Shakespeare Dallas
Shakespeare Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that produces accessible indoor and outdoor Shakespeare theatre, year-round youth and adult education programs, and a podcast for North Texas audiences, sustained through ticket sales, tiered memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersDallas, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Shakespeare Dallas does
Shakespeare Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization (EIN #23-7227157) founded in 1972 by Dallas actor-director-producer Bob Glenn, operating continuously for over five decades and currently in its 54th season. The organization's core mission is to make Shakespeare accessible and affordable to North Texas audiences of all ages and backgrounds through indoor and outdoor theatre programming and integrated school education. The product portfolio centers on two flagship performance series — Shakespeare in the Park (outdoor summer/fall at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in East Dallas) and Shakespeare in the Round (indoor winter at Theatre Three's Norma Young Arena Stage in Uptown Dallas) — supplemented by a School and Youth Education program (summer camps, student matinees, touring Shakespeare on the Go!, Shakespeare Lab) launched in 1984, Adult Education programs added in 2006 (acting classes, book club, Quarto vs. Folio), and the Shakespeare Decoded podcast launched in 2021.
The underlying "technology" is live classical theatre production with classically trained actors, supported by standard digital channels (website, email newsletter, social, podcast) and a TicketSpice online storefront for ticket and value-pack distribution. The company maintains a small staff (described as a small but dynamic team) performing roles spanning artistic direction, production management, casting, marketing/patron services, company management, and development.
Revenue is diversified across five streams: ticket sales (single tickets, value packs, season subscriptions); memberships (eight tiers from $50 Apprentice to $4,000 Platinum, partially tax-deductible); individual donations; corporate/foundation sponsorships (Arts Midwest, Harold Simmons Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, and Dallas Tourism PID at the $25,000+ tier, plus smaller grants including a TACA grant dated 2024-06-07); and summer camp and education program fees. Pricing is explicitly positioned as affordable (general admission around $20 or less per person, $7 monitored parking, 10% group discount for 10+ patrons). Geographic scope is regional — the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex — with annual attendance typically exceeding 30,000 and the school program having cumulatively served over 500,000 students since 1984.
Shakespeare Dallas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shakespeare Dallas
- Legal name
- Shakespeare Dallas
- Website
- https://shakespearedallas.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Shakespeare Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that produces accessible indoor and outdoor Shakespeare theatre, year-round youth and adult education programs, and a podcast for North Texas audiences, sustained through ticket sales, tiered memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shakespeare Dallas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)
Keywords
Where Shakespeare Dallas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dallas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Shakespeare Dallas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets, value packs, and season subscriptions for Shakespeare in the Park outdoor performances and indoor winter productions at Theatre Three's Norma Young Arena Stage.
- Memberships: Annual memberships offering benefits including early entry, reserved seating, merchandise discounts, and access to member-only events. Ranges from $50 (Apprentice) to $4,000 (Platinum).
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting the nonprofit mission. EIN # 23-7227157.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors at various tiers ($25,000+ to $500+) including Arts Midwest, Harold Simmons Foundation, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, and others.
- Summer Camp Fees: Revenue from youth summer theatre camps for grades 2-12, including two-week and one-week programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Apprentice Membership for patrons 35 and younger |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Dual Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Family Membership for Four |
| Subscription | Annual | Family Membership for Six |
| Subscription | Annual | Bronze Benefactor |
| Subscription | Annual | Silver Benefactor |
| Subscription | Annual | Gold Benefactor |
| Subscription | Annual | Platinum Benefactor |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Group Sales |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Parking |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Shakespeare Dallas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shakespeare Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional performing arts organization that produces and presents indoor and outdoor theater performances of Shakespeare's works and related plays for North Texas audiences. Its flagship offerings are Shakespeare in the Park — a free/affordable outdoor summer and fall production series at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre — and Shakespeare in the Round — an indoor winter production series at Theatre Three's Norma Young Arena Stage. The organization also delivers integrated school and youth education programs (summer camps, student matinees, Shakespeare on the Go! touring productions, Shakespeare Lab workforce-development apprenticeships), adult education programming (acting classes, book club, Quarto vs. Folio), a tiered membership program, the Shakespeare Decoded podcast, and corporate/individual sponsorship opportunities.
Product overview
Shakespeare Dallas is a performing arts organization offering a multi-program portfolio centered around making Shakespeare accessible to all North Texans. The core offerings include Shakespeare in the Park (outdoor summer/fall performances at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre) and Shakespeare in the Round (indoor winter productions at Theatre Three). Educational products include School and Youth Programs (summer camps, student matinees, Shakespeare on the Go! touring productions, and the Shakespeare Lab workforce development initiative), along with Adult Education (acting classes, book club, and the Quarto vs. Folio program). The organization also produces the Shakespeare Decoded podcast and offers a Membership Program with various benefit tiers. These programs work together to provide year-round access to theatrical programming and arts education for all ages and backgrounds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shakespeare in the Park Shakespeare Dallas's flagship outdoor summer and fall theater series, presenting fully produced Shakespeare plays with classically trained actors at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in East Dallas; intended for the general public and families in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
- Shakespeare in the Round Indoor winter theater series held at Theatre Three's Norma Young Arena Stage in Uptown Dallas, offering intimate in-the-round theatrical productions for year-round accessibility beyond the outdoor summer season.
- Summer Camps Six summer theater camps for grades 2-12 spanning two-week and one-week formats, covering acting, performance, and classical theater skills for youth participants.
- School and Youth Education Programs In-person and digital educational programming for North Texas students in grades 2-12, including summer camps, student matinees, Shakespeare on the Go! touring productions, Shakespeare Lab, Educator Training, and Custom Programming; curriculum is TEKS-aligned and supports 30,000+ annual attendees plus 500,000+ students served since 1984.
- Shakespeare Lab Education and workforce development initiative providing real pathways for young people through confidence, communication, leadership, and career-ready skills training, including Shakespeare Lab Mainstage (free training and performance for high school students) and Shakespeare Lab Apprenticeships (paid, mentored apprenticeships in acting, technical theatre, and production roles in partnership with Dallas College during summer).
- Shakespeare Decoded Podcast Long-form podcast exploring social issues in Shakespeare's day and connecting them to the modern world with guest panelists from across the country; available on Anchor.fm, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
- Adult Education Community engagement programming for adults including acting classes, a monthly book club discussing the current season's plays led by Executive & Artistic Director Jenni Stewart, and the Quarto vs. Folio educational lecture-performance program.
- Membership Program Annual membership program with eight tiered levels — $50 Apprentice (under 35), $70 Individual, $130 Dual, $200 Family of Four, $250 Family of Six, $500 Bronze Benefactor, $1,000 Silver Benefactor, $2,000 Gold Benefactor, and $4,000 Platinum Benefactor — providing early entry, reserved seating, merchandise discounts, member-only events, and tax-deductible portions ranging from $120 to $3,880.
- Value Packs Multi-show ticket packages sold through the TicketSpice ticketing platform that provide volume discounts for patrons wanting to attend multiple Shakespeare in the Park performances in a single season.
- Shakespeare on the Go! Fast-paced 45-minute touring production featuring scenes from three plays with games, context, and a Q&A, aligned to TEKS for school performances; bookable by North Texas schools through the Shakespeare Dallas website.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30,000+ annual attendees
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Shakespeare Dallas
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Shakespeare Dallas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shakespeare Dallas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Play On ShakespearecoreCommunity partner providing support for Shakespeare Dallas productions and educational programs. Listed as special thanks on supporter page.
- Theatre ThreecoreIn-kind supporter providing venue for Shakespeare in the Round winter productions at the Norma Young Arena Stage in Uptown Dallas.
- Dallas CollegecoreEducational partner for Shakespeare Lab Apprenticeships offering paid, mentored apprenticeships in acting, technical theatre, and production roles during summer season.
- Tom ThumbminorGood Neighbor Program allowing customers to link their Reward cards to Shakespeare Dallas account, with a percentage of purchases donated to the organization.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shakespeare Dallas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oregon Shakespeare Festival: One of the largest and oldest professional Shakespeare-focused regional theater companies in the U.S., producing a multi-play repertory season and extensive education programs. Directly comparable to Shakespeare Dallas in mission, repertoire focus, and education/community programming, though at significantly larger scale.
- Houston Shakespeare Festival: Annual free outdoor Shakespeare festival in Houston (Miller Outdoor Theatre) produced by the University of Houston. Closest geographic and format analog to Shakespeare Dallas's Shakespeare in the Park, sharing free outdoor Shakespeare performance, education programming, and Texas regional positioning.
- Austin Shakespeare: Central Texas professional Shakespeare company producing both outdoor and indoor productions with a year-round schedule and an education/community outreach arm. Comparable to Shakespeare Dallas in scope, format mix, and Texas-market focus.
- Utah Shakespeare Festival: Long-running (since 1962) professional Shakespeare repertory festival producing a multi-play season, education programs, and summer/fall outdoor-and-indoor formats. Comparable in repertoire focus, education programming, and season structure, though larger in scale.
- Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Boston-based nonprofit producing free Shakespeare on the Common and year-round programming with a strong education/outreach arm. Closely comparable in event-driven free outdoor Shakespeare format, education programming, and nonprofit community-theater positioning.
- Atlanta Shakespeare Company: Professional Shakespeare-only theater in Atlanta producing a season of plays and education programs. Comparable in single-playwright focus (Shakespeare) and nonprofit regional theater model.
- Nashville Shakespeare Festival: Tennessee-based nonprofit producing an annual free outdoor Shakespeare in the Park festival and indoor winter productions with education programming. Nearly identical operational model to Shakespeare Dallas: free outdoor summer + indoor winter + youth education + donor/sponsor-funded nonprofit.
Broad incumbents
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater: Major regional theater on Navy Pier producing Shakespeare alongside other works with deep education and community engagement programs. Operates in the same theater category as Shakespeare Dallas but at substantially larger scale and with a broader repertoire.
- The Public Theater (Free Shakespeare in the Park): New York-based nonprofit operating the iconic Free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The defining national benchmark for free outdoor Shakespeare; comparable in free outdoor Shakespeare production and education/community mission, though with a much larger budget and New York audience base.
Emerging players
- Play On Shakespeare: Nonprofit organization supporting contemporary translations and adaptations of Shakespeare's works for modern audiences, including performance-ready texts. Listed as a community partner of Shakespeare Dallas and thematically aligned in advancing modern Shakespeare production and education.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shakespeare Dallas social profiles
Digital presenceShakespeare Dallas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shakespeare Dallas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Shakespeare Dallas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shakespeare Dallas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shakespeare Dallas
What does Shakespeare Dallas do?
Shakespeare Dallas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional performing arts organization that produces and presents indoor and outdoor theater performances of Shakespeare's works and related plays for North Texas audiences. Its flagship offerings are Shakespeare in the Park — a free/affordable outdoor summer and fall production series at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre — and Shakespeare in the Round — an indoor winter production series at Theatre Three's Norma Young Arena Stage. The organization also delivers integrated school and youth education programs (summer camps, student matinees, Shakespeare on the Go! touring productions, Shakespeare Lab workforce-development apprenticeships), adult education programming (acting classes, book club, Quarto vs. Folio), a tiered membership program, the Shakespeare Decoded podcast, and corporate/individual sponsorship opportunities.
Is Shakespeare Dallas a public or private company?
Shakespeare Dallas is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Shakespeare Dallas founded?
Shakespeare Dallas was founded in 1972. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Shakespeare Dallas based?
Shakespeare Dallas is headquartered in Dallas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shakespeare Dallas make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are memberships, individual Donations, corporate Sponsorships and summer Camp Fees.
Who are Shakespeare Dallas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Houston Shakespeare Festival, Austin Shakespeare, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Atlanta Shakespeare Company and Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Broad incumbents are Chicago Shakespeare Theater and The Public Theater (Free Shakespeare in the Park). Play On Shakespeare is listed as an emerging player.
Does Shakespeare Dallas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shakespeare Dallas.
What industry is Shakespeare Dallas in?
Shakespeare Dallas's product category is Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama), with a secondary code of EDAMAAAG, Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater). Its NAICS code is 711110 and its SIC code is 8200.