What The Wilma Theater does

The Wilma Theater is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit regional theater company founded in 1979, producing live theatrical works across multiple annual seasons. It operates a 296-seat proscenium venue at 265 S Broad Street in Center City with a 44'x46' stage, 50' fly tower, 308 lighting circuits, and over 250 lighting instruments supporting its core programming of bold, original, and reinterpreted productions representing diverse voices and viewpoints.

The company's core product is live theatrical performance, supplemented by five revenue streams: season subscriptions and individual ticket sales, donations and fundraising (including the annual FETE event and monthly giving program), theater rentals to external organizations for events and private functions, education services through the AllStars after-school program and school outreach, and merchandise sales via the Wilma Store. The HotHouse Acting Company functions as a distinctive resident ensemble that trains together and incubates new work, supported by a Summer Institute and ongoing professional training, making the Wilma both a presenting venue and a new-work development engine.

Customer segments are dominated by individual Philadelphia-area theater patrons who subscribe to seasons or purchase single tickets, with secondary segments of corporate sponsors, educational partners, and rental-event clients. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through an in-house box office and online ticketing system, supplemented by press-driven earned media coverage. Recognized with the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award and as The Washington Post's Best Theater of 2024 — and home to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham premiere (2022) — the Wilma is positioned as a nationally prominent arts institution now operating under sole Artistic Director Lindsay Smiling following a multi-year co-leadership transition.

Name

The Wilma Theater

Legal name

The Wilma Theater

Website

https://wilmatheater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wilma Theater is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit regional theater producing live theatrical works in a 296-seat venue, presenting bold original and reinterpreted programming supported by a resident ensemble (HotHouse) and earning the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), 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), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live theatrical productions
• Regional theater performances
• Resident acting ensemble
• Theater arts education
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from individual ticket sales for theatrical productions and subscription packages for seasonal programming.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The Wilma relies heavily on donations to sustain operations. The annual FETE fundraiser and monthly giving programs support the theater's mission. Corporate giving and sponsorship opportunities are also available.
3. Theater Rentals: The theater facility is rented to external organizations for events, presentations, and performances. The venue accommodates receptions up to 150 people and private events with seating for up to 35 in the adjoining studio.
4. Education Programs: Revenue from after-school programs including AllStars program and education outreach initiatives for schools.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of Wilma Theater merchandise through the Wilma Store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Wilma Theater is a nonprofit regional theater company that produces and presents live theatrical performances in its 296-seat auditorium in Center City Philadelphia. It operates the HotHouse Acting Company as a resident ensemble, runs the AllStars after-school education program, hosts an annual FETE fundraiser, and rents its venue for external events and productions.

Product overview

The Wilma Theater is a regional theater company presenting live theatrical productions across multiple annual seasons. The company operates a 296-seat venue and offers the HotHouse Acting Company as its resident training ensemble, after-school education programs, and theater rental services. Productions range from world premieres to reinterpretations of classic works, with recent notable productions including Fat Ham, The Comeuppance, and Hilma. The theater also hosts its annual FÊTE fundraiser and provides education outreach through its AllStars program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HotHouse Acting Company: The resident acting company at The Wilma Theater that trains together and incubates new work. Members develop productions and participate in professional training programs including the Summer Institute.

Products and services

• Wilma Theater Productions Live theatrical performances featuring bold, original productions representing diverse voices and artistic styles across multiple annual seasons, including world premieres and reinterpretations of classic works.
• HotHouse Acting Company

Quantifiable outcome

• Received 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award with $25,000 grant
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

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

One partnership is on record.

• Woolly Mammoth Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024The Wilma and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company co-produced 'The Comeuppance' by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. The production premiered at Woolly Mammoth in Washington D.C. before coming to Philadelphia. This co-production represents a strategic partnership between two prominent regional theaters.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Tony Award-winning Berkeley, CA-based regional theater with multiple stages and a national reputation for premiering new work. Comparable in producing bold contemporary theater at a similar mid-size nonprofit scale.
• Walnut Street Theatre: America's oldest theater and the largest nonprofit regional theater on the East Coast, operating multiple stages in Philadelphia. Wider portfolio and larger capacity than the Wilma but serves the same Philadelphia market with overlapping programming.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago-based Tony Award-winning regional theater with a renowned resident ensemble model. Larger and more established than the Wilma but operates a comparable resident-ensemble approach to bold new work and has received the Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Direct peers

• Arden Theatre Company: Philadelphia-based professional regional theater operating its own venue and producing a season of mainstage and children's productions. Direct geographic peer serving the same Philadelphia audience with comparable general-audience programming.
• Philadelphia Theatre Company: Philadelphia-based nonprofit regional theater producing contemporary plays and musicals at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and programming focus on bold new work and diverse voices.
• People's Light & Theatre Company: Malvern, PA-based regional theater producing a broad season of plays plus an extensive education program. Comparable nonprofit regional theater with comparable revenue mix including subscriptions, donations, and school programming.
• Lantern Theater Company: Philadelphia-based professional theater company known for producing classical and contemporary plays in an intimate St. Mark's Church venue. Comparable in mission, scale, and Philadelphia market positioning.
• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Washington, D.C.-based regional theater known for producing bold, provocative new work. Direct artistic peer and active co-production partner with the Wilma on The Comeuppance.
• InterAct Theatre Company: Philadelphia-based regional theater producing contemporary plays with social and political themes. Comparable in scale, mission, and Philadelphia market focus, with similar donor-dependent revenue model.

Others

• Theatre Philadelphia: Philadelphia-area service organization supporting and promoting the regional theater community, including operating Philly Theatre Week and the Barrymore Awards. Adjacent ecosystem player where the Wilma's Managing Director previously served as Executive Director.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wilmaeducation
• Xx.com/thewilmatheater
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewilmatheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wilma-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Wilma Theater