Aurora Theatre Company

What Aurora Theatre Company does

Aurora Theatre Company is a Berkeley, California-based non-profit regional theatre organization founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver and a group of professional Bay Area theatre artists. The company produces intimate live theatrical performances — including world premieres, Bay Area premieres, and classic plays — primarily serving Bay Area audiences, individual donors, and corporate sponsors. Its core product is theatrical performance rather than software; the underlying "technology" is live production craft, staging, and acting, supported by community engagement programming (Aurora Connects, Confronting Oppression, Black Lives Matter, Theatre for Everyone) and the Originate+Generate (O+G) new play development program, which has produced award-winning works including Jonathan Spector's Eureka Day (2019 Will Glickman Award). Historically the company operated from a 150-seat theater in Downtown Berkeley's Arts District with a 49-seat black box space (Harry's UpStage), though it has lost its permanent physical home.

The company's go-to-market is event-driven and community-anchored. It reaches audiences through seasonal programming, live performances, and partnerships with other Bay Area theatres (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Capital Stage, Marin Theatre). Marketing channels include email newsletters, direct mail/postcards, Facebook, YouTube, press releases, and earned media (San Francisco Chronicle coverage). Distribution is via a phone box office (510.843.4822), online ticketing through the company website, and at-the-door sales. The company sells both single tickets (historically priced $33-$56) and multi-show season subscriptions.

Aurora's revenue model is a four-stream non-profit mix: (1) ticket sales and season subscriptions (earned revenue), (2) individual donations via direct mail, email, and the website, (3) corporate sponsorships (show and season level), and (4) legacy giving through the Barbara Oliver Society. Funding sources also include foundation grants (e.g., Zellerbach Family Foundation underwriting for Eureka Day). In 2025, the Board of Directors placed the company in hibernation in response to industry-wide shifts; new leadership — Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt — is leading a stabilization effort with a publicly stated target to return to production in 2027. No revenue figures are disclosed in the source material.

Name

Aurora Theatre Company

Legal name

Aurora Theatre Company

Website

https://auroratheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aurora Theatre Company is a Berkeley-based non-profit regional theatre that produces intimate live theatrical performances, including world premieres and Bay Area premieres, serving Bay Area audiences, donors, and corporate sponsors through ticket sales, subscriptions, and community engagement programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Theatrical performances
• Season subscriptions
• New play development
• Performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

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 from single tickets and season subscriptions for theatrical performances
2. Individual Donations: Donations from individuals through direct mail, email campaigns, and the website
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorships from businesses including show sponsorships and season sponsorships
4. Legacy Giving: Planned giving programs through the Barbara Oliver Society

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aurora Theatre Company produces and stages intimate live theatrical performances in the San Francisco Bay Area, featuring world premieres, Bay Area premieres, and classic plays organized into seasonal programming. The company also develops new plays through its Originate+Generate program, sells season subscriptions and individual tickets, and funds operations through donations, corporate sponsorships, and legacy giving.

Product overview

Aurora Theatre Company is a regional theatre organization producing intimate live theatrical performances in Berkeley, California. The company offers a core portfolio of live theatre productions featuring world premieres, Bay Area premieres, and classic plays, organized into seasonal subscription packages and individual ticket sales. The company's theatrical offerings include productions such as Eureka Day, The Heart Sellers, 1984, and The Lifespan of a Fact. Supporting products include donations and sponsorships, the Originate + Generate (O+G) new play development program, community engagement through Aurora Connects, and email newsletter subscriptions. The company has received regional recognition including Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards, Theatre Bay Area Awards, and the Will Glickman Award for Best New Play in the Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Theatre Productions Intimate theatrical productions featuring bold storytelling, extraordinary acting, and deep emotional engagement. Productions range from world premieres to Bay Area premieres of contemporary and classic plays, staged in intimate performance spaces for Bay Area audiences.
• Aurora Season Subscriptions Multi-show season subscription packages offering access to multiple productions throughout the theatrical season, providing audiences with curated theatrical experiences at bundled pricing.
• Individual Show Tickets Single-ticket purchases for individual theatre productions and events, with pricing typically ranging from $33 to $56 per ticket.
• Originate + Generate (O+G) New Play Development Program New play development program that commissions and develops new works for the stage, supporting emerging and established playwrights and producing award-winning world premieres.
• Donations and Sponsorships Philanthropic giving programs including individual donations, corporate sponsorships (show sponsorships and season sponsorships), and legacy giving through the Barbara Oliver Society that support the company's mission and theatrical productions.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marin TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2024Partnership with Marin Theatre to present Jonathan Spector's EUREKA DAY, continuing the collaboration on this award-winning play.
• TheatreWorks Silicon ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2024Partnership with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Capital Stage to co-produce THE HEART SELLERS, a Northern California Premiere by Lloyd Suh.
• Capital StagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2024Partnership with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Capital Stage to co-produce THE HEART SELLERS, a Northern California Premiere by Lloyd Suh.
• Habitot Children's MuseumminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 January 2018Partnership for Parents' Nights Out, offering childcare while parents attend Aurora productions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: Regional theatre producing new works and musicals in the Bay Area. Active co-production partner with Aurora (Heart Sellers) and a comparable mid-sized non-profit competing for the same subscriber/donor base.
• Marin Theatre Company: Mill Valley-based regional theatre known for new play development. Partnered with Aurora on Eureka Day and operates a similar intimate-theatre model in the Bay Area.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Berkeley-based regional theatre producing a mix of new plays, musicals, and premieres. Direct competitor for East Bay audiences, donors, and corporate sponsors, and the largest local alternative for subscribers when Aurora is between productions.
• Capital Stage: Sacramento-based regional theatre focused on contemporary and new plays. Co-production partner with Aurora (Heart Sellers) and a comparable non-profit producing company competing for similar artistic and donor audiences.
• Magic Theatre: San Francisco-based regional theatre focused on new play development. Comparable size and artistic mission to Aurora, competing for Bay Area theatregoers and foundation funding.
• American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.): Major San Francisco-based theatre producing a wide range of plays and operating a conservatory. Competes with Aurora for Bay Area audiences, donors, and corporate sponsors despite its larger scale and bigger venue.
• San Francisco Playhouse: San Francisco-based mid-sized theatre producing contemporary plays and musicals. Comparable programming scope and subscriber/donor profile to Aurora in the Bay Area.
• Shotgun Players: Berkeley-based non-profit theatre producing new and contemporary works. Closest geographic peer to Aurora, competing directly for East Bay audiences and donor support.

Emerging players

• African-American Shakespeare Company: San Francisco-based non-profit producing Shakespeare and contemporary works with a focus on diverse casting. Smaller scale, but an overlapping Bay Area audience and donor base for community-engaged theatre.
• Oakland Theater Project: Non-profit theatre company based in Oakland producing socially engaged, contemporary work. Smaller and newer, but an emerging East Bay competitor drawing from the same local audience and donor pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AuroraThCo1
• Facebookfacebook.com/AuroraTheatreCo
• Xx.com/AuroraTheatreCo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Aurora Theatre Company