Spokane Civic Theatre

What Spokane Civic Theatre does

Spokane Civic Theatre is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) community theatre founded in 1947 and based at a 27,000-square-foot historic facility at 1020 N. Howard St. in downtown Spokane's North Bank neighborhood. The organization operates two performance venues — the 334-seat Margot and Robert Ogden Main Stage and the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre — housed in a 1967 building designed by architect Moritz Kundig with a 1972 expansion. Civic produces 15-20 plays, musicals, and live events per season (Season 79, 2026-2027), drawing on a contracted creative bench of roughly 158 directors, designers, choreographers, stage managers, musicians, and backstage crew, supported by 388 volunteer performers and 330 volunteer house managers/ushers. The only full-time paid core is 6 staff out of 25 total employees.

The business model blends five revenue streams: individual ticket sales (22,786 tickets sold in 2024 via in-house box office and OvationTix online platform, with student tickets capped at $20), season memberships (770 active members receiving access to nine shows with early booking and pricing benefits, priced on annual subscription basis), donations and the 1CIVIC capital campaign (the largest and most variable line, supported by institutional funders including Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Northern Quest Casino, ArtsFund, and Paul G. Allen Family Foundation), education programming (195 students across 33 classes in 2024, with 40% receiving financial aid, plus summer camps), and corporate sponsorships and group sales. Bryan Harnetiaux has served as Playwright-in-Residence since 1982, anchoring the annual Bryan Harnetiaux Playwrights' Forum Festival (established 1983, now in its 36th year with a Youth Division), which showcases new Northwest one-acts. The organization is led by Executive Director Jake Schaefer and is governed by an independent board with no parent entity.

The theatre serves the Inland Northwest regional audience with a horizontal segmentation approach targeting general theatre patrons and youth-through-adult education students. Distribution is fully direct — in-person box office, OvationTix-powered online sales, and group sales (10+ patrons) — with no broker or reseller channel. Marketing relies on owned digital (website, Mailchimp email, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) and earned regional media (Spokesman-Review, Inlander, Gonzaga Bulletin). Recent award recognition includes 4 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards in 2024, 5 nominations in 2025, and Inlander Best of 2026 for Waitress as Best Local Theater Production. Operational disruption occurred in 2025 with the cancellation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame following casting backlash, replaced by Jagged Little Pill as part of a stated inclusivity repositioning. No AI/ML capability, proprietary technology platform, or API surface exists; the organization is a labor-intensive live-arts producer rather than a technology-enabled business.

Name

Spokane Civic Theatre

Legal name

Spokane Civic Theatre

Website

https://spokanecivictheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spokane Civic Theatre is a 78-year-old nonprofit community theatre in Spokane, WA, operating two performance venues and producing 15-20 plays and musicals annually for Inland Northwest audiences, supported by season memberships, ticket sales, donations, and education programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performing Arts / Community Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Community theatre productions
• Live performing arts
• Theatre education programs
• Season membership tickets
• Youth theatre camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets sold through the box office and online ticketing platform (Ovations). Student tickets available for $20 or less.
2. Season Memberships: Season membership packages providing access to nine shows with early access, exclusive pricing, and flexibility benefits.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fundraising campaigns, capital campaign (1CIVIC), and individual donor contributions supporting operations and facility improvements.
4. Education Programs: Summer camps and performing arts education programming fees for youth through adult students.
5. Sponsorships and Advertising: Corporate sponsorships and advertising opportunities for businesses to reach theatre audiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Spokane Civic Theatre is a nonprofit community theatre that produces and presents live plays, musicals, and special events on two stages (the 334-seat Main Stage and the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre), running a nine-show season with associated season memberships and group sales. It also runs performing arts education programming (summer camps, classes, and educational productions) for students from youth through adult, and hosts the annual Bryan Harnetiaux Playwrights' Forum Festival.

Product overview

Spokane Civic Theatre is a nonprofit community theatre operating two performance spaces—the 334-seat Margot and Robert Ogden Main Stage and the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre. The organization produces 15-20 plays, musicals, and live events annually, complemented by a vibrant education program spanning youth through adult performing arts education. The venue hosts the annual Bryan Harnetiaux Playwrights' Forum Festival (since 1983), presents Readers Theater productions, and offers season membership packages. Founded in 1947, it serves as an award-winning cultural institution in downtown Spokane's North Bank.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions Full-scale plays and musicals staged on the Margot and Robert Ogden Main Stage (334 seats), including Season 79 titles such as Peter Pan Goes Wrong, R+H Cinderella, The Importance of Being Earnest, Appropriate, and Dear Evan Hansen. Targeted at general theatre audiences across the Spokane / Inland Northwest region.
• Studio Theatre Productions Smaller-scale plays, musicals, and special events presented in the Firth J Chew Studio Theatre (black-box space), including Studio titles such as The Minutes, It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Matt & Ben, and Trouble in Mind. Targeted at general theatre audiences seeking more intimate programming.
• Bryan Harnetiaux Playwrights' Forum Festival Annual multi-rotation festival of new one-act plays by Northwest playwrights, including a Youth Division for writers under 22, with rotating productions performed over several days. Targeted at regional playwrights, theatre enthusiasts, and education audiences. Pricing: single rotation adults $15, students $10.
• Civic Education Programs Performing arts education programming for youth through adults, including summer camps (e.g., 2026 summer offerings), workshops, teaching-artist programs, financial assistance, and student productions (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Alice in Wonderland Jr.). Approximately 40% of participants receive financial aid.
• Season Memberships Annual subscription package granting access to Civic's nine-show season with member benefits including early access to tickets, exclusive pricing, and flexibility. Sold via CivicMember.com and the organization website.
• Group Sales Block-ticket sales for organizations or groups of 10 or more patrons, with arrangements handled directly through the Box Office (phone 509-325-2507 or [email protected]). Targeted at schools, clubs, community groups, and companies arranging group outings.
• Readers Theater Presentations Dramatic readings performed by community actors in a staged-reading format, including collaborations with Ignite! Community Theatre (e.g., The Great Gatsby, Puffs). Targeted at community members interested in low-production-format theatre experiences.
• ASL-Interpreted Performances American Sign Language-interpreted performances of select Main Stage productions using trained theatrical interpreters. Targeted at deaf and hard-of-hearing community members in the Spokane region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,786 tickets sold and 770 memberships in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gonzaga University Dance DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partnership for the production of CATS musical, combining Civic's theatre expertise with Gonzaga's dance department resources and student performers
• Ignite! Community TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaborative relationship for reader theater productions and community theatre programming. Joint productions include The Great Gatsby, Puffs, and other reader theater presentations
• North Bank Venues (Spokane Arena, The Podium, One Stadium, Spokane Pavilion)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on coordinating overlapping North Bank events and parking management for shared district patrons
• Spokane Transit AuthorityminorOthersProvides public transit access to theatre with multiple bus routes serving the downtown/North Bank area

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tacoma Little Theatre: Long-running Pacific Northwest community theatre of comparable scale producing mainstage plays and musicals, with education programming — closely aligned on size, model, and volunteer-driven operations.
• Ignite! Community Theatre: Pacific Northwest community theatre already collaborating with Civic on Readers Theater productions. Closely aligned operating model and a direct co-production partner rather than a head-to-head rival.
• Spokane Stage Left: Spokane-based community theatre producing contemporary and classical works on a similar scale. Directly competes for Spokane audiences, volunteers, and local donor support.
• Interplayers Theatre: Professional theatre company also based in Spokane, producing plays and musicals for the Inland Northwest market. Closest direct competitor for local theatre audiences and donors.

Broad incumbents

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: One of the largest regional repertory theatres in the U.S., producing a mix of Shakespeare, musicals, and contemporary works. Comparable repertory model and new-work programming, though at significantly larger scale.
• ACT Theatre: Seattle-based contemporary theatre producing new plays and classics, with an education program. Operates at substantially larger scale but overlaps in repertory and audience development approach.
• Paper Mill Playhouse: Historic regional theatre producing musicals and plays with an associated education program. Comparable repertory + education structure though with larger budgets and a longer run history.
• Seattle Repertory Theatre: Pacific Northwest regional repertory theatre producing plays, musicals, and new works. Larger scale and broader programming, but competes for regional audiences and donor attention.

Regional players

• Idaho Shakespeare Festival: Regional repertory festival in Boise producing Shakespeare and musicals, drawing some Inland Northwest patrons. Comparable repertory model though at larger scale and different geography.

Emerging players

• Nashville Children's Theatre: Theatre organization with a comparable youth-education-and-production model. Relevant for benchmarking Civic's Civic Education division and youth productions such as Alice in Wonderland Jr.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@spokane.civic.theatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/Spokane.Civic.Theatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/spokanecivictheatre/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@spokanvecivictheatre
• Xx.com/spocivictheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spokane-civic-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 Spokane Civic Theatre