specialized arts programming focused on social and emotional wellness.
• BroadFuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized arts residency experiences for neurodiverse young adults.
• The Auburn School (Silver Spring)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized arts residency experiences for students with language-based learning differences.
• Maryland Department of Juvenile ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Voices Beyond Bars program delivering theatre workshops at juvenile detention facilities.
• Montgomery County Correctional FacilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Voices Beyond Bars program delivering theatre workshops for incarcerated youth.
• Street Outreach NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Voices Beyond Bars programming.
• Concord Theatricals Corp.coreTechnology or IntegrationLicenses professional productions including Pete the Cat for Imagination Stage's theatre season.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Coterie Theatre: The Coterie Theatre is a Kansas City-based professional TYA company known for commissioning and producing new works for young audiences, with educational programming. Directly comparable in commissioning-driven content model and education vertical.
• First Stage: First Stage is a Milwaukee-based professional children's theatre and academy that produces mainstage TYA productions, runs a conservatory, and operates in-school programming. Closely comparable in combining professional theatre with structured youth training and community engagement.
• The New Victory Theater: New Victory is a New York-based TYA presenting and producing organization that commissions new works, offers in-school residencies, and runs extensive access programs for underserved youth. Highly comparable operating model combining professional productions, education, and community engagement.
• Seattle Children's Theatre: Seattle Children's Theatre is a professional TYA producing house with in-house classes, camps, and outreach programs. Among the largest U.S. children's theatres with a comparable season-driven programming model and education vertical.
• Adventure Theatre MTC: Adventure Theatre MTC is a direct local peer: another professional children's theatre and theatre education organization in the DC/Bethesda metro that produces TYA productions and offers year-round classes and camps. Closest comparable in geographic market, mission, and programming mix.
• Atlantic Theater Company / Atlantic Acting School: Atlantic Theater Company operates a TYA programming line and the Atlantic Acting School with youth classes. Comparable in combining professional productions with structured youth conservatory training.
• Nashville Children's Theatre (Nashville Children's Theatre, a division of TPAC): Nashville Children's Theatre is a professional TYA company producing mainstage productions with associated education and outreach. Comparable in production cadence, education programming, and community-focused mission.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Berkeley Rep is a major LORT theatre with a substantial education and devised-work program for youth, including school residencies. Joanne Lamparter previously administered programs there. Comparable in youth education programming and new-work development, though broader in artistic scope.
• Alliance Theatre: Alliance Theatre in Atlanta is a large regional theatre with a robust TYA programming line, school residencies, and education department. Comparable in professional TYA production, age-appropriate programming, and community outreach, though broader in overall scope.

Regional players

• Round House Theatre: Round House Theatre is a professional LORT theatre also based in Bethesda, MD, with an education department serving youth through classes and student productions. Operates in the same regional market with overlapping educational programming and shared donor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@imaginationstage
• Facebookfacebook.com/imaginationstage
• Instagraminstagram.com/imaginationstage
• Xx.com/I_Stage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Imagination Stage