The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company

What The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company does

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts-education organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Pasadena, California. It delivers free, collaborative, original-theatre programming to underserved youth across Los Angeles County, anchored on a "devised theatre" methodology in which students write and perform their own plays rather than staging scripted productions. The portfolio spans seven core programs: a four-year Youth Theatre Conservatory for grades 9-12; a K-8 Youth Theatre Residency aligned to ELA and VAPA standards; Voices From Inside for system-impacted youth in LA County juvenile facilities; a paid Youth Journalism Fellowship run in partnership with Stage Raw; the recently launched Neighborhood Voices intergenerational program; a Theatre & Culture Access field-trip program; and DEVISE Lab, a weekend creative incubator for ages 13+.

Programs are delivered directly at partner sites, primarily LAUSD schools, charter schools, juvenile halls and camps, and community centers, supported by venue partnerships with Boston Court Pasadena, Rogue Machine Theatre, and Radford Studio Center. The organization employs roughly 12 staff plus 19 teaching artists with credentials from Yale School of Drama, CalArts, UCLA, AMDA, and active Broadway/Off-Broadway/TV careers.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded: primary revenue streams are individual donations, foundation grants (notably MacKenzie Scott Yield Giving $2M in 2024, Perenchio Foundation $699K in 2022, LA Arts Recovery Fund $413K in 2021), corporate sponsorships, and government contracts from LA County Department of Arts and Culture, California Arts Council, City of LA DCA, and LA County Department of Mental Health. Earned revenue is small but diversifying through DEVISE Magazine advertising ($850-$2,500 placements) and the annual LIVE FROM LA fundraising event ($100-$300 tickets, $5K-$50K sponsorships). All youth programs remain tuition-free. Cumulative impact since founding includes 23,000+ students reached, 300+ original student-written plays, 8,000+ workshops, and 21,000+ audience members, with 3,000+ youth and families served annually across 20+ LA communities.

Name

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company

Legal name

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company

Website

https://theunusualsuspects.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a Pasadena-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, devised-theatre education to underserved K-12 and system-impacted youth across 20+ Los Angeles communities, funded primarily by foundations, government arts grants, and individual donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Court/Community School Programs (Diversion, Probation-Linked, Community Day Schools) (EDAJAEAI), Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Performing Arts (Acting, Improv, Theater) (EDAAAGAE)

Keywords

• Youth theatre education
• Arts education programs
• Devised theatre
• School theatre residency
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting youth theatre programming. Donors can give online, via mail, stock, donor advised funds, or bequests. TIN: 95-4661312
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations including MacKenzie Scott's Yield Giving ($2M in 2024), Perenchio Foundation ($699K in 2022), and multiple other foundations
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate partners provide financial support, in-kind donations, workplace giving/matching, employee engagement, and cause marketing opportunities
4. Government Funding: Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, California Arts Council, City of Los Angeles DCA, and LA County Mental Health contracts
5. DEVISE Magazine Advertising: Revenue from magazine ad sales with rates ranging from $850 (quarter-page) to $2,500 (full page), targeting Gen-Z readers in LA theatre scene
6. Event Tickets and Sponsorships: LIVE FROM LA annual event generates revenue through ticket sales ($100-$300) and sponsorship packages ranging from $5,000 to $50,000

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company delivers free, in-person theatre education to Los Angeles youth through multiple programs: school-based residencies (K-8), a four-year high school Conservatory, programming for system-impacted youth in juvenile facilities, an intergenerational community program, and a paid youth journalism fellowship. Programs use a devised theatre methodology where students collaboratively create and perform original plays mentored by professional teaching artists, with all offerings funded by donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company is a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of theatre education programs and publications. The core offerings include: the Youth Theatre Conservatory (a four-year sequential program for high schoolers), Youth Theatre Residency (K-8 classroom programs), Voices From Inside (for justice-impacted youth), Youth Journalism Fellowship (in partnership with Stage Raw), Neighborhood Voices (intergenerational community program), Theatre & Culture Access (field trips), and Devise Lab (open workshop sessions). Supporting these programs are DEVISE Magazine (annual publication in partnership with Stage Raw) and the LIVE FROM LA annual fundraising event. All programs are tuition-free and focus on empowering LA youth to create and perform original stories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DEVISE Magazine: An annual physical and digital magazine produced in editorial partnership with Stage Raw, highlighting youth voices in LA's theatre scene with projected circulation of 20,000+ per issue.
• DEVISE Lab
• LIVE FROM LA

Products and services

• Youth Theatre Conservatory
• Youth Theatre Residency
• Voices From Inside
• Youth Journalism Fellowship
• Neighborhood Voices
• Theatre & Culture Access Program
• Devise Lab
• DEVISE Magazine
• LIVE FROM LA
• DEVISE FEST

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of students report learning new skills for school
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Street PoetsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2025Partner organization in LIVE FROM LA 2025 hip-hop theatre production. Devised with student artists from Street Poets along with other collaborators.
• Processing FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2025Partner organization in LIVE FROM LA 2025 hip-hop theatre production. Contributed student artists to the collaborative performance.
• No Easy PropsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2025Partner organization in LIVE FROM LA 2025 hip-hop theatre production. Contributed student artists to the collaborative performance.
• Versa-Style Street Dance CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2025Partner organization in LIVE FROM LA 2025 hip-hop theatre production. Contributed student artists to the collaborative performance.
• Arts for Healing & Justice Network (AHJN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary collaborative providing exceptional arts programming to build resiliency, eliminate recidivism, and transform the juvenile justice system. USTC is a member organization in this network focused on justice-impacted youth programming.
• Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond largest school district in the nation serving over 600,000 students K-12. USTC delivers residencies through the LAUSD Arts Education Branch's Arts Community Network, with teaching artists going directly into classrooms.
• Los Angeles County Probation DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest probation services agency in the United States. USTC delivers Voices From Inside programming at juvenile facilities under Probation Department oversight.
• Partnerships for Los Angeles SchoolsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit managing 18 LA Unified schools serving approximately 14,000 students. Partnership enables delivery of theatre programming across multiple school sites.
• Stage RawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEditorial partnership for DEVISE Magazine and Youth Journalism Fellowship. Stage Raw provides professional mentors for aspiring journalists and publishing opportunities for youth theatre reviews, essays, and interviews.
• Boston Court PasadenacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Youth Theatre Conservatory in Pasadena. Hosts performances at 70 North Mentor Ave location. Free parking available and 4-minute walk from Metro stop.
• Rogue Machine TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for Youth Theatre Conservatory in West Hollywood. Hosts performances at 7657 Melrose Ave location.
• Boston Court TheatremajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEVISE Magazine distribution partner for reaching theatre audiences in Pasadena area.
• Ebony Repertory TheatremajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEVISE Magazine distribution partner for reaching diverse theatre audiences in Los Angeles.
• East West PlayersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEVISE Magazine distribution partner, one of the longest-running Asian American theatre organizations in the U.S.
• Latino Theatre CompanymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEVISE Magazine distribution partner for reaching Latino theatre audiences in Los Angeles.
• The Elysian TheatreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDEVISE Magazine distribution partner for reaching audiences in the Elysian Park area.
• Radford Studio CentermajorOthersEvent venue partner for LIVE FROM LA 2025 annual showcase, providing the backlot for the hip-hop theatre performance.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Roundabout Theatre Company: NYC's largest not-for-profit theatre with deep education and community engagement programming including the Voices youth division from which USTC teaching artist Jasmin Abernathy came; comparable model combining professional theatre production with free youth programming.
• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based professional theatre for young audiences with extensive education programming including residencies and conservatory-style training; comparable program structure to USTC's Conservatory + Residency + community programming model but serving DC-area rather than LA students.
• Atlantic Theater Company: NYC Off-Broadway company with extensive in-school education programming (Staging Success, Staging Global) that has trained USTC teaching artists (Christina Kroell); operates a comparable school-residency-driven youth theatre model in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Inner-City Arts: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing arts education to underserved youth in downtown LA; offers visual and performing arts programming comparable to USTC's free, school-based delivery model with similar funding mix of foundations, corporations, and government.
• A Noise Within: Pasadena-based classical theatre producing company with extensive in-school residencies and education programming; serves overlapping LA County geography and comparable student populations through free educational programming.
• 24th Street Theatre: LA-based nonprofit theatre company focused on youth and family programming in underserved communities; provides a directly comparable model of free theatre education programming with residency-based school delivery in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Center Theatre Group: LA's largest regional theatre (Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson, Kirk Douglas); operates extensive in-school programming including teaching artist residencies and has employed USTC teaching artists (e.g., Monique Sypkens) as a competitor for school-district contracts and arts education funding.
• Geffen Playhouse: Westwood-based LA regional theatre with extensive education and community engagement programs including in-school residencies; competes with USTC for LAUSD arts education contracts and corporate sponsorships in the LA market.
• The Music Center: LA's largest performing arts presenter and home to multiple resident companies; runs school and community education programs including the Blue Ribbon Festival and arts education partnerships that compete for the same LA County Department of Arts and Culture funding pool.

Emerging players

• CASA 0101 Theater: LA-based Latino community theatre in Boyle Heights offering youth education programs and culturally specific programming; serves overlapping East LA student populations with similar free, community-anchored arts education model.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UnusualSuspectsTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/theunusualsuspectstheatrecompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-unusual-suspects-theatre-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/theunusualsus
• Xx.com/UStheatreCo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Unusual Suspects Theatre Company