Southwest Shakespeare Company

Name

Southwest Shakespeare Company

Legal name

Southwest Shakespeare Company, Inc.

Website

https://swshakespeare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Classical Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Classical theatre productions
• Shakespeare performance
• Theatre education programs
• Arts and culture
• Live performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Mesa

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 single-ticket purchases and season subscriptions sold through the Mesa Arts Center box office, with all-in ticket pricing ranging from $41.50 to $71.50.
2. Bard Card Membership: Annual membership program offering subscriber benefits and discounts on the upcoming season, providing recurring revenue from loyal patrons.
3. Donations and Access for All Fund: Charitable contributions from individuals, including a dedicated Access for All Fund supporting free/discounted tickets for low-income youth, at-risk youth, and Title I schools.
4. National Endowment for the Arts Grant: Grant funding received from the NEA, including the largest NEA grant in company history to support youth programming in Arizona's juvenile justice system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southwest Shakespeare Company produces and presents live classical theatre productions, primarily Shakespeare and period classics, as the resident theatre company at Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona. The company also delivers educational programming including student matinees, touring productions, workshops, and adult seminars, and operates a Bard Card membership subscription program for the annual season.

Product overview

Southwest Shakespeare Company is a non-profit 501(c)(3) classical theater organization offering a unified portfolio of live theatrical productions and educational programs. The company's core offerings center on mainstage productions of Shakespeare plays and classical works at Mesa Arts Center, supported by a Bard Card membership program. Education initiatives include student matinees, touring productions brought to schools, student workshops, Flachmann Seminars for adults, and the National Shakespeare Competition. An Access for All Fund provides subsidized participation for underserved populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Live theatrical performances of classical plays including Shakespeare works, adaptations, and period dramas presented at Mesa Arts Center venues for general public audiences.
• Bard Card Membership Subscription membership program offering subscriber benefits and discounts on the upcoming season, providing recurring revenue and savings of over $200 versus single-ticket pricing.
• Student Matinees Live theatrical performances designed for student audiences with curriculum-aligned study materials, hosted at Mesa Arts Center for K-12 and college classes.
• Touring Productions Mobile theatrical productions brought directly to schools and community venues across Arizona for students and community groups that cannot attend Mesa Arts Center.
• Student Workshops Interactive educational sessions for students exploring Shakespeare and theatrical arts.
• Flachmann Seminars Educational lecture series providing in-depth analysis and discussion of plays for adult learners and lifelong learners.
• National Shakespeare Competition Competition program in partnership with the English Speaking Union for students to compete in Shakespeare performance and recitation.
• Access for All Fund Charitable program providing free or discounted tickets and workshops for low-income youth, at-risk youth and families, and Title I schools, funded through dedicated donations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 AriZoni Award nominations in first year back at full adjudication; Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor wins for 2023 MACBETH.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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, major and minor.

• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEA's Shakespeare in American Communities program, delivered in partnership with Arts Midwest, recognizes and supports Southwest Shakespeare's community engagement mission. The company was awarded its largest-ever NEA grant under this program to fund youth programming in Arizona's juvenile justice system.
• Arts MidwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts Midwest co-administers the NEA's Shakespeare in American Communities program, which supports Southwest Shakespeare Company as a designated presenter.
• Mesa Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMesa Arts Center serves as Southwest Shakespeare's primary venue partner, providing the Virginia G Piper Repertory Theater, Farnsworth Studio Theatre, Nesbitt/Elliott Playhouse, and Dobson Lecture Hall. The Mesa Arts Center box office handles all ticket sales for SSC productions.
• Arizona Arts (Arizona Commission on the Arts)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArizona Arts is listed as a key partner organization, providing state-level arts funding and cultural support to Southwest Shakespeare Company.
• City of Mesa Arts and CulturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Mesa Arts and Culture division provides local government support for arts programming in the Mesa community.
• Theatre LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre League is listed as a partner organization supporting Southwest Shakespeare Company's operations and programming.
• STAHOMEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTAHOME is listed as a partner organization supporting Southwest Shakespeare Company's community engagement.
• Rite of Passage (Canyon State and Desert Lily Academies)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rite of Passage campuses at Canyon State and Desert Lily Academies delivers theatre education to youth in Arizona's juvenile justice system. This partnership was the recipient of the largest NEA grant in Southwest Shakespeare Company's history.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Shakespeare Theater: Bay Area-based professional theatre company specializing in Shakespeare and classic works with a multi-show season and education programs. Comparable as a Shakespeare-focused producing company with mainstage and student programming, and a known prior affiliation of incoming Artistic Director Keath Hall.
• Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival: New York-based professional Shakespeare festival producing a summer repertory season plus education and community engagement programs. Comparable as a regional classical theatre company with touring and student matinee offerings.
• PCPA (Pacific Conservatory Theatre): California-based professional resident theatre company producing a multi-show season and extensive education and youth programming. Comparable as a regional repertory theatre combining mainstage productions with student matinees, touring, and conservatory training.
• Childsplay: Tempe, Arizona-based professional theatre company specializing in productions for young audiences and accompanying education programs. Comparable as a Phoenix-metro professional theatre with a strong school-touring and student-matinee focus.
• Arizona Theatre Company: Arizona's only resident not-for-profit professional theatre, producing a mainstage season across Phoenix and Tucson venues. Directly comparable as the largest professional theatre competitor in the same Arizona market and overlapping audience base.
• Phoenix Theatre: Long-running Phoenix-based professional theatre producing a multi-show season plus education and community programming. Comparable in scale and mission as a Phoenix-metro resident theatre with subscription and education offerings.

Regional players

• Stray Cat Theatre: Phoenix-area professional theatre company producing contemporary and classical seasons in small venues. Comparable as an Arizona-based professional theatre whose previous productions involved incoming Artistic Director Keath Hall.
• Sedona Shakespeare Festival: Arizona-based Shakespeare festival operating in the Sedona region. Comparable as an in-state classical theatre festival with overlapping Arizona audience and donor pool, though operating in a different city.

Broad incumbents

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Large-scale, Tony Award-winning classical and Shakespeare repertory theatre based in Ashland, Oregon. Comparable as a leading U.S. Shakespeare-focused producing organization with full classical seasons and robust education programming, though much larger in scale.
• Utah Shakespeare Festival: Tony Award-winning professional classical theatre festival in Cedar City, Utah, producing a multi-play repertory season plus education/outreach. Comparable as a long-established regional Shakespeare and classical theatre presenting full seasons and education programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swshakespeare
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYt7_klHxTDdqbd8f8BBokw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SWShakespeareCompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/swshakespeare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southwest-shakespeare-company-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Southwest Shakespeare Company