Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theater and the official State Theater of California, producing a season of mainstage plays and musicals for Southern California audiences, supported by memberships, donations, group sales, and education programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersPasadena, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pasadena Playhouse does
Pasadena Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theater company founded in 1917 and headquartered at 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. It operates as the official State Theater of California and is the 2023 recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award. The company's core product is a season of mainstage theatrical productions, including revivals of classic works (Brigadoon, Amadeus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), contemporary and culturally significant works (Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Mexodus, Passing Strange, The Visit), drawing on Tony Award-winning directors and actors. Supporting offerings include Directors Lab West (an eight-day director development intensive co-hosted with Boston Court Pasadena), youth and adult education programs, a digital ticketing platform, accessibility services (open captioning, audio description), and an online merchandise storefront.
The business model blends earned and contributed income. Earned revenue is generated through one-time ticket sales via the website and box office, Classic and Dynamic membership subscriptions priced from $335 to $390+ annually with auto-renewal, group sales offering up to 35% discounts for parties of 10 or more, and merchandise. Contributed income comes from tax-deductible donations supporting operations and programming. Distribution and marketing are conducted directly through the theater's own website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo), email newsletters, and media partnerships with LAist and Variety. Customer segments include general theater audiences, the Latino community (cultivated through culturally-targeted productions), youth and education program participants, and group/organizational bookers, with accessibility services for deaf/hard-of-hearing and blind/low-vision patrons. The organization has 101-250 employees and no parent company, subsidiary, or external funding rounds disclosed.
Pasadena Playhouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pasadena Playhouse
- Legal name
- Pasadena Playhouse
- Website
- https://pasadenaplayhouse.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Pasadena Playhouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theater and the official State Theater of California, producing a season of mainstage plays and musicals for Southern California audiences, supported by memberships, donations, group sales, and education programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pasadena Playhouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Theater / Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
Keywords
Where Pasadena Playhouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pasadena Playhouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Individual ticket sales for mainstage productions and special performances through the theater's website and box office.
- Membership Programs: Classic Membership and Dynamic Membership subscription packages providing season access, early booking, waived fees, and exclusive member events. Auto-renewal available annually.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support the Tony Award-winning State Theater of California.
- Merchandise: Sale of Pasadena Playhouse branded merchandise through an online storefront (Square site).
- Group Sales: Discounted group bookings for organizations and private events, with savings up to 35% off tickets with groups of 10+.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Classic Membership - Subscription packages starting at $390 |
| Subscription | Annual | Dynamic Membership - Flexible packages starting at $335 |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pasadena Playhouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pasadena Playhouse produces and presents live theatrical productions including revivals of classic works and world premieres of new musicals and plays at its single-venue theater in Pasadena, California. It operates as the Official State Theater of California and Tony Award-winning regional theater, offering mainstage productions, theater education programs for youth and adults, membership subscriptions, and supporting merchandise and digital ticketing services.
Product overview
Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning regional theater and the Official State Theater of California, operating as a single-venue performing arts organization. The main product is its Mainstage Productions series featuring theatrical plays and musicals, including revivals of classic works (Brigadoon, Amadeus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), contemporary productions (Passing Strange, The Visit), and culturally significant works (Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Mexodus). Supporting offerings include Directors Lab West educational conference, Youth & Adult Education Programs, a Merchandise Store, and Membership subscriptions providing priority booking and discounts. The theater also provides Digital Ticketing services for patrons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mainstage Theatrical Productions
Companies that use Pasadena Playhouse
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pasadena Playhouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pasadena Playhouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Directors Lab WestcoreDirectors Lab West is an eight-day theater intensive conference that brings emerging and mid-career theatre directors and choreographers together with master artists. Pasadena Playhouse has partnered with Directors Lab West, with Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman contributing to host the event. The 2026 edition takes place May 30 through June 6, 2026, with approximately 50 artists selected from applicants. Attendance is free, by application only.
- Boston Court PasadenacoreBoston Court Pasadena, under Artistic Director Jessica Kubzansky, partners with Pasadena Playhouse to co-host Directors Lab West 2026. Jessica Kubzansky also directs Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the 2026-27 season.
- LAistminorLAist serves as a media sponsor for Pasadena Playhouse, providing media coverage and promotional support for productions.
- VarietyminorVariety serves as a media sponsor for Pasadena Playhouse, providing media coverage and promotional support for productions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pasadena Playhouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a long-running Tony Award-recognized regional theater producing a repertory season of classical and contemporary work. Comparable in nonprofit structure and repertory programming approach to Pasadena Playhouse.
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Tony Award-winning Chicago-based regional theater renowned for ensemble-based productions and launching works to Broadway. Operates a similar nonprofit Tony-recognized regional model.
- Guthrie Theater: Guthrie Theater is a Tony Award-winning regional theater in Minneapolis presenting a mainstage season of plays and musicals. Comparable in scale and nonprofit producing model to Pasadena Playhouse's mainstage operation.
- Boston Court Pasadena: Boston Court Pasadena is a Pasadena-based nonprofit theater that is a direct neighborhood peer to Pasadena Playhouse and an active artistic partner (co-hosting Directors Lab West and sharing artistic leadership).
- Goodman Theatre: Goodman Theatre is a Tony Award-winning regional theater in Chicago that operates a nonprofit producing model similar to Pasadena Playhouse, presenting a season of plays and musicals with an emphasis on new work development.
- La Jolla Playhouse: La Jolla Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning regional theater in San Diego that, like Pasadena Playhouse, develops new work and regularly transfers productions to Broadway. Operates a similar nonprofit regional-theater model producing both revivals and world premieres.
- Geffen Playhouse: Geffen Playhouse is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit regional theater presenting a mainstage season of plays and musicals. It is one of Pasadena's closest direct competitors in the same LA market, drawing from the same donor and audience pool.
- Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre / Mark Taper Forum): Center Theatre Group operates the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, producing large-scale theatrical productions in the same metropolitan market as Pasadena Playhouse. The Ahmanson in particular is a direct competitor for Tony Award-caliber plays and musicals.
- Williamstown Theatre Festival: Williamstown Theatre Festival is a prestigious regional theater in Massachusetts known for developing new plays and musicals, many of which transfer to Broadway. Operates a similar nonprofit, season-based model featuring revivals, new works, and notable talent.
Broad incumbents
- Roundabout Theatre Company: Roundabout Theatre Company is a major New York-based Tony Award-winning nonprofit producing institution with Broadway and Off-Broadway venues. Functions as a broader incumbent in nonprofit regional theater with overlapping producing ambitions and Broadway transfer pathways.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pasadena Playhouse social profiles
Digital presencePasadena Playhouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pasadena Playhouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Pasadena Playhouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pasadena Playhouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pasadena Playhouse
What does Pasadena Playhouse do?
Pasadena Playhouse produces and presents live theatrical productions including revivals of classic works and world premieres of new musicals and plays at its single-venue theater in Pasadena, California. It operates as the Official State Theater of California and Tony Award-winning regional theater, offering mainstage productions, theater education programs for youth and adults, membership subscriptions, and supporting merchandise and digital ticketing services.
Is Pasadena Playhouse a public or private company?
Pasadena Playhouse is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pasadena Playhouse founded?
Pasadena Playhouse was founded in 1917. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pasadena Playhouse based?
Pasadena Playhouse is headquartered in Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pasadena Playhouse make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Programs, donations, merchandise and group Sales.
Who are Pasadena Playhouse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Guthrie Theater, Boston Court Pasadena, Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson Theatre / Mark Taper Forum) and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Roundabout Theatre Company is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Pasadena Playhouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pasadena Playhouse.
What industry is Pasadena Playhouse in?
Pasadena Playhouse's product category is Live Theater / Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama). Its NAICS code is 711110 and its SIC code is 7900.