What Applause does

Applause Theatrical Workshops Inc. (dba Applause NY) is a privately held performing arts education company founded in 1995 by Audrey Kaplan on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The company delivers in-person instruction in theater (musical theater and acting), dance (hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and commercial), and film acting/filmmaking to children and teens ages 3–18, organized as a continuous curriculum ladder from Pre-K through 12th grade. The technology layer is minimal: a transactional e-commerce site (applauseny.com) handles enrollment, billing, and account management, while a YouTube channel (1.5M+ subscribers, 1B+ views) functions as both marketing vehicle and showcase for student-produced films. Core products include tiered semester-based classes (recreational to pre-professional), the Applause Dance Company (Junior, Intermediate, Advanced), the ADC Elite Competition Team, one-week summer camps, private lessons ($80/session), and the Ultimate Agent Workshop professional development program.

The business model is direct-to-consumer tuition plus supplementary one-time fees. Class fees are subscription-style, billed annually per semester, ranging from ~$950 for recreational hip-hop and jazz classes to $3,750 for Advanced Musical Theater Performance and Advanced Filmmaker Experience. A separate B2B channel — Applause School Partnerships — dispatches Broadway-seasoned instructors to elite NYC private and charter schools (Sacred Heart, Chapin, Brearley, Browning, Dalton, Success Academy, Gateway, Central Synagogue) for on-site curriculum delivery. Summer camps ($725–$1,095/week) and a $75 trial class act as entry-point offers. Distribution relies on the website, email newsletter, parent word-of-mouth, and earned media in outlets including BroadwayWorld, Playbill, CBS News, and Backstage.com.

The company serves more than 4,000 children annually from two owned facilities (184 East 76th Street in the St. Jean's Community Center and a secondary location at 72nd & Madison) and a network of partner schools. Headcount is in the 11–50 employee range with 50+ instructors drawn from active Broadway, TV, and film talent. Notable alumni include working professionals such as Sebastian Stan, Skylar Astin, Erich Bergen, Sas Goldberg, and Max Jenkins. Ownership is concentrated with founder Audrey Kaplan; no institutional investors, parent company, or acquisitions are disclosed, and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

Applause

Legal name

Applause Theatrical Workshops Inc.

Website

https://applauseny.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Applause NY is a privately held performing arts education company serving more than 4,000 children annually (ages 3–18) across theater, dance, and film acting from its Upper East Side Manhattan locations and NYC school partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Class Registration Fees: Semester-based enrollment fees for theater, dance, and film classes across multiple age groups and skill levels. Classes range from recreational to pre-professional training programs.
2. Summer Camp Fees: One-week camp programs with tiered pricing based on program type (Junior Clubhouse, Theater & Film Camp, Intermediate Filmmaker Camp).
3. Workshop Fees: Specialized workshops including Ultimate Agent Workshop providing professional development for aspiring child actors, including headshots and agent panel exposure.
4. Competition Team Fees: ADC Elite Competition Team fees with separate tuition and competition fees covering costumes, entry fees, and media packets for regional dance competitions.
5. Private Lessons: One-on-one coaching sessions in acting, singing, dancing, or audition prep at $80 per session.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Applause is a performing arts education company that delivers in-person instruction in theater (musical theater and acting), dance (hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, commercial), and film (on-camera acting and filmmaking) for children and teens ages 3-18. It operates semester-based after-school classes, pre-professional training tracks including the Applause Dance Company and ADC Elite Competition Team, week-long summer camps, school partnership programming delivered on-site at NYC schools, and agent/industry workshops. Revenue comes from class tuition, summer camp fees, private lessons ($80/session), competition team fees, and workshop fees.

Product overview

Applause is a performing arts education company offering a comprehensive, continuous program from pre-school through high school in three core disciplines: Theater (musical theater and acting), Dance (hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical), and Film (on-camera acting and filmmaking). The program consists of recreational after-school classes, pre-professional training tracks including the Applause Dance Company and ADC Elite Competition Team, summer camps, school partnerships, and professional development workshops. Classes range from introductory levels for young children (ages 3-5) through advanced pre-professional training and competition team programs, culminating in live stage performances and film screenings at professional venues. The company operates from the Upper East Side of Manhattan and serves approximately 4,000 children annually through its after-school, weekend, and summer programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance Classes Comprehensive dance education program for ages 3-18 offering hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and commercial dance styles, including recreational after-school classes ($950-$1,225 per semester) and pre-professional training through the Applause Dance Company (Junior $2,900, Intermediate $3,095, Advanced $3,195 per semester).
• Theater Classes Musical theater and theater performance program from Pre-K through 12th grade, including Pre-K Musical Theater ($1,125), Junior MT Performance ($2,675), Intermediate MT Performance, and Advanced MT Performance ($3,750 per semester). Classes culminate in professional stage productions at Off-Broadway venues.
• Film Acting Classes Film acting and filmmaking program where students learn on-camera acting techniques and participate in the entire filmmaking process from story development to final screening. Programs include Make Your Own Movie ($1,395-$1,495), Make Your Own TV Series ($1,695), Filmmaker Experience ($1,995), and Advanced Filmmaker ($2,400 per semester).
• Summer Camps One-week performing arts summer camps including Jr. Clubhouse (ages 3-5, $725/week), Musical Theater & Film Camp (rising K-6th, $895-$1,095/week), and Intermediate Filmmaker Camp (grades 4-8, $1,095/week). Each week culminates in a performance and film screening.
• School Partnerships On-site performing arts programs delivered at partner schools by Broadway-seasoned instructors, with customizable curriculum in musical theater, hip-hop, improvisation, on-camera acting, and film. Current partner schools include Sacred Heart, Chapin, Brearley, Browning, Dalton, Success Academy, Central Synagogue, and Gateway School.
• ADC Elite Competition Team Pre-professional dance competition team ($2,300 per semester for Hip-Hop) offering accelerated training in hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary styles with participation in regional and national dance competitions. Includes Junior (Premier), Teen (Ultimate), and Senior (Supreme) divisions.
• Applause Dance Company Pre-professional dance company training program with three levels: Junior (3rd-6th grade, $2,900/semester), Intermediate (5th-9th grade, $3,095/semester), and Advanced (8th-12th grade, $3,195/semester). Dancers train in hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, and commercial styles with live performance opportunities.
• Private Lessons One-on-one coaching sessions at $80 per session in acting, singing, dancing, and audition preparation with professional instructors from Broadway, TV, and film.
• Ultimate Agent Workshop 7-week intensive workshop ($1,175) for young actors ages 6-13 including masterclasses with guest artists, professional self-tape creation, professional headshots, and a virtual industry agent panel interview opportunity.
• Agent Workshops Professional development workshops preparing students for agent interviews, casting director meetings, and skill-building intensives with industry leaders in the performing arts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of students have gone on to careers in theater, dance, television, and film
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 minor.

• Sacred Heart SchoolminorOthersNYC private school receiving Applause performing arts programming on campus including musical theater and dance instruction.
• Chapin SchoolminorOthersNYC private girls' school partnering with Applause for on-site arts education programs.
• Brearley SchoolminorOthersNYC private all-girls school receiving Applause performing arts instruction as part of after-school programming.
• Dalton SchoolminorOthersNYC private coeducational school partnering with Applause for performing arts curriculum delivery.
• Browning SchoolminorOthersNYC private boys' school receiving Applause arts programming on campus.
• Success Academy Charter SchoolsminorOthersNYC public charter school network receiving Applause performing arts instruction for students.
• Central SynagogueminorOthersReligious institution with educational programs partnering with Applause for performing arts offerings.
• The Gateway SchoolminorOthersNYC private school for students with learning differences receiving customized Applause arts programming.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Broadway Dance Center: NYC-based performing arts education provider offering drop-in and intensive classes across dance, theater, and voice for children through adults. Directly comparable as a multi-discipline NYC studio competing for similar families and instructors.
• The Playground NYC: NYC acting conservatory offering youth, teen, and adult classes with industry-active instructors. Comparable as a tiered NYC performing arts school serving similar age groups with working professional faculty.
• Steps on Broadway: Long-running NYC dance studio offering recreational through pre-professional training across multiple dance styles. Comparable as a tiered (recreational to advanced) Manhattan performing arts school with working professional instructors.
• T. Schreiber Studio: NYC acting and musical theater studio with youth through adult programs taught by working professionals. Comparable as a multi-level NYC performing arts school targeting similar youth and pre-professional students.
• Atlantic Theater Company Acting School: NYC acting school offering classes for youth and adults taught by working industry professionals. Comparable as a provider of professional-instructor-led theater training targeting aspiring young performers in NYC.

Broad incumbents

• New York Film Academy: Multi-location performing arts and film school with strong NYC presence offering youth and pre-professional film acting programs. Comparable as a competing provider of structured film acting curricula for kids and teens in NYC.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Ailey School): Iconic NYC dance institution offering children's through pre-professional training with a renowned faculty and broader brand recognition. Comparable as a higher-tier NYC dance education competitor with deeper institutional backing.
• Joffrey Ballet School (NYC): Major national ballet institution with NYC location offering structured training for children through pre-professional dancers. Comparable as a high-tier NYC dance school competing for advanced students and serious families.
• School of American Ballet: The official training academy of New York City Ballet, offering structured ballet training for children through pre-professional levels. Comparable as an elite NYC performing arts education institution competing for the same serious-student segment.

Regional players

• Performing Arts Workshop (PAW): NYC nonprofit performing arts education provider focused on youth programs in underserved communities. Comparable as a NYC youth performing arts education provider but operating via in-school and nonprofit channels rather than DTC tuition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/applauseny
• Instagraminstagram.com/applauseny
• Facebookfacebook.com/applausenewyork

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 Applause