Theatrical Outfit

What Theatrical Outfit does

Theatrical Outfit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theater founded in 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, and the second-oldest such organization in the city. It operates from The Balzer Theater at Herren's, a 200-seat black box theater housed in the historic Herren's Restaurant building at 84 Luckie St. NW, which was the first white restaurant to voluntarily desegregate in 1962 and became the first theater in the country to receive LEED certification following its 2005 renovation.

The organization's core programming consists of a five-show mainstage season, the LAUNCHPAD festival for new Atlanta-based work (currently in 2.0 and 3.0 iterations through 2026-2027), and the Made in Atlanta new work development program. Adjacent products include the Tom Key Arts Leadership Apprentice Company (a year-long paid apprenticeship with a $10,000 stipend), the Rhythm & Revision teen spoken word and play development program piloted with Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, venue rentals, and the Visionary Donor Program with tiered benefits starting at $1,500. Ticketing, scheduling, and donation processing are handled through Spektrix and Vendini, with marketing supported by email, social media, restaurant partner referrals, and community engagement forums.

Revenue is generated across four primary streams: ticket sales (single tickets, season subscriptions such as THE HEART OF TO and FLEX packages, and group sales), charitable contributions from individual donors and major funders (The Shubert Foundation, Publix Super Markets Charities), government arts funding (City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts & Culture), and ancillary revenue from venue rentals, playbill advertising ($250-$4,500 per placement), and accessibility-driven pricing programs (20 @ 20, Industry Nights, Blue Star Theatre military discount, Pay-What-You-Can). The organization is led by Artistic Director Matt Torney (since 2020) and Managing Director Vanya Foote, governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Jessica F. Pardi.

Name

Theatrical Outfit

Legal name

The Theatrical Outfit, Inc.

Website

https://theatricaloutfit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Theatrical Outfit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theater in Atlanta operating from the LEED-certified Balzer Theater at Herren's, presenting a five-show mainstage season, the LAUNCHPAD new-work festival, and community engagement programs for Atlanta audiences and donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Performing arts venue
• New play development
• Community theater programs
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets, season subscriptions, and group sales for mainstage productions and LAUNCHPAD festival performances
2. Donations and Visionary Donor Program: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individual donors at various levels (Conversation Starters $1,500-$4,999, Core Investors $5,000-$9,999, Game Changers $10,000+)
3. Venue Rentals: Rental income from lobby, stage, rehearsal hall, Playwrights Lab, and conference room to external event organizers
4. Advertising: Playbill advertising revenue from local businesses and organizations (Full page $1,000 single/$4,500 season, Half page $500 single/$2,000 season, Quarter page $250 single/$1,000 season)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Theatrical Outfit produces and presents professional live theater productions at The Balzer Theater at Herren's, a 200-seat black box venue in downtown Atlanta. Its core offering is a five-show mainstage season featuring works by playwrights such as Lauren Gunderson, August Wilson, and Arthur Miller, complemented by the LAUNCHPAD new work incubator festival and the MADE IN ATLANTA new play development program. The organization also operates community and education programs, an apprentice company, season subscription packages, single ticket sales, venue rentals, and a tiered donor program.

Product overview

Theatrical Outfit (TO) is Atlanta's second-oldest non-profit professional theater, operating as a multi-venue performing arts organization with a diversified portfolio of theatrical products and services. The core offering consists of a five-show Mainstage season featuring professional productions, complemented by the LAUNCHPAD festival program (currently in 2.0 and 3.0 iterations) that incubates new works from Atlanta artists. Additional products include the MADE IN ATLANTA new work development program, the Rhythm & Revision teen spoken word/poetry program, and the Tom Key Arts Leadership apprentice company program. Revenue streams include season ticket packages (THE HEART OF TO, VIP, WEEKDAY/WEEKEND, and FLEX options), single tickets, venue rentals at The Balzer Theater at Herren's (a 200-seat LEED-certified facility), and the Visionary Donor membership program with tiered benefits. The organization also provides accessibility programs including the 20 @ 20 discount initiative and Blue Star Theatre military discounts. Theatrical Outfit utilizes Spektrix for ticketing, Vendini for donation processing, and social media integrations for audience engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Balzer Theater at Herren's: The theater venue located at 84 Luckie St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303, housed in a historic building that was the first white restaurant to voluntarily desegregate in 1962.

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Vick on CantoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial restaurant partner of Theatrical Outfit offering 10% off 'dinner for 2' as well as a complimentary cocktail with purchase of entree for all patrons who show their TO ticket. Drives attendance and enhances audience experience.
• Aamar Indian CuisineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner known for modern interpretation of classic dishes, recognized for outstanding cuisine and friendly staff in the Atlanta community.
• Slice DowntownminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner at the corner of Poplar and Fairlie in Atlanta, offering pizza and entertainment for theatergoers.
• By George at CandlerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric hotel restaurant partner at the Candler Hotel, offering upscale dining for theater audiences.
• Cloakroom at AmericanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBar partner at The American Hotel offering craft cocktails and elevated bar bites for theater patrons.
• Play HavenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization utilizing Theatrical Outfit's Balzer Theatre rehearsal hall for development series presentations and readings, including 'Hannah & Greta' and 'Spicy White' events.
• LAZ Parking GarageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParking partner at 100 Luckie St NW offering discounted parking vouchers purchased at the theater bar for ticketed performances.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Rhythm & Revision teen program, piloting the spoken word poetry and new play development program with BGCMA teen members ages 13-18.
• ArtsBridge FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Thomas C. Fowlkes serves on Theatrical Outfit Board. Organization focused on arts education.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Synchronicity Theatre: Atlanta-based non-profit theater producing new works and developing women and minority playwrights. Comparable in mission, size, and Atlanta-metro arts-funding competition.
• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta's flagship non-profit professional theater located at the Woodruff Arts Center, producing a mainstage season of plays and musicals. Directly comparable as a professional producing theater in the same metro with overlapping subscriber, donor, and grant-funder pools.
• Horizon Theatre Company: Atlanta-based non-profit professional theater producing contemporary plays and musicals with a focus on community engagement. Comparable mission, scale, and Atlanta-metro audience.
• Seven Stages: Atlanta non-profit theater producing original and socially-engaged work in an intimate venue. Directly comparable as a small Atlanta professional theater with new-work development focus and similar donor base.
• Actor's Express: Intimate Atlanta non-profit theater producing contemporary and provocative plays in a small black-box-style venue. Highly comparable in venue size, programming sensibility, and downtown Atlanta audience overlap.
• Atlanta Shakespeare Company: Atlanta non-profit professional theater producing Shakespeare and classic works in a small venue. Comparable as a small-footprint producing theater competing for the same downtown Atlanta arts audience.
• Center for Puppetry Arts: Atlanta-based non-profit performing arts organization operating its own venue with a regular performance season plus museum/exhibition programming. Comparable as a small Atlanta venue operator with mixed ticket/donation revenue model.
• Aurora Theatre: Non-profit professional theater in Lawrenceville, GA producing a multi-show season including premieres and musicals. Comparable as a Georgia-based producing theater competing for regional audiences and Southeastern donors.

Regional players

• Georgia Ensemble Theatre: Georgia-based professional theater producing a season of plays and musicals. Comparable as a regional non-profit producing theater competing for Georgia-based foundation and corporate sponsors.
• True Colors Theatre Company: Atlanta-based non-profit theater producing works that celebrate diversity and inclusion. Comparable in mission and Atlanta donor pool, with overlapping diversity-and-inclusion programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheatOutfit

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Theatrical Outfit