Studio East

What Studio East does

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater arts education organization founded in 1992 by Lani Brockman and headquartered at 10718 N.E. 68th St. in Kirkland, Washington. The organization delivers performing arts training to children and teens ages 4 through 19 through a multi-program platform spanning quarterly classes and workshops, over 40 annual summer camps, break camps and studio days, the audition-only Studio Intensive (year-long), conservatory-style Summer Intensives (YAPI), homeschool productions, and specialty Shakespeare/teen ensemble programming. It produces 5-6 Mainstage live theater events per season and operates StoryBook Theater, a professional touring troupe established in 1998 that performs 55-minute family-friendly productions across the Puget Sound region.

The organization distributes programming through four primary channels: its Kirkland training facility (direct consumer registration), school-based programs delivered via PTA and school district partnerships, the StoryBook Theater touring channel, and online registration and ticketing powered by Active Network and Salesforce. School-based delivery reaches preK-12th grade audiences through SchoolStage residencies, after-school enrichment, and in-school programming, extending reach beyond the single physical facility.

Revenue is generated through six streams: program tuition, ticket sales, individual donations, corporate sponsorships (including Executive Producer-level support from Google, Microsoft, Premera Blue Cross, and Liberty Mutual), foundation grants (ArtsFund, 4Culture, and others), and employer matching gift programs. The organization serves over 70,000 people annually across the Puget Sound region and operates as an independent nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors, with no parent company or private equity ownership.

Name

Studio East

Legal name

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts

Website

https://studio-east.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts is a Kirkland, WA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing theater arts education, including classes, camps, productions, and a professional touring troupe, to children and teens ages 4-19 across the Puget Sound region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Children's theater education
• Performing arts training
• Theater summer camps
• School drama programs
• Youth theater productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Revenue from classes, camps, workshops, and production programs for students ages 4-19. Tuition varies by program type (Studio Intensive, Summer Camps, Classes, etc.).
2. Ticket Sales: Revenue from Mainstage productions, StoryBook Theater performances, and other live theater events open to the public.
3. Individual Donations: Direct charitable contributions from individuals supporting the nonprofit mission of providing performing arts access to children.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnership arrangements with corporations at various levels (Executive Producer, Director, Star, Community) providing financial support in exchange for recognition and benefits.
5. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations such as ArtsFund, 4Culture, and others providing grants for programming and operations.
6. Employer Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations to Studio East, maximizing individual contribution impact.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Studio East provides theater arts education and performance opportunities for young people ages 4–19, including year-round classes and workshops, summer and break camps, multi-week production intensives, and a Mainstage season of full-length musicals and plays. It complements its on-site programming with a For Schools outreach program delivering in-school residencies and a professional children's theater touring company (StoryBook Theater) that stages productions for family and school audiences.

Product overview

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater arts education organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for young performers ages 4-19. The organization operates as a multi-program platform consisting of classes and workshops (quarterly sessions in acting, singing, dance), summer camps (over 40 camps including Creative Drama/Little Players, Acting & PlayMaking/TaleSpinners/PlayMakers, Performance/Summer Stage/Summer Stock, and Skill-building/Intensive), break camps and studio days, Studio Intensive (year-long audition-only program), Summer Intensives/YAPI (conservatory-style training), For Schools programs (SchoolStage residencies, After School Enrichment, In-School programs), Mainstage Productions (5-6 live theater events per season), StoryBook Theater (professional touring troupe with 55-minute performances), and specialty productions (Teen Summer Musical, Bard Series/Shakespeare in the Park, Second Stage/KIDS productions). The portfolio also includes Lord Pringle's Men (teen Shakespeare ensemble) and a Scholarship Program for financial assistance. The organization serves over 70,000 people annually across Kirkland, WA and surrounding communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Full-length, multi-week theater productions staged at Studio East's facility, casting young performers ages 4–19 across ensemble, second stage, teen, and homeschool musical tracks; tuition-based enrollment for participating students, with public performances for family audiences.
• StoryBook Theater Professional children's theater touring company producing live performances for family audiences and school field trips at parks, schools, and family venues across the Puget Sound region.
• Classes & Workshops Year-round weekly theater classes and workshops for students ages 4–19 covering acting, musical theater, and performance skills, with spring and ongoing term enrollment.
• Summer Camps Multi-week summer theater day camps for children and teens, combining skill-building in acting, voice, and movement with a culminating showcase performance.
• Break Camps & Studio Days Short-format theater camps and Studio Days held during school breaks (e.g., winter, mid-winter, spring breaks) to provide full-day creative programming for children on school holidays.
• Studio Intensive Multi-week intensive theater training program for advanced students with capacity for approximately 700 participants, focused on high-level performance and production work.
• Summer Intensives (YAPI) High-capacity summer theater intensive program (Younger Actors Performance Intensive / YAPI) with capacity of approximately 700 students, designed as an immersive summer training experience.
• For Schools Programs Outreach program delivering in-school theater residencies, after-school drama classes, and field-trip performances of StoryBook Theater productions to K–12 schools and PTAs in the Puget Sound region.
• Homeschool Classes Theater classes specifically scheduled and structured for homeschooled students, including a dedicated homeschool musical production each season.
• Lord Pringle's Men / Shakespeare in the Park Youth Shakespeare touring company (Lord Pringle's Men) producing Shakespeare in the Park and Shakespeare-focused productions for audiences and school partners.
• Scholarship Program Need-based financial assistance program providing tuition scholarships for classes, camps, and productions to families who cannot afford programming, supporting access to arts education.
• Willy Wonka KIDS (Second Stage) Second Stage youth production of Willy Wonka KIDS, an entry-level Mainstage production for younger performers within the current season, with tuition-based enrollment.
• The Prom (Teen Summer Production) Teen Summer Production of The Prom, a tuition-based summer intensive culminating in a fully staged teen Mainstage production.
• The Taming of the Shrew (Bard Series) Bard Series Shakespeare production of The Taming of the Shrew, an advanced Shakespeare track for experienced student performers.
• School of Rock (Homeschool Musical)

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• GoogleflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer level partner supporting Studio East's mission. Google provides corporate sponsorship and employee matching gift program for employee donations.
• Microsoft CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer level partner. Microsoft supports through corporate sponsorship and matching gift program for employees.
• Premera Blue CrossflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer level health insurance partner providing corporate sponsorship support.
• Liberty MutualflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer level partner supporting through corporate sponsorship and employee matching gift program.
• 4CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer level partner - cultural funding organization for King County supporting arts and heritage. Provides grants enabling public free access programs.
• Tulalip TribescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector level tribal partner supporting local arts and cultural programs.
• Bellevue Arts CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector level arts commission supporting cultural arts in the Eastside region.
• Evergreen HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar level health partner supporting Studio East's community programs.
• Lee Johnson Auto FamilysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar level local business partner supporting the arts community.
• OnTra Marketing Group (OMG)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar level marketing partner providing professional marketing support.
• Redmond (City Government)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar level municipal partner supporting regional arts programming.
• Kirkland Arts CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity level arts commission supporting cultural arts in Kirkland.
• CMIT SolutionssupportingTechnology or IntegrationCommunity level technology partner providing IT support services.
• Kirkland Performance CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical venue partner for Summer Teen Musical productions. Collaborative relationship on productions like Fiddler on the Roof (2006-2007) and The Music Man (2005-2006).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Tacoma Arts Live: Tacoma-based performing arts organization running education, school programs, and mainstage productions. Comparable in mission and program structure but geographically separate from Studio East's Kirkland base.
• Bainbridge Performing Arts: Bainbridge Island community performing arts center offering classes and productions. Comparable as a small regional arts education organization in the broader Puget Sound, but serves a different sub-market.
• Tacoma Little Theatre: Regional community theater in Tacoma producing mainstage productions and youth education. Comparable in live theater and youth-class model but anchored in a different metro and oriented more to adult/community productions.
• Renton Civic Theatre: South King County community theater producing mainstage productions and youth programs. Comparable program mix (classes, camps, productions) but operates in a different Seattle sub-region than Studio East.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Northwest Ballet: Major Seattle performing-arts institution with significant education and community engagement programming. Thematically comparable as a Pacific Northwest performing-arts educator with school outreach, but focused on dance rather than theater.
• The 5th Avenue Theatre: Seattle-based musical theater producing organization with education and young-performer programming. Comparable through its musical theater focus and youth talent development, though it operates at a significantly larger professional scale.
• ACT Theatre: Established Seattle theater company with a broader performing-arts portfolio and education programs. Comparable as a regional live-theater incumbent that intersects with Studio East's audience and donor base.
• Seattle Repertory Theatre: Larger, established Puget Sound regional theater producing professional productions. Overlaps with Studio East's Mainstage and StoryBook Theater but operates at a much larger scale and professional (not youth) remit.

Direct peers

• Youth Theatre Northwest: Mercer Island-based youth theater offering classes, camps, and productions for young performers. Closely comparable in program mix (classes, camps, productions) and age range to Studio East's core offerings.
• Seattle Children's Theatre: Seattle-based children's theater producing mainstage shows and education programs for young audiences. Most direct geographic and mission peer to Studio East's Mainstage and StoryBook Theater operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/StudioEastKirkland
• Facebookfacebook.com/StudioEastTheaterTraining
• Instagraminstagram.com/studio_east_kirkland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Studio East