Berkeley Playhouse

What Berkeley Playhouse does

Berkeley Playhouse (legally Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, Tax ID 94-2626454) is a private nonprofit community theater organization operating from the historic 328-seat Julia Morgan Theater at 2640 College Avenue in Berkeley, California. Founded in 2007 by Elizabeth McKoy and approaching its 20th Anniversary Season in 2027, the organization runs a seasonal MainStage production schedule of four (expanding to five in 26/27) professional musical theater productions from September to June, a YouthStage audition-based performance program for ages 5-18, and year-round Classes & Camps for ages 2-18 with tuition ranging from $300 to $1,530. Beyond performance and education, the organization runs structured Corporate Sponsorship programs (three tiers at $1,900-$3,900), playbill advertising, individual donor programs with multiple giving channels (online, Venmo, stock transfer, DAFs), and foundation grants from entities including the Bill Graham Supporting Foundation, Berkeley Civic Arts Program, Y&H Soda Foundation, and Alameda County Arts Commission ARTSFUND. Distribution is via an owned website box office, phone, and in-person sales at the Julia Morgan Theater, supplemented by group sales (10+) and Community Organization Partner Nights with CASA, Pacific Center for Human Growth, International House, and La Peña Cultural Center. The organization reports 28,000+ annual audience reach, 1,600+ youth served through education programs, 368 YouthStage participants, and 40,000+ people passing through the theater each year.

The business model is a hybrid earned/contributed-income nonprofit structure. Earned revenue is generated from MainStage ticket sales ($19-$66 depending on performance type and seating), Season Pass subscriptions, Classes & Camps tuition, Corporate Sponsorship packages, and playbill advertising. Contributed income comprises individual donations (with recognition tiers starting at $250/season), foundation grants, and employer matching gifts. Sliding-scale Financial Aid (30-70% of tuition) extends access for lower-income families. The technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary — standard e-commerce ticketing (with a $3.95 per-ticket vendor fee), a website, email newsletter, and social media channels. The core operating asset is the Julia Morgan Theater itself, a 115-year-old landmark designed by architect Julia Morgan with distinctive natural redwood paneling and exposed wooden beams, providing an intimate performance space that anchors the organization's brand and competitive position. Leadership comprises Artistic Director Kimberly Dooley and newly appointed Managing Director Mike Lawson (joined June 2, 2026, from SF Ballet and BroadwaySF), supported by a Producing Director, Directors of Patron Services, Development & Community Outreach, and Marketing, plus a Finance Manager, Production Manager, and a cohort of tenured Resident Teaching Artists.

Name

Berkeley Playhouse

Legal name

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts

Website

https://berkeleyplayhouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Berkeley Playhouse is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit community theater operating from the historic 328-seat Julia Morgan Theater, producing professional MainStage musicals, YouthStage productions, and classes/camps for ages 2-18, serving 28,000+ patrons and 1,600+ youth annually through ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Musical Theater & Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)

Keywords

• Musical theater productions
• Youth theater education
• Performing arts classes
• Community theater performances
• Theater arts camps

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. MainStage Ticket Sales: Professional musical theater performances on the Julia Morgan stage. Ticket pricing varies by production type: previews ($29), regular performances ($19-$55), special seating ($40-$66). Season pass holders receive priority access and discounts.
2. Season Passes: Multi-show subscription packages for the MainStage season offering discounted access to all productions plus additional perks.
3. YouthStage and Education Programs: Classes and camps revenue from students ages 2-18. Programs include after-school classes (Fall and Winter/Spring semesters) and holiday/summer camps. Tuition ranges from $300-$1,530 depending on program duration and level.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Three-tier sponsorship program (Tier 1: $1,900, Tier 2: $2,900, Tier 3: $3,900) offering playbill ads, website logos, social media mentions, and complimentary tickets/vouchers to season productions.
5. Playbill Advertising: Print and digital advertising in production playbills with website feature inclusion. Full-season advertisers also receive lobby logo display. Rates vary by page size and number of shows.
6. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions with recognition for donors contributing $250+ per season (website, playbills, and personal thank yous). Employer matching gifts supported. Multiple giving options including online, mailed check, Venmo, stock transfer, and Donor-Advised Funds.
7. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Bill Graham Supporting Foundation, Berkeley Civic Arts Program, Y&H Soda Foundation, Alameda County Arts Commission ARTSFUND, and NPO Covid Relief Grant.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Berkeley Playhouse produces and presents professional musical theater performances on the historic Julia Morgan Theater stage in Berkeley, CA, running four MainStage productions per season from September to June alongside a YouthStage Spotlight Show. The organization also operates a comprehensive youth theater education program including audition-based YouthStage performances, after-school classes, and holiday/summer camps for students ages 2-18. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, season passes, class/camp tuition, corporate sponsorships, playbill advertising, and tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

Berkeley Playhouse operates as a nonprofit community theater organization offering a unified portfolio of live theatrical experiences and arts education programs. The core offerings consist of the MainStage Season (professional musical theater productions at the Julia Morgan Theater), YouthStage (youth audition-based performance program), and Classes & Camps (theater arts education for ages 2-18). Supporting offerings include Season Passes, Gift Certificates, Sponsorship & Advertising packages for businesses, Donor Programs with multiple giving methods, Patron Show Sponsorship, and Financial Aid for education programs. The organization serves over 28,000 patrons annually and reaches more than 1,600 youth through educational programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MainStage Season Professional musical theater productions performed on the Julia Morgan stage from September to June, featuring four high-quality productions each season ranging from Broadway favorites to contemporary reimaginings. Targeted at Bay Area theater patrons and families.
• YouthStage Audition and performance-based program providing youth (ages 5-18) the opportunity to learn alongside professional directors, musicians, vocal coaches, and choreographers, resulting in full-length musical productions on the Julia Morgan stage. Includes a TeenStage track and Spotlight Show season finale.
• Classes & Camps Theater arts education programs including after-school classes (Fall and Winter/Spring semesters) and holiday/summer camps, offering training in acting, singing, dancing, and technical theater for students ages 2-18. Tuition ranges from $300-$1,530 per program.
• Season Passes Subscription tickets offering access to all MainStage productions and the YouthStage Spotlight Show throughout the season, with priority access and discounts over single-ticket pricing.
• Gift Certificates Gift vouchers for theater tickets and productions, available for purchase through the Box Office for individual patrons and gift-givers.
• Sponsorship & Advertising Business partnership opportunities including three-tier season sponsorships ($1,900-$3,900) and playbill advertising at $500-$1,450 per show, providing brand visibility through logo placement, social media mentions, eblasts, and complimentary tickets.
• Donor Programs Tax-deductible giving opportunities including online donations, employer matching gifts, Venmo, stock transfers, and donor-advised fund grants, with donor recognition for contributions of $250 or more.
• Financial Aid Equity-driven sliding scale financial assistance (30-70% of tuition) for youth participating in YouthStage, Classes, and Camps programs, with applications reviewed based on family need and extenuating circumstances.
• Spotlight Show Special YouthStage production featured as part of the MainStage season, serving as the season finale and providing additional performance opportunities for youth performers.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Sogorea Te' Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Urban Indigenous women-led land trust facilitating return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Berkeley Playhouse is committed to paying annual Shuumi Land Tax and supporting Indigenous women leaders' work of rematriation, cultural revitalization, land restoration and healing.
• Gravity Access ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for live audio described performances and pre-show haptic access tours for blind and low vision audience members. Includes organizational accessibility consultation and all staff best practices training.
• The Velvet HandssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerASL interpreted performance pilot partnership for deaf and hard of hearing audience accessibility.
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Organization Partner Night program providing group discounts to MainStage productions for CASA members.
• Pacific Center for Human GrowthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Organization Partner Night program providing group discounts to MainStage productions for Pacific Center members.
• International HousesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Organization Partner Night program providing group discounts to MainStage productions.
• La Peña Cultural CentersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Organization Partner Night program providing group discounts to MainStage productions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Theatre Bay Area: Regional service organization and casting platform for Bay Area theater professionals. Comparable as the industry body through which Berkeley Playhouse posts casting calls and engages with peer companies, but does not directly compete.
• Center REPertory Company:

Direct peers

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Berkeley's other major professional theater company, also based in Berkeley and producing a multi-show season of musicals and plays for East Bay audiences. Directly comparable as a regional producing organization competing for the same patron base and donor pool.
• Bay Area Children's Theatre: Regional theater company focused on youth and family productions plus theater education classes. Directly comparable to Berkeley Playhouse's YouthStage and Classes & Camps offerings, including staff crossover noted in management team bios.
• San Francisco Playhouse: San Francisco-based professional theater producing a season of plays and musicals at a mid-size venue. Closely comparable business model (season subscription, single tickets, donor base) and target audience of Bay Area theatergoers.
• Contra Costa Civic Theatre: East Bay community theater producing a season of musicals and plays with education programming. Comparable scale and East Bay footprint, with overlapping staff and teaching-artist connections documented in the data.
• 6th Street Playhouse: Santa Rosa-based community theater with a MainStage season and education programs. Comparable as a smaller Northern California regional musical theater; the Director of Marketing's previous role at 6th Street Playhouse is a direct talent pipeline signal.

Broad incumbents

• American Conservatory Theater (ACT): Large established San Francisco theater with a multi-venue season, MFA program, and significant endowment. Comparable as a major regional musical/theater competitor with broader programming scale and institutional resources.
• TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: Long-established Silicon Valley professional theater producing a season of musicals and plays. Comparable as another large Bay Area regional producing organization competing for subscribers, donors, and audience.
• BroadwaySF: Major presenter of touring Broadway productions in San Francisco. Comparable as a competitor for musical theater patron dollars in the Bay Area; relevant as a former employer of Berkeley Playhouse's Managing Director.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/berkplayhouse
• Facebookfacebook.com/berkeley-playhouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berkeley-playhouse-at-julia-morgan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 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 Berkeley Playhouse