Hippodrome
The Hippodrome State Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the designated State Theatre of Florida, operating a 276-seat thrust-stage theatre, 75-seat cinema, and art gallery in Gainesville to serve 60,000+ annual mainstage attendees and 20,000+ cinema patrons across North Florida through productions, education, and community programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersGainesville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hippodrome does
The Hippodrome State Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1972 and officially established on April 18, 1973, in Gainesville, Florida. Designated as the State Theatre of Florida in 1981, it operates from a restored historic Federal Building at 25 SE 2nd Place, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The organization delivers professional live theatre, independent and foreign film programming, arts education, and community engagement programs to the North Florida region. Its core products include six annual mainstage productions on a 276-seat thrust-stage serving 60,000+ attendees, a 75-seat cinema running 700+ screenings per year with 1,000 members and 20,000+ patrons, summer theatre camps for youth, the Lend Me Your Ears community collaboration program, and an art gallery hosting Florida artists. The Hippodrome also rents its venue for private events and produces specialty programming including jazz, improv, and the Hipp 6 Podcast.
The organization's revenue model is multi-stream and diversified across earned and contributed income. Earned revenue sources include ticket sales (individual, Flex Passes, Season Passes), $25 annual Cinema Memberships, $285 youth summer camps, and venue rentals including Sip and Stroll tours at $25 per attendee. Contributed revenue flows through individual donations, tiered corporate sponsorships (Season Producer $50,000+ down to Performance level), planned giving vehicles (bequests, gift annuities, stock gifts), the Leading Ladies Giving Circle at $1,000 annually, and grant funding from the NEA and Florida Humanities. The Collier Challenge, launched in 2019 with Nathan S. Collier as the matching donor, provides $100,000/year in matched community pledges through 2029. Distribution is regional and direct-to-consumer via box office, website, and phone reservations, with the marketing mix spanning email newsletters, organic social, community partnerships, and earned media.
The Hippodrome maintains a workforce of approximately 20 named staff across administration, artistic and production, and front of house functions, supplemented by professional teaching artists and contractors. Management includes a Consulting Producing Director (Evans Haile), Managing and Education Director (Gabrielle Byam), Cinema Director (Naheed Mojadidi), Communications Director (Chris Bailey), and Board President Michael Curry. The organization's technology infrastructure is minimal and traditional, relying on Squarespace for web presence, Constant Contact for email, Wufoo for camp registration, and a Squarespace-based ticketing system at purchase.thehipp.org, with no disclosed AI/ML, API, or proprietary technology capabilities.
Hippodrome firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hippodrome
- Legal name
- Hippodrome State Theatre
- Website
- https://thehipp.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Hippodrome State Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the designated State Theatre of Florida, operating a 276-seat thrust-stage theatre, 75-seat cinema, and art gallery in Gainesville to serve 60,000+ annual mainstage attendees and 20,000+ cinema patrons across North Florida through productions, education, and community programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hippodrome industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts / Live Theatre
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB), Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)
Keywords
Where Hippodrome is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gainesville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hippodrome business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to mainstage theatrical productions, cinema screenings, and special events. The theatre serves 60,000+ annual attendees for mainstage productions and has 1,000 cinema members with 20,000+ patrons annually.
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Hippodrome General Fund supporting theatre, gallery, cinema, educational and community outreach programs. Includes recurring donation options.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers from Season Producer ($50,000+) down to Performance sponsors, providing advertising, recognition, and ticket benefits in exchange for funding.
- Education Programs: Revenue from summer camps (Summer Hipp Kids Camp at $285) and theatre education classes for youth and adults.
- Cinema Membership: $25 annual membership offering $2 discount per ticket and complimentary small popcorn, providing recurring revenue from cinema enthusiasts.
- Planned Giving: Estate planned gifts including bequests, retirement assets, life insurance, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts for long-term fundraising.
- Collier Challenge: Ten-year matching challenge campaign launched in 2019 where Nathan S. Collier matches community pledges of $100,000 annually, now closed to new members.
- Leading Ladies Giving Circle: Giving circle for women supporters contributing $1,000 annually, with voting rights on how contributions impact the theatre and exclusive events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Cinema Membership - $25 per year |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Summer Hipp Kids Camp |
| Subscription | Annual | Sponsorship Tiers |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Sip and Stroll Tour |
| Subscription | Annual | Leading Ladies Giving Circle |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hippodrome product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hippodrome State Theatre operates a 276-seat thrust-stage professional theatre presenting live dramatic productions for the Gainesville and North Central Florida community. As the designated State Theatre of Florida, it complements main-stage performances with a 75-seat independent cinema, an art gallery, and educational programs serving both general audiences and learners.
Product overview
Hippodrome State Theatre is a performing arts venue offering a portfolio of interconnected programs: Mainstage Productions (live theatrical performances on a 276-seat thrust-stage), Hippodrome Cinema (foreign and independent films in a 75-seat cinema), Education Programs (camps and classes for youth), Lend Me Your Ears (community collaboration program), Art Gallery, and Events & Rentals. The theatre generates revenue through ticket sales, season passes, flex passes, cinema memberships, sponsorships, and donations. Founded in 1973, it serves over 60,000 annual mainstage patrons and 20,000 cinema patrons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mainstage Theatre Productions Professional live dramatic productions staged on a 276-seat thrust stage for general audiences, students, and arts patrons in North Central Florida.
- Independent Cinema Programming Curated film screenings presented in a 75-seat cinema, featuring independent, art-house, and repertory titles for local filmgoers.
- Art Gallery Exhibitions Rotating visual arts exhibitions in the on-site gallery, open to the public alongside theatre and cinema programming.
- Arts Education and Outreach Programs Classroom, workshop, and outreach programs that extend theatre, film, and visual arts learning to students, teachers, and community groups.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60,000+ annual mainstage attendees
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hippodrome
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hippodrome technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hippodrome partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- City of GainesvillecoreCollaborates with the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department. The City is a key supporter and community partner in fulfilling the theatre's mission to engage, challenge, and inspire.
- The River Phoenix Center for PeacebuildingcoreCollaboration for the Lend Me Your Ears program addressing gun violence through theatre and storytelling. Partners with students, playwrights, professional actors, and community members on social impact initiatives.
- We the People TheatercoreCollaborates on the Lend Me Your Ears project exploring gun violence themes through theatre, combining student playwrights with professional actors and community members.
- Project YouthBuildminorCommunity partner helping fulfill the mission to engage, challenge, and inspire through pathways for arts education and cultural experiences.
- TeensWork AlachuaminorCommunity partner focused on youth development and workforce training, collaborating on breaking barriers to participation in arts programs.
- Center for the Humanities and the Public SphereminorAcademic partner collaborating on humanities education and cultural experiences in the community.
- UF School of Theatre and DanceminorListed as Executive Producer sponsor, indicating collaborative relationship with University of Florida's theatre program.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hippodrome competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Asolo Repertory Theatre: Florida-based professional regional theatre in Sarasota producing a multi-show season of plays and musicals. Comparable to the Hippodrome as a Florida regional theatre with a defined season, education programming, and community-anchored operations, though larger in scale.
- Gulfshore Playhouse: Professional regional theatre in Naples, FL producing a multi-show season of plays and musicals with a strong education program. Comparable as a Florida-based professional regional theatre with subscription model and education/outreach components.
- Orlando Shakespeare Theater: Central Florida professional regional theatre producing Shakespeare and contemporary works with education programs. Comparable in scale, mission, and programming model — a single-location Florida regional theatre with strong education and community engagement.
- American Stage (St. Petersburg): Professional regional theatre in St. Petersburg, FL producing a contemporary season of plays and musicals. Comparable as a Florida regional theatre with a defined season, education programs, and community partnerships.
- Florida Studio Theatre: Sarasota-based professional regional theatre running multiple cabaret and mainstage series. Comparable in being a Florida professional regional theatre operating year-round programming with education and community programs, though substantially larger in scale.
Direct peers
- Coolidge Corner Theatre: Nonprofit independent/art-house cinema in Brookline, MA with a membership program, education initiatives, and event rentals. Direct peer to the Hippodrome's cinema business, with a comparable blend of arthouse exhibition, membership, and education/community programming.
- PlayMakers Repertory Company: Professional regional theatre in Chapel Hill, NC affiliated with the University of North Carolina, producing a multi-show season plus new works. Direct peer to the Hippodrome: a university-adjacent, single-venue LORT-style regional theatre with season subscriptions and new play development.
- Capital Repertory Theatre: LORT professional regional theatre in Albany, NY producing a season of plays and musicals with education programming. A direct peer in scale, structure, and programming model — particularly relevant given the Hippodrome founder's prior work at Capitol Rep.
- Sunshine Cinema / Tampa Theatre: Historic single-screen nonprofit cinema in Tampa, FL that programs independent, foreign, and repertory films with a membership program. Direct peer to the Hippodrome's 75-seat cinema operation, especially the membership and repertory programming model.
Broad incumbents
- Actors Theatre of Louisville: Long-established LORT professional regional theatre in Louisville, KY known for the Humana Festival of New American Plays. A broader incumbent comparable in mission and programming model, though significantly larger in scale and budget.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hippodrome social profiles
Digital presenceHippodrome financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hippodrome leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Hippodrome funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hippodrome 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 Hippodrome
What does Hippodrome do?
Hippodrome State Theatre operates a 276-seat thrust-stage professional theatre presenting live dramatic productions for the Gainesville and North Central Florida community. As the designated State Theatre of Florida, it complements main-stage performances with a 75-seat independent cinema, an art gallery, and educational programs serving both general audiences and learners.
Is Hippodrome a public or private company?
Hippodrome is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hippodrome founded?
Hippodrome was founded in 1972. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Hippodrome based?
Hippodrome is headquartered in Gainesville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hippodrome make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, corporate Sponsorships, education Programs, cinema Membership, planned Giving, collier Challenge and leading Ladies Giving Circle.
Who are Hippodrome's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Asolo Repertory Theatre, Gulfshore Playhouse, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, American Stage (St. Petersburg) and Florida Studio Theatre. Direct peers are Coolidge Corner Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Capital Repertory Theatre and Sunshine Cinema / Tampa Theatre. Actors Theatre of Louisville is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Hippodrome have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hippodrome.
What industry is Hippodrome in?
Hippodrome's product category is Performing Arts / Live Theatre. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.