New Jersey Repertory Company

What New Jersey Repertory Company does

New Jersey Repertory Company (NJRep) is a private nonprofit professional theater founded in 1997 by SuzAnne and Gabor Barabas in Long Branch, New Jersey. The company develops, produces, and premieres new plays for the American stage, operating from a 62-seat MainStage venue at 179 Broadway and a 28,000 square-foot West End Arts Center facility at 132 West End Avenue acquired in May 2016. Since inception, NJRep has produced over 160 original plays, of which 125 are world premieres, with many subsequently produced at more than 200 other theaters nationally and internationally.

NJRep's core product is the MainStage season of 5-6 full productions per year, supplemented by 15-20 staged readings annually through the Salon Reading Series, a Music Series, a West End Art Gallery, and an Education & Community Outreach program including a Student Playwrights Festival with Monmouth University. Additional programming includes the trademarked Theatre Brut® festival of avant-garde short plays. The company accepts full-length play submissions via a literary pipeline, develops work through staged readings, and produces 5-6 plays per season under the direction of founders and an Associate Artistic Director.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model combining ticket sales (single tickets and group sales via tix.com), subscription packages (Flex Pass $160/year and Annual Subscription $250/year), corporate sponsorship tiers ($2,500-$10,000/year), individual and foundation donations, state and federal grants, and ancillary income from event space rentals and freelance scenic carpentry services ($18-30/hour). The company holds 501(c)(3) status and has received two National Theater Company Grants from the American Theater Wing (2012 and 2018). NJRep distributes through direct box office, online ticketing, subscription, and group sales channels, serving theater enthusiasts, playwrights, corporate sponsors, and students across Monmouth County and the broader Jersey Shore region.

Name

New Jersey Repertory Company

Legal name

New Jersey Repertory Company

Website

https://njrep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Jersey Repertory Company is a nonprofit professional theater in Long Branch, NJ that develops and produces new plays and world premieres in an intimate 62-seat venue, serving Monmouth County and Jersey Shore audiences with subscriptions, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• New play development
• Staged readings
• Theater subscriptions
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Branch

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual ticket purchases for mainstage productions, staged readings, and special events at the Lumia Theater and West End Arts Center.
2. Subscription Packages: Annual subscription programs offering discounted access to mainstage productions (Flex Pass $160/year for 3 plays, Annual Subscription $250/year for all mainstage plays).
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants including annual giving, monthly sustaining donations, matching gifts, stock gifts, and planned bequests.
4. Event Space Rentals: Rental of theater spaces (Lumia Theater, West End Arts Center) for private events, meetings, and performances.
5. Employment Services: Freelance scenic carpentry and other production roles paid at hourly rates ($18-30/hour for scenic carpenter, $25/hour for gallery assistant).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

New Jersey Repertory Company is a nonprofit professional theater that produces full theatrical productions and staged readings of new and emerging plays. It operates from a 62-seat intimate MainStage venue plus the multi-use West End Arts Center in Long Branch, NJ, developing and premiering original work for the American stage.

Product overview

New Jersey Repertory Company is a nonprofit professional theater offering theatrical productions, live performances, and arts programming. The company operates as a unified portfolio of offerings centered on developing and producing new plays for the American stage. Core products include MainStage Shows (full theatrical productions in a 62-seat venue), Subscription Packages (Flex Pass and Annual options), and Staged Readings for playwright development. Additional offerings encompass Music Series performances, West End Art Gallery exhibitions, Education & Community Outreach programs, and Event Space Rentals. The company runs the Theatre Brut Festival for avant-garde short plays and accepts Script Submissions for development. Venues include the Lumia Theater at 179 Broadway and the West End Arts Center at 132 West End Ave. Since 1997, NJRep has produced over 160 plays with 125 world premieres, maintaining two intimate theaters and hosting approximately 6,100+ annual attendees across five mainstage productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Theatre Brut: Short-play festivals focusing on visionary and avant-garde works, inspired by the Art Brut movement
• West End Arts Center

Products and services

• MainStage Shows Full theatrical productions at the Lumia Theater featuring world premieres and new plays performed by professional actors in an intimate 62-seat venue.
• Subscription Packages Annual subscription offerings including Flex Pass ($160/year for 3 plays with 3-year redemption window) and Annual Subscription ($250/year for all mainstage plays), with up to 30% off single tickets, free ticket exchanges, early-day and seat reservations, and discounted access to Salon readings and special events.
• Salon Reading Series (Staged Readings) Developmental staged readings of new plays in progress, offering audiences early access to emerging works and playwrights, typically hosted at the West End Arts Center.
• Music Series Live music performances including jazz nights, concerts, and musical presentations hosted at NJRep venues.
• West End Art Gallery Art gallery space at the West End Arts Center featuring rotating exhibitions and visual art programming.
• Education and Community Outreach Educational programs, workshops, community engagement activities, and the Monmouth University Student Playwrights Festival connecting students and educators with the professional theatrical process.
• Event Space Rentals Rental of NJRep venues including the MainStage Lumia Theater and West End Arts Center for private events, meetings, and performances.
• Script Submissions (Playwright Development) Playwright development program accepting full-length play submissions via [email protected] for consideration, with 15-20 plays selected annually for staged readings and 5-6 selected for full productions.
• Theatre Brut Festival Annual short-play festival (with the next edition in November 2026) focusing on visionary and avant-garde works inspired by the Art Brut movement and Hans Prinzhorn, featuring experimental theatrical pieces unfettered by social and artistic convention.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Corporate sponsorship tiers including Catalyst Sponsor ($2,500/year for single play), Spotlight Sponsor ($6,000/year for 3 plays), and Visionary Sponsor ($10,000/year for 5 plays), offering brand visibility, complimentary tickets, and VIP experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 160 plays produced since 1997 founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National New Play Network (NNPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNJRep is part of NNPN, participating in Rolling World Premiere productions including Popcorn Falls, Welcome to Matteson!, and others that allow plays to premiere at multiple theaters.
• Monmouth UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Monmouth University for the Student Playwrights Festival, providing educational opportunities for student playwrights.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Second Stage Theater: Off-Broadway nonprofit producing new plays and American premieres, with both an intimate venue (the Tony Kiser Theater) and a larger Broadway house. Comparable new-play mission with a tiered venue model similar to NJRep's MainStage + West End setup.
• Manhattan Theatre Club: Tony Award-winning Off-Broadway nonprofit producing new plays and premieres at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Comparable new-play producer with multiple venues, but at materially larger scale and budget than NJRep.
• Signature Theatre: New York-based nonprofit that dedicates entire seasons to a single playwright's body of work, with a strong new-play development focus. Comparable as a new-play institution but operates at significantly larger scale and visibility than NJRep.
• Roundabout Theatre Company: Broadway and Off-Broadway nonprofit producing classics and new works, including teaching-artist programs. Comparable as a nonprofit producing organization with educational programming; NJRep's Managing Director Dee Dee Irwin spent nine years at a related Nederlander Broadway house.

Regional players

• Two River Theater: New Jersey-based regional theater in Red Bank producing a mix of classics, musicals, and new works. Closest geographic peer to NJRep and similarly sized regional LORT-affiliated company serving the Monmouth County / Jersey Shore audience.
• George Street Playhouse: New Brunswick, NJ-based LORT theater producing new plays and classics. Directly comparable New Jersey regional theater peer; multiple NJRep stage managers and directors hold prior credits there.

Direct peers

• Atlantic Theater Company: Off-Broadway company dedicated to producing new plays and championing emerging playwrights in intimate New York venues. Highly comparable to NJRep's mission of new-play development with professional production values.
• Playwrights Horizons: Off-Broadway nonprofit dedicated to developing and producing new work by American playwrights. Direct peer in mission, with a comparable intimate-venue new-play development model referenced in NJRep staff bios.
• 59E59 Theaters: Off-Broadway three-venue complex producing emerging and mid-career playwrights in 99-seat theaters. Directly comparable intimate-venue new-play model, with multiple NJRep staff members holding credits there.
• Barrington Stage Company: Regional nonprofit in Pittsfield, MA known for developing new musicals and plays, including the world premiere of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Directly comparable new-play development mission and is referenced multiple times in NJRep staff directing bios.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/newjerseyrepertorycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/njrep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 New Jersey Repertory Company