Echo Theatre

What Echo Theatre does

Echo Theatre is a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company that has produced plays by women+ playwrights (cisgender women, women-identifying, and non-binary writers) since its incorporation in February 1998 and receipt of nonprofit status in April 1998. The company performs from the City of Dallas's Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake Park, an intimate 65-100 seat venue, and operates a fixed annual cadence of three mainstage productions, 12 free staged readings under the Echo Reads series, and 10 podcast episodes per season under the Echo Offstage program, supplemented by the Echo Writes playwright-led workshop series, the Echo 100 donor circle, the Echo On free ticket program (reserving 10 tickets per performance for public servants and patrons who cannot afford standard prices), and the multi-theater City-Wide General Auditions. Echo serves three primary customer segments: general Dallas-Fort Worth theater audiences, women+ playwrights seeking development and production opportunities, and regional theater companies for co-production and audition collaboration.

The revenue model is hybrid and typical for a small regional arts nonprofit. Earned revenue comes from individual ticket sales ($20-$30 general admission, $40 opening night), Season Flex ticket bundles (4, 6, 8, or 12 tickets sold at $100-$264 annual subscriptions), and merchandise ($5 stickers, $20 mugs). Contributed revenue includes the Echo 100 annual donor pledge (minimum $100/year for at least three years), general donations, North Texas Giving Day participation, and podcast sponsorship (priced from $1,500 per episode to $20,000 for full season). Foundation and municipal grants from TACA, the Moody Fund for the Arts, and the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture provide core operating support. Distribution runs through Echo's own e-commerce site, the Bath House box office, and partner-venue channels including Sue Ellen's, Whiskers and Soda, the Latino Cultural Center (for Teatro Dallas co-productions), and Teatro Dallas's own ticketing vendor. Approximately 57% of the organization's budget is allocated to salaries for local actors, designers, and staff.

Management is led by Managing & Artistic Director Kateri Cale (a co-artistic director since 2014, sole Managing Artistic Director since April 2019, an enrolled member of the Potawatomi Indian Tribe who joined Echo in 2008 and appeared in its inaugural 1998 production), supported by Producers Leslie Patrick (with Echo since 2000) and Liz Ware (joined 2026, who revived the City-Wide General Auditions), Company Manager Stephanie Oustalet, Echo Reads Co-Producer/Social Media Manager Hadley Shipley, and podcast host Catherine Whiteman. Co-production partners include Teatro Dallas (Eva Luna/Of Clay We Are Created for Season 29), Soul Rep Theatre Company (Cadillac Crew, The Monarch), Denise Lee Onstage (Ruined), and Over the Bridge Arts (First Draft, Burning Woman Festival). The board is chaired by Elizabeth Sankarsingh with Marty Van Kleeck as Secretary/Treasurer.

Name

Echo Theatre

Legal name

Echo Theatre

Website

https://echotheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dallas-based nonprofit theater company producing plays by women+ playwrights since 1998, operating from the Bath House Cultural Center with three annual mainstage productions, free Echo Reads staged readings, and the Echo Offstage podcast, serving DFW audiences, women+ playwrights, and co-producing with regional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Women playwrights theater
• Staged reading series
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Intimate venue productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets, season flex passes, and opening night tickets. Individual tickets range from $20-$30; season flex packages offer discounts for bundled purchases.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: Echo 100 donor program ($100+/year pledge), general donations, North Texas Giving Day participation, and podcast sponsorship opportunities ($1,500 per episode to $20,000 for season sponsorship).
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including stickers ($5), mugs ($20), and other items through the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Echo Theatre is a Dallas-based nonprofit theater company that produces live theatrical works by women+ (cisgender women, women-identifying, and gender non-conforming) playwrights. Each season it mounts three mainstage productions at the Bath House Cultural Center, supplements them with twelve free Echo Reads staged readings performed across partner venues in Dallas, and publishes the Echo Offstage podcast featuring women+ theater professionals.

Product overview

Echo Theatre is a Dallas-based theater company operating as a unified producing organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings center on live theatrical productions—three mainstage plays per season at the Bath House Cultural Center—complemented by supporting programs: the Echo Reads free staged reading series (12 readings per season), the Echo Offstage podcast, and the Echo Writes creative writing workshop series. These programs work together to discover, develop, and showcase work by women+ playwrights. The company also offers ticketing products (Season Flex bundles of 4–12 tickets) and community engagement programs including the Echo On free ticket initiative and annual City-Wide General Auditions. The Echo 100 donor membership provides ongoing financial support with perks including reserved seating and discounted tickets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Three fully produced live theatrical productions per season featuring plays written by women+ playwrights, performed at the Bath House Cultural Center for paying audiences.
• Echo Reads Free staged reading series featuring plays by women+ playwrights, with twelve readings per season, each performed twice—once at Bath House Cultural Center and once at a venue partner elsewhere in Dallas.
• Echo Offstage Podcast Interview-style podcast featuring conversations with impactful women+ of theater, including Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights, designers, and national organization directors; 10+ episodes per season distributed via Simplecast.
• Echo Writes Playwright-led online creative writing workshop series offering instruction from notable playwrights.
• Echo 100 Donor Program Select donor program requiring an annual pledge of $100 or more for a minimum of three years, offering perks including opening night receptions, reserved seating, $15 ticket pricing, invitations to company projects, and discounted workshops.
• Echo On Free Ticket Program Free ticket program for essential public servants (first responders, military, nurses, teachers) and patrons for whom theater prices are prohibitive; ten tickets are reserved per performance.
• Season Flex Tickets Flexible ticket bundles offering 4, 6, 8, or 12 tickets for use on any combination of shows in 2026, with discounted pricing, reserved seating, and applicability on any night including opening night.
• City-Wide General Auditions Annual multi-theater audition event where actors audition for multiple Dallas theater companies in one session, hosted at Bath House Cultural Center.
• Play Submission Program Three pathways for play submissions: playwright submissions for Echo Reads consideration, audience recommendations, and co-production proposals with other theater companies.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teatro DallascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership for Eva Luna (regional premiere adapted by Caridad Svich from Isabel Allende's novel) and Of Clay We Are Created (world-premiere workshop). Teatro Dallas hosts Eva Luna at the Latino Cultural Center.
• Soul Rep Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of Cadillac Crew by Tori Sampson (2023) and The Monarch by Anyika McMillan-Herrod (2018). Soul Rep is a Black theater company founded in 1995 by Dallas/Fort Worth natives.
• Denise Lee OnstageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of Ruined (2017) with Denise Lee Onstage at Bath House Cultural Center
• Over the Bridge ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of First Draft (2021) new works event; co-production of Burning Woman 2019 Festival
• Sue Ellen'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Echo Reads staged reading of Bunker; or, The Whale (2026). Texas' oldest lesbian bar hosts readings at 3014 Throckmorton St, Dallas, TX 75219.
• Whiskers and SodaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Echo Reads staged reading of We Have No Cats Kathleen! (2026). Located at 10320 Garland Rd, Dallas, TX 75218.
• Sammons Center for the ArtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured on Echo Offstage podcast; Sammons Center serves Dallas arts groups through a public/private partnership model.
• BrassOlea StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPodcast sponsor for Echo Offstage.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• 2nd Thought Theatre: Dallas-based emerging theater company with a new-play focus; Echo's Hadley Shipley is currently in their 2026-27 Playwriting Cohort. Comparable as a small, contemporary-focused Dallas peer with overlapping talent pipeline.

Direct peers

• Teatro Dallas: Dallas-based Latino theater company and Echo's co-production partner for Eva Luna and Of Clay We Are Created. Comparable as a small, mission-driven Dallas theater that collaborates with Echo to share venue and production resources.
• New Georges: NYC-based nonprofit theater dedicated to developing and producing new work by women theater artists. Closely aligned with Echo's mission of producing women+ playwrights, though operating in a different market.
• Undermain Theatre: Dallas-based experimental theater company where Echo's Managing & Artistic Director Kateri Cale was a company member for ten years. Operates a similar small-scale, artistically ambitious regional model in the same market.
• Soul Rep Theatre Company: Dallas-based Black theater company founded in 1995 that co-produces with Echo (e.g., Cadillac Crew, The Monarch). Operates a similar boutique regional theater model with identity-focused mission and community-based programming.
• Kitchen Dog Theater: Dallas-based small theater company producing new and contemporary work. Comparable in scale, mission emphasis on new plays, and competition for the same Dallas audiences and donor pool.
• Pegasus Theatre: Dallas-based small theater company running the long-running 'Living Black & White' series; Echo Producer Leslie Patrick is a long-time member. Direct competitor for Dallas audiences, donors, and actor talent in the same intimate-venue segment.
• Women's Project & Productions: NYC-based nonprofit theater dedicated to producing work by women+ theater makers. Most directly comparable peer in mission and identity-focused producing model, though operating at significantly larger scale than Echo.

Broad incumbents

• Dallas Theater Center: The largest resident theater company in Dallas and a leading regional theater in Texas. Competes with Echo for Dallas audiences and donors but operates at vastly greater scale with multiple venues and broader programming.

Others

• Sammons Center for the Arts: Dallas arts incubator and venue provider that supports small arts groups through a public/private partnership model. Featured on Echo Offstage podcast and a tangential ecosystem partner in the Dallas arts community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/echotheatredallas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/echo-theatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/echotheatredallas
• Xx.com/EchoDallas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Echo Theatre