True Colors Theatre Company

What True Colors Theatre Company does

True Colors Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theatre company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, founded in 2002 by Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon and the late Jane Bishop. The company's core product is professional theatrical productions celebrating Black storytelling, staged primarily at the Southwest Arts Center (915 New Hope Road) where it holds Theatre Company in Residence status. Its programming is organized around four pillars: mainstage productions of works by Black playwrights; the Drinking Gourd consortium, a national network of Black theatres co-commissioning and co-premiering new works; the Next Narrative Monologue Competition, a national high school competition featuring contemporary African-American playwrights (scaled to 14 cities); and connectivity/community engagement programming through partnerships with MARTA, the Atlanta Beltline, and Home Depot Backyard. An education department delivers standards-based arts-integrated curriculum for 3rd-12th grade students, and the Four Directions Apprentice Company (with 7 Stages, ART Station, and Out Front Theatre Company) cultivates emerging arts professionals.

The business model is contribution-based, not commercial. Revenue derives from tax-deductible donations and contributions, foundation and corporate grants (Doris Duke Charitable Foundation $250K leadership grant, NEA $50K program grants, Mellon Foundation season sponsorship, Shubert Foundation, and others), corporate season sponsorships, and ticket sales at $20-$50 per seat with group discounts for 10+ attendees and special pricing for students, seniors, and HBCU/Greek week events. The technology stack is minimal: Salesforce-based ticketing and donation portals, MailChimp for email marketing, and standard social media channels. There is no app, no API, and no disclosed proprietary technology. The customer base spans Black theatre audiences in metro Atlanta, high school and college students in monologue competitions, Black playwrights supported through commissioning, and a broad national network of partner theatres and education partners.

Following the 2019-2020 leadership transition from Kenny Leon (now Artistic Director Emeritus) to Jamil Jude as Artistic Director, the company has expanded programmatic scope, particularly through the 2021 launches of the Drinking Gourd consortium and the Next Narrative Monologue Competition. The organization operates with 11-50 employees, has no parent company, and is governed by an independent board. Operational momentum is supported by an active 2025-2026 production calendar (including Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) and continued major foundation backing.

Name

True Colors Theatre Company

Legal name

True Colors Theatre Company

Website

https://truecolorstheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

True Colors Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theatre in Atlanta, founded in 2002, that produces Black storytelling through mainstage productions, the Drinking Gourd new play consortium, the Next Narrative Monologue Competition for students, and community engagement programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Regional theatre productions
• Youth monologue competitions
• Black play development
• Community engagement programming
• Arts education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, True Colors operates primarily on donations and contributions from patrons of the arts, theatre benefactors and performance attendees. All donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from theatrical performance tickets sold to general public. Ticket prices range from $20-$50 for individual performances with special group rates for parties of 10 or more.
3. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding from foundations including Mellon Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation ($250,000 Leadership Grant), National Endowment for the Arts ($50,000 grants), Bloomberg AIM grant, and corporate sponsors including Shubert Foundation, Actors Equity Foundation, and various local foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

True Colors Theatre Company is a nonprofit regional theatre that produces mainstage theatrical performances celebrating Black storytelling at the Southwest Arts Center in Atlanta, GA. Beyond live productions, the company operates the Drinking Gourd consortium for co-commissioning new works by Black playwrights, the Next Narrative Monologue Competition for high school students, community dialogue programming, and K-12 arts education curriculum.

Product overview

True Colors Theatre Company operates as a nonprofit theatre organization offering professional theatrical productions and community programs. The core product is live theatre featuring Black storytelling and works by Black playwrights. Key programs include The Drinking Gourd consortium (co-commissioning Black playwrights nationally), the Next Narrative Monologue Competition (youth theatre education), Community Conversations (civic dialogue programming), and Education Programs (K-12 arts integration). The company produces mainstage productions at Southwest Arts Center, develops new plays through consortium partnerships, and runs youth development initiatives. Productions range from classic works to contemporary plays by African-American writers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Next Narrative Monologue Competition: A national competition for high school students featuring works of contemporary African-American playwrights
• The Drinking Gourd
• True Talks
• The Next Narrative Monologue Competition (NNMC)
• True Colors Connectivity

Products and services

• Theatre Productions Professional theatrical performances celebrating Black storytelling, featuring works by Black playwrights and artists. Productions are staged at the Southwest Arts Center in Atlanta and include mainstage productions, play readings, and special performances. Aimed at Black audiences and the broader Atlanta metro community.
• The Drinking Gourd: Black Writers at Work A new play development consortium that commissions and premieres works by leading Black playwrights nationwide. The program creates a network of Black theatres linked in the shared goal to co-commission, co-develop, and co-premiere the work of Black artists. Targeted at Black playwrights and partner theatre companies.
• Next Narrative Monologue Competition A national competition for high school students featuring the works of contemporary African-American playwrights. Nurtures young talent by equipping students with tools and mentorship to foster success in theatre. The 13th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition (precursor program) started with 338 participants in October 2019.
• Community Conversations and True Talks
• Education Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 338 participants in 2020 August Wilson Monologue Competition, expanding from initial single-school launch to 14 cities nationwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Theatrical Rights WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2021Partnership to support the Next Narrative Monologue Competition, a new national True Colors program for high school students featuring works of contemporary African-American playwrights. Theatrical Rights Worldwide provides theatrical rights and support for the competition.
• The Atlanta OperaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2021Co-presented the Concert for Unity, a celebration of Atlanta's diversity through music on May 8 and 9, 2021. Partnership to create cross-disciplinary programming celebrating unity and diversity.
• The Hansberry ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2021Partnership to launch The Drinking Gourd: Black Writers at Work, a new play program that creates a network of Black theatres linked in the shared goal to co-commission, co-develop, and co-premiere the work of Black artists across the country.
• Four Directions Apprentice Company (7 Stages, ART Station, Out Front Theatre Company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2019Four professional metro Atlanta arts organizations created a new arts apprentice company to serve up-and-coming arts professionals. The mission is to cultivate emerging artists through an experiential learning training program. Over a year, apprentices rotate through all four companies while working with industry professionals across performance, administration, education, community engagement, and equity/diversity/inclusion areas.
• artEquityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2019Partnership for 2019 National Facilitator Training, providing professional development and training in equity and inclusion practices for arts professionals.
• MARTAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnectivity programming partnership bringing impactful programming to diverse audiences through transit-accessible locations and community outreach.
• Atlanta BeltlineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnectivity programming partnership collaborating to bring cultural programming to communities along the Atlanta Beltline corridor.
• Home Depot BackyardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership for connectivity programming bringing performances and events to diverse audiences through the Home Depot Backyard venue.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta-based regional theatre producing new works and classics, with strong educational programming and similar donor/foundation mix. Closest direct peer in the same metro and category.
• Penumbra Theatre Company: St. Paul-based nonprofit regional theatre with an explicit mission of exploring Black experience, running education programs and new-play development — directly comparable mission and programming model.
• National Black Theatre: NYC-based nonprofit producing Black storytelling with residency and new-work development programs. Directly comparable as a Black-focused producing organization with educational and community programming.
• The Classical Theatre of Harlem: NYC-based nonprofit producing theatre centered on Black voices and stories with free programming and education outreach — highly comparable mission and audience development approach.

Broad incumbents

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Large, established ensemble-based regional theatre with national new-play development programming and similar Tony-winning artistic lineage — a broader, more resourced incumbent operating in adjacent producing territory.
• Goodman Theatre: Major Chicago-based nonprofit regional theatre producing new plays and classics with significant educational outreach — comparable operating model, larger scale, broader repertoire.
• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Washington DC-area nonprofit theatre known for commissioning and developing new plays, with similar audience-development and equity-focused programming — overlapping model at slightly different scale and geography.
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Large-scale nonprofit regional theatre producing a multi-play season with deep education programming — comparable institutional structure and fundraising model at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Round House Theatre: Bethesda, MD-based nonprofit regional theatre producing new works and classics with strong education programs — comparable mid-sized nonprofit theatre with similar funding mix.

Emerging players

• Free Southern Black Theatre: Emerging Black-focused theatre producing new works rooted in the Black Southern experience — closely aligned mission and thematic programming, smaller scale and earlier stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kltruecolors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn6k7l0VaLXiG56Q0hXQ7tw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TrueColorsTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/true-colors-theatre-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/truecolortheatreatl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 True Colors Theatre Company