Albany Park Theater Project
Albany Park Theater Project is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) youth theater ensemble founded in 1997 that creates original ensemble-devised productions from verbatim community stories, serving immigrant and first-generation teens as performers and Chicago audiences through immersive and stage productions across 19 plays.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Albany Park Theater Project does
Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) youth theater ensemble founded in 1997 that creates original, ensemble-devised theatrical productions from verbatim stories collected through ethnographic interviews with residents of the Albany Park neighborhood. The organization is led by Co-Executive Directors David Feiner and Miguel Angel Rodriguez, with an 11-50 person staff that includes resident designers from Yale School of Drama, Georgetown, and Cambridge-trained associate directors, and a teen ensemble of approximately 60 performers. APTP's portfolio includes immersive productions staged in non-traditional spaces (Port of Entry in a 12,000-square-foot converted 1920s warehouse for 28-person audiences; Learning Curve in a shuttered Catholic school for 40-person audiences) alongside in-the-round stage works (Home/Land, Feast, God's Work, Ofrenda, Saffron, Homecoming, and the upcoming The American Project for summer 2026). The company has produced 19 plays seen by approximately 50,000 audience members over 18+ years.
The organization's core revenue mechanics blend earned and contributed income: sliding-scale ticket sales ($35-$140 for Port of Entry; $45/$15/$5 tiered pricing for The American Project) sold exclusively through the Arts People online platform, supplemented by foundation grants (Impact 100 Chicago $100K in 2015, Invest For Kids 2025, National Endowment for the Arts), individual donations through tiered giving circles, and a long-standing annual production partnership with Goodman Theatre. All teen ensemble participation is free, with paid artist wages totaling $200,000 to 60 teens in 2023, and the APTP@School program delivers free programming to 750 students across 5 Chicago Public Schools annually. Reported social outcomes include 60% of APTP teens becoming first-generation college graduates (4x the CPS average), alumni placement at Stanford, Georgetown, and DePaul, and sold-out immersive runs with audiences traveling from out of state.
Albany Park Theater Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Albany Park Theater Project
- Legal name
- Albany Park Theater Project
- Website
- https://aptpchicago.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Albany Park Theater Project is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) youth theater ensemble founded in 1997 that creates original ensemble-devised productions from verbatim community stories, serving immigrant and first-generation teens as performers and Chicago audiences through immersive and stage productions across 19 plays.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Albany Park Theater Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- 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), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)
Keywords
Where Albany Park Theater Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Albany Park Theater Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: APTP sells tickets to productions for general audiences, with sliding-scale pricing (Port of Entry: $35-$140; The American Project: $45 regular / $15 Albany Park residents / $5 CPS students). Revenue from ticket sales provides a primary earned income stream.
- Grants and Foundation Funding: APTP receives grant funding from organizations such as Invest For Kids (one of 10 grantees for 2025), Impact 100 Chicago ($100,000 grant), National Endowment for the Arts, and other foundations. These are major non-earned revenue sources.
- Donations and Individual Giving: APTP solicits charitable donations from individuals through its support page, with giving circles (Kimball Avenue, Lawrence Avenue, Kedzie Avenue) offering tiered benefits. All donations are tax-deductible as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission - Regular |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Albany Park Resident Discount |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | CPS Student Discount |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Port of Entry Sliding Scale |
| Freemium | — | Free Teen Programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Albany Park Theater Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Albany Park Theater Project is a nonprofit youth theater ensemble that creates original ensemble-devised theatrical productions based on verbatim community stories collected through ethnographic interviews with Albany Park (Chicago) residents. It stages immersive and stage productions performed largely by teenage ensemble members alongside adult artistic teams, including Port of Entry, Learning Curve, Home/Land, Feast, God's Work, Ofrenda, Saffron, Homecoming, Remote Learning Curve, and the upcoming The American Project. Beyond performances, it delivers free youth-development programs such as paid ensemble employment, college counseling, and academic mentorship.
Product overview
Albany Park Theater Project is a youth theater ensemble that creates original, ensemble-devised theater rooted in the lived experiences of immigrant, working-class, and first-generation communities. The organization produces multiple distinct theatrical productions annually, including immersive experiences like Port of Entry (performed across 12,000 sq ft in a converted warehouse) and Learning Curve (immersive school experience), as well as stage productions like Home/Land, Feast, God's Work, Ofrenda, and Saffron. Beyond performances, APTP offers complementary programs including APTP@School (free school-based programs), a college counseling program (with 60% first-generation college graduates), youth employment opportunities, and academic mentorship. Productions are created through a devising process based on interviews with community members and performed by teenage ensemble members alongside adult artistic teams.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Port of Entry An immersive theater production performed across 12,000 square feet in a converted 1920s warehouse in Chicago, where audiences of 28 are guided through apartment-style environments while high school students portray immigrants sharing real-life stories collected from Albany Park residents. Sold out multiple runs on sliding-scale pricing ($35-$140).
- Learning Curve An immersive theater production placing audiences inside a fictional Chicago public high school (Ellen Gates Starr High School), following students through daily experiences. Produced in partnership with Third Rail Projects and Goodman Theatre. Named one of Chicago Tribune's top 10 shows of 2016.
- Home/Land A politically-charged theater production about immigration, exploring the experiences of immigrants and first-generation Americans in Chicago communities. Performed nearly 50 times for more than 7,000 people since its January 2014 premiere, at APTP's home theater and at the Goodman Theatre.
- Feast A celebratory production featuring stories gathered from kitchens, restaurants, markets and food sources throughout multiethnic Chicago, exploring themes of heritage, migration, hunger, and cultural nourishment. Staged at APTP and Goodman Theatre.
- God's Work A dance and puppetry-fueled production about a young girl's escape from an abusive father, performed at the Goodman Theatre. Its 2014 staging was the catalyst for APTP's partnership with Third Rail Projects.
- Ofrenda A production featuring traditional and contemporary storytelling through performance and visual art.
- Saffron A production exploring cultural stories from Albany Park, inspired by the diverse communities in the neighborhood including Spanish, Armenian, Romanian, Vietnamese and Tagalog-speaking residents.
- Homecoming A celebration of resilience, culture, and belonging featuring stories from the Albany Park community.
- Remote Learning Curve A virtual theater project created in Spring 2021 using Zoom, memorializing the experience of remote learning during the COVID pandemic. Featured more than 50 Chicago students, teachers, and artists.
- The American Project A new APTP work in development set to premiere in summer 2026. A staged production performed on stage for seated audience in the round at the Laura Wiley Theater at Eugene Field Park. Tickets sold at general admission ($45 regular, $15 Albany Park residents, $5 CPS students).
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% of APTP teens become the first in their families to graduate college (4x the CPS average)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Albany Park Theater Project
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Albany Park Theater Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Albany Park Theater Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Chicago Public SchoolscoreAPTP partners with 5 Chicago Public Schools through its APTP@School program, engaging 750 students annually. Learning Curve was developed through interviews with CPS students, teachers, principals, counselors, parents, and education activists. The production served as a text study for CPS teachers.
- Third Rail ProjectscoreAPTP formed a collaboration with Third Rail Projects, a Brooklyn-based immersive theater ensemble (creators of 'Then She Fell'), beginning with a 2014 workshop and evolving into co-productions of Learning Curve (2016) and Port of Entry (2023). Nine co-directors from both companies led Port of Entry. The partnership combines APTP's community-rooted devising methodology with Third Rail's immersive theater expertise.
- Third Rail Projects (Then She Fell inspiration)minorAPTP co-executive director David Feiner and associate director Maggie Popadiak attended Third Rail Projects' 'Then She Fell' in 2013, which inspired the eventual collaboration. After seeing APTP's 'God's Work' at the Goodman Theatre, Third Rail's Jennine Willett was 'blown away' and became a super fan, leading to the workshop collaboration.
- Goodman TheatrecoreA longstanding partnership since 2008 has brought APTP productions to the Goodman Theatre stage annually. Nearly 10,000 new audience members have been introduced to APTP through this partnership. Productions include Home/Land, Feast, Learning Curve, and God s Work. The Goodman is Chicago's oldest and largest nonprofit producing theater and a Tony Award-winning regional company.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Albany Park Theater Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago-based Tony Award-winning regional theater producing original and contemporary work. Listed alongside APTP in the Chicago Tribune's 2016 Top 10 Shows. Comparable as a Chicago regional theater producing socially engaged original work, though at much larger scale and broader programming.
Direct peers
- Cornerstone Theater Company: Los Angeles-based community-engaged theater company that creates original productions through community-devised processes. Comparable in methodology (community-rooted devised work), mission (amplifying underrepresented voices), and nonprofit scale, though serving a different geography.
- Goodman Theatre: Chicago's oldest and largest nonprofit producing theater and APTP's longstanding annual production partner since 2008. Directly comparable as a regional theater producing original and ensemble-driven work, with overlapping audiences and shared productions including Home/Land and Learning Curve.
- Third Rail Projects: Brooklyn-based immersive theater ensemble and APTP's co-production partner on Learning Curve (2016) and Port of Entry (2023). Directly comparable as creators of immersive, site-specific theatrical experiences (Then She Fell) and the most natural creative peer for APTP's immersive methodology.
- Victory Gardens Theater: Chicago nonprofit theater focused on stories of social justice and diverse voices, named alongside APTP in the 2016 Chicago Tribune Top 10. Directly comparable as a mission-driven Chicago regional theater producing politically and socially engaged original work.
- Mosaic Theater Company of DC: Washington, D.C.-based theater producing original work centered on stories of immigration, identity, and social justice. Comparable mission and programming focus on immigrant narratives and community-devised theater, making it a strong thematic peer despite different geography.
Regional players
- Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago-based ensemble theater known for devised, physically innovative original work. Comparable as a Chicago ensemble theater producing original devised productions, though Lookingglass skews toward adult ensemble performers rather than youth.
- Penobscot Theatre Company: Regional theater producing original and ensemble work in Bangor, Maine. Comparable as a nonprofit regional theater producing original ensemble-devised work, but geographically distant and at a different scale.
Emerging players
- The TEAM: Brooklyn-based ensemble creating devised, documentary-driven theater exploring American identity. Comparable methodology (verbatim interviews, ensemble devising) and a similar scale of nonprofit ensemble operation, though without the youth-development mission.
- La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: New York-based nonprofit theater incubator supporting experimental, multicultural, and devised work. Comparable as a nonprofit producing original ensemble-devised work with diverse communities, though at a much longer operating history and broader program scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Albany Park Theater Project social profiles
Digital presenceAlbany Park Theater Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Albany Park Theater Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Albany Park Theater Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Albany Park Theater Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Albany Park Theater Project
What does Albany Park Theater Project do?
Albany Park Theater Project is a nonprofit youth theater ensemble that creates original ensemble-devised theatrical productions based on verbatim community stories collected through ethnographic interviews with Albany Park (Chicago) residents. It stages immersive and stage productions performed largely by teenage ensemble members alongside adult artistic teams, including Port of Entry, Learning Curve, Home/Land, Feast, God's Work, Ofrenda, Saffron, Homecoming, Remote Learning Curve, and the upcoming The American Project. Beyond performances, it delivers free youth-development programs such as paid ensemble employment, college counseling, and academic mentorship.
Is Albany Park Theater Project a public or private company?
Albany Park Theater Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Albany Park Theater Project founded?
Albany Park Theater Project was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Albany Park Theater Project based?
Albany Park Theater Project is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Albany Park Theater Project make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are grants and Foundation Funding and donations and Individual Giving.
Who are Albany Park Theater Project's main competitors?
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Cornerstone Theater Company, Goodman Theatre, Third Rail Projects, Victory Gardens Theater and Mosaic Theater Company of DC. Regional players are Lookingglass Theatre Company and Penobscot Theatre Company. Emerging players are The TEAM and La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club.
Does Albany Park Theater Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for Albany Park Theater Project.
What industry is Albany Park Theater Project in?
Albany Park Theater Project's product category is Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.