TimeLine Theatre Company

What TimeLine Theatre Company does

TimeLine Theatre Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) theatre organization founded in 1997 in Chicago, producing plays inspired by history that connect to contemporary social and political issues. Across its first 29 seasons the company mounted 97 productions — including 16 world premieres and 44 Chicago premieres — built around an ensemble of Company Members working under Actors' Equity contracts since 2008. In May 2026 TimeLine opened its first permanent home, a 250-seat flexible black box theatre at 5035 N. Broadway in Uptown, following a capital campaign that raised more than $42.6 million; the facility also includes exhibit galleries, an education/community room, bar and café, rehearsal room, and production offices.

The core product is a four-play mainstage subscription season, sold primarily through a tiered FlexPass subscription (Premium $389, Anytime $313, Evening $257, Preview $189) that covers four admissions with priority access, reserved seating, and free exchanges; individual tickets range from $40–$95, with extensive accessibility pricing (OpenDoor $20, Blue Star Military $30, student 35% off, Pay What You Will previews starting at $5, and a free MyLine membership for ages 18–35 at $25/ticket). Surrounding the mainstage are several programmatic lines: the Living History Education Program (arts-integration residencies in nine Chicago Public Schools, 7,600+ students since 2006), TimeLine South (free six-week summer teen program in partnership with the University of Chicago's Logan Center), the Playwrights Collective (a new-play incubator producing four world premieres since 2013), and the TimePieces free play-reading series.

TimeLine's revenue model is a hybrid of earned and contributed income typical of mid-sized American regional theatres. Ticket sales cover approximately 40–55% of annual operating expenses, with the balance funded by individual donations (including the History Makers Society tier at $10–$25,000+), institutional grants (MacArthur Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Allstate, Crown Family Philanthropies, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation), special events and galas, and the recently completed capital campaign. Distribution runs through a direct Box Office, online ticketing, the Broadway In Chicago partnership for 550-seat presentations, and group sales. The company has 11–50 employees, a board-led governance structure, and is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers (a co-founder) and Executive Director Mica Cole.

Name

TimeLine Theatre Company

Legal name

TimeLine Theatre Company

Website

https://timelinetheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TimeLine Theatre Company is a Chicago nonprofit theatre founded in 1997 that produces history-inspired plays connecting past to contemporary social and political issues, serving subscribers, individual ticket buyers, Chicago Public School students, and South Side teens through mainstage productions and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), VIP Hospitality & Client Entertainment (Boxes, Suites, Hosted Experiences) (MPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Performing arts subscriptions
• Arts education programs
• Historical drama series
• Community engagement theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets for regular performances, preview performances, and special events. Ticket sales cover approximately 40-55% of annual operating expenses, with the remainder funded through donations and institutional support.
2. FlexPass Subscriptions: 4-admission subscription packages offering flexibility, savings up to 25% off regular prices, priority access, preferred reserved seating, and free exchanges. Multiple tiers available (Premium, Anytime, Evening, Preview).
3. Individual Donations: Annual fund contributions from individuals at various levels ($10-$25,000+) with corresponding benefits. Includes the History Makers Society recognition program for major donors.
4. Institutional Giving: Corporate, foundation, and government support for general operations and the Living History Education Program, including major donors like MacArthur Foundation, Shubert Foundation, and various Illinois state agencies.
5. Special Events and Galas: Opening Night Gala and other special events with ticket packages and sponsorships, with net proceeds supporting TimeLine's mission and programs.
6. New Home Campaign (It's Time): Capital campaign for the new permanent home at 5035 N. Broadway, raising more than $42.6 million through private philanthropy and public support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TimeLine Theatre Company produces and presents a mainstage subscription series of four plays per season that explore today's social and political issues through the lens of history. The company operates from a flexible 250-seat black box theatre in its new permanent home in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood and sells tickets and FlexPass subscriptions directly to individual theatre-goers, while also running educational and community programs.

Product overview

TimeLine Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre that operates primarily as a presenting organization rather than a software technology company. The core offering is its mainstage production series featuring four plays per season. Supporting programs include the Living History Education Program (school residency), TimeLine South (teen summer program), TimePieces Play Reading Series (free readings), and Playwrights Collective (new play development). Audience engagement offerings include FlexPass subscriptions with tiered benefits and the MyLine membership for young adults. The company recently opened its first permanent home at 5035 N. Broadway in May 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Subscription Productions Four-play annual subscription series featuring world premieres, Chicago premieres, and historical works staged at TimeLine's 250-seat black box theatre, designed for adult individual theatre-goers in the Chicago area.
• FlexPass Subscription 4-admission subscription package offering up to 25% savings over regular ticket prices, priority access, preferred reserved seating, and free exchanges, available in Premium, Anytime, Evening, and Preview tiers for individual subscribers.
• MyLine Membership Free membership program for patrons ages 18-35 offering $25 per ticket, exclusive insider events, and $5 off regular-priced tickets for friends.
• Living History Education Program Arts integration residency program contracted with Chicago Public Schools in which teaching artists collaborate with classroom teachers on lesson plans connecting play themes to curriculum, including student matinees and post-show discussions.
• TimePieces Play Reading Series Free one-night-only staged readings of new or rarely produced plays inspired by history, with post-show audience discussions, presented as a supplementary programming series to the mainstage season.
• Playwrights Collective New play incubator program launched in 2013 providing Chicago-based playwrights with time, space, and dramaturgical support to develop new works linking past, present, and future, culminating in the First Draft Festival of staged readings.
• TimeLine South Free six-week summer arts program for Chicago South Side teens providing acting, writing, movement, and design instruction at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, culminating in a student-created production.
• Backstory Magazine Behind-the-scenes publication featuring historical context, artist interviews, and production-related content, distributed to FlexPass subscribers and available at performances to extend engagement beyond the staged work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of students said the TimeLine residency affected how they thought about history or a different period in time
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bulley & AndrewscoreOthers · 1 August 2024General contractor for construction of TimeLine's new home at 5035 N. Broadway.
• Cullen Construction ManagementminorOthers · 1 August 2024Construction management for the new home project.
• Threshold AcousticsminorOthers · 1 August 2024Acoustic design services for the new theatre space.
• Schuler ShookminorOthers · 1 August 2024Theatre planning and design services for the new venue.
• HGA (Architects)coreOthers · 1 June 2019Lead architect for TimeLine's new home at 5035 N. Broadway, designing the facility to support the company's mission with theatre, galleries, education spaces, and community areas.
• Broadway In ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership to present TimeLine productions at the 550-seat Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place. Collaborations include To Master the Art (2013 world premiere remount), Oslo (2019 Chicago premiere), The Lehman Trilogy (2023 Chicago premiere), and Eureka Day (2026). This partnership extends TimeLine's reach beyond its own 250-seat venue.
• Reva and David Logan Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Venue partner for TimeLine South program, presented in partnership with Theater and Performance Studies at the University of Chicago. The six-week summer program for teens is held at this location.
• Theater and Performance Studies (University of Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Academic partner co-presenting TimeLine South program with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.
• Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Partners with nine Chicago Public Schools for the Living History Education Program, an arts integration residency bringing the company's mission to students through creative exercises related to historically inspired stories.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago ensemble-based theatre company producing original works and adaptations. Comparable scale, nonprofit structure, and ensemble-driven model with subscription ticketing and educational outreach.
• Court Theatre: University of Chicago-affiliated regional theatre producing classic and contemporary plays, with strong education programming and similar subscription-based operations. Comparable mission alignment around intellectually rigorous productions and Chicago-specific audience focus.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago's flagship ensemble-based regional theatre with a comparable subscription model and educational outreach. Both operate as nonprofit repertory companies producing ambitious work with social relevance, though Steppenwolf operates at significantly larger scale across multiple venues.
• Writers Theatre: Glencoe-based (Chicago metropolitan) nonprofit regional theatre with subscription programming and new play development. Comparable nonprofit producing model with similar subscription tiers and audience-development focus.
• Northlight Theatre: Evanston-based (Chicago metropolitan) regional theatre producing contemporary plays and classics with subscription series and education programs. Comparable operating model at similar scale with FlexPass-style subscription offerings.
• Victory Gardens Theater: Chicago-based nonprofit theatre focused on new works and diverse voices, with subscription ticketing and education programs. Comparable as a Chicago regional producing organization with similar mission-driven differentiation strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Arena Stage: Washington DC-based major nonprofit regional theatre producing American classics and new works with a multi-venue campus, subscription series, and education programming. Comparable regional producing model with substantially larger scale and broader production slate.
• Goodman Theatre: Chicago's largest nonprofit theatre, presenting a mix of classics, new works, and adaptations. Comparable as a Chicago regional producing organization with subscription and education programming, though operating at substantially larger scale with bigger venues.

Regional players

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Major repertory theatre producing a mix of Shakespeare, classics, and new works across multiple venues with a long subscription season. Comparable as a large regional repertory company with extensive education/community programming, though operating at much larger scale.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: California-based Tony-winning regional theatre producing new works and classics with a strong subscription model and extensive education programming. Comparable nonprofit regional theatre with similar subscription-driven business model and world-premiere track record.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/timelinetheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/timelinetheatre
• Xx.com/timelinetheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 TimeLine Theatre Company