Springer Opera House

What Springer Opera House does

Springer Opera House is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization headquartered at 103 10th Street in Columbus, Georgia, operating out of a National Historic Landmark built in 1871. The organization functions as Georgia's official State Theatre, producing 10-15 professional live theatrical productions annually across three series (mainstage, Studio Series, and Children's Theatre) in the main auditorium, McClure Theatre, Emily Woodruff Hall, and an outdoor Festival Stage, attracting approximately 112,000 admissions per year—Georgia's second-largest live theatre audience. Beyond productions, it operates the Springer Theatre Academy (a youth conservatory serving ages 5-18 with year-round and summer programming that has educated over 5,000 students since 1996), Theatre for the Very Young (ages 0-5), and the PAIR arts integration program for K-12 schools.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of ticket sales and season subscriptions, Academy tuition, individual donations and corporate sponsorships, government and foundation grants, facility rentals, ghost and building tours, and merchandise including publications such as The Springer Ghost Book. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the box office, the springeroperahouse.org website, season subscription packages, and group sales. The organization's technology stack is conventional and non-proprietary, consisting of Mailchimp for email marketing, Vendini for ticketing, and CampBrain for Academy registration management.

The organization is currently executing the Forever Springer Project, a planned $8 million capital campaign for historic preservation over a 10-year horizon, supported by recent grants from the National Parks Service Historic Preservation Fund (April 2025, secured with Senator Ossoff), the Georgia Council for the Arts (FY2026), and Fox Gives ($60,000 in 2024-25). Leadership transitioned in October 2023 when Paul Pierce retired after 35 years as Producing Artistic Director, with Danielle Patterson-Varner assuming the CEO/Executive Producer role and Keith McCoy as Associate Artistic Director. The Board of Directors governs the entity, and there is no parent company or private equity ownership structure.

Name

Springer Opera House

Legal name

Springer Opera House

Website

https://springeroperahouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Springer Opera House is a nonprofit regional theatre in Columbus, Georgia, operating the State Theatre of Georgia and a National Historic Landmark built in 1871. It produces 10-15 live productions annually for 112,000 admissions and runs a youth theatre academy serving 5,000+ students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Performing arts education
• Youth theatre academy
• Historic venue rentals
• Regional theatre company

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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 production tickets, season subscriptions, group sales, and gift certificates for live theatre performances.
2. Academy Tuition: Tuition fees from the Springer Theatre Academy offering programs for ages 2-18 including Summer Academy, Spring Break Academy, Winter Academy, and year-round classes.
3. Donations and Grants: Funding from individual donors through the Springer Society and annual fund, corporate sponsorships, and grants from government entities and private foundations.
4. Facility Rentals and Tours: Revenue from renting the theatre facilities and conducting ghost tours and building tours of the historic National Historic Landmark.
5. Publications and Merchandise: Sale of publications such as The Springer Ghost Book, as well as merchandise through the theatre.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Springer Opera House is a nonprofit regional producing theatre that stages 10-15 professional live productions annually across its main auditorium and McClure Theatre, featuring Broadway musicals, plays, and children's programming. Complementing its performance season, the Springer Theatre Academy provides year-round youth theatre education for ages 5-18, with additional programs for children ages 0-5 and arts integration partnerships with schools. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, Academy tuition, donations, grants, venue rentals, and ghost/building tours of the historic landmark.

Product overview

Springer Opera House operates as a regional producing theatre company offering professional live theatrical productions, primarily Broadway-style musicals and plays, staged across its main auditorium and McClure Theatre venue. The organization complements its performance programming with the Springer Theatre Academy, a comprehensive youth arts education conservatory serving students ages 5-18 through year-round classes and summer programs. Additional offerings include Theatre for the Very Young (ages 0-5), Children's Theatre productions, the PAIR arts integration program for schools, ghost tours, building tours, and venue rental services. The company generates revenue through ticket sales, Academy tuition, donations, and ancillary services including gift certificates and group sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Springer Mainstage Productions Professional regional theatre productions staged in the main auditorium, featuring 10-15 Broadway musicals and plays annually across three series for general audiences.
• Studio Series Smaller-scale productions presented in the McClure Theatre, offering intimate theatrical experiences and experimental works.
• Springer Theatre Academy Youth theatre training conservatory teaching students ages 5-18 'Life Skills Through Stage Skills,' with programs including Summer Academy, Spring Break Academy, Winter Academy, and Fall Academy sessions.
• Theatre for the Very Young Developmental theatre productions designed for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers, featuring original immersive and educational performances.
• Springer Children's Theatre Productions specifically designed for young audiences, performed in McClure Theatre with Arts in Education showings for school groups.
• PAIR Program Arts integration program partnering with teachers to equip them with artistic strategies for deeper learning and improved classroom culture across elementary and middle schools.
• Ghost Tours Guided tours exploring the paranormal history and ghost stories of the historic National Historic Landmark theatre building.
• Building Tours Historical tours of the theatre facility showcasing its architecture and preservation efforts as a 154-year-old National Historic Landmark.
• Venue Rentals Rental of theatre spaces including Emily Woodruff Hall and other facilities for events, meetings, and private functions.
• Season Tickets Subscription packages offering discounted access to multiple productions across the season with priority seating.
• Group Sales Discounted ticket packages for groups attending productions together, including schools and corporate groups.
• Gift Certificates Digital and physical gift certificates available for purchase for theatre tickets and Academy programs.
• The Springer Ghost Book (Publication) Book documenting paranormal events at the Springer Opera House, written by former Producing Artistic Director Paul Pierce, available for purchase as a publication and merchandise item.

Quantifiable outcome

• 112,000 annual admissions - Georgia's 2nd largest live theatre audience
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Basics Chattahoochee ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Theatre for the Very Young series and The Basics program to provide families with tools to promote early literacy through play. Combines early childhood education and performing arts.
• Columbus 2025minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity strategic plan initiative that launched The Basics Chattahoochee Valley as part of its five-year plan to enhance early childhood learning.
• United Way of the Chattahoochee ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization through which The Basics Chattahoochee Valley operates, supporting early childhood literacy initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Flat Rock Playhouse: State Theatre of North Carolina, producing professional regional theatre in a small/medium market. Directly comparable to Springer in scale, state-theatre designation, and Southeast U.S. regional theatre positioning.
• Ford's Theatre: National Historic Landmark producing theatre in Washington, D.C. that combines professional theatrical productions with historic preservation and education programming. Comparable to Springer in its NHL status, producing theatre model, and integration of education/community programming.
• Hartford Stage: Connecticut-based LORT professional theatre producing mainstage productions plus extensive education and community programming. Comparable to Springer in producing theatre scale, education integration, and nonprofit regional model.
• PlayMakers Repertory Company: North Carolina-based LORT professional theatre affiliated with UNC-Chapel Hill, producing a full season with strong education programs. Comparable to Springer in regional producing scale and education integration.
• Barter Theatre: State Theatre of Virginia and one of America's longest-running professional regional theatres, located in Abingdon, VA. Closely comparable to Springer as a designated state theatre producing 10+ shows annually with strong education programming and historic regional anchor status.
• Goodspeed Musicals: Connecticut-based professional musical theatre company known for developing and producing new and classic musicals at a regional level. Comparable to Springer in producing Broadway-scale musicals in a non-Broadway regional venue, plus education programming.
• McCarter Theatre Center: Princeton, NJ-based professional producing theatre with strong education and community programming. Comparable to Springer as a mid-size regional producing house combining mainstage productions, education, and community engagement.
• Asolo Repertory Theatre: Florida-based LORT professional regional theatre producing a full season plus education programming. Comparable to Springer in scale, regional producing model, and integration of theatre training programs.
• Walnut Street Theatre: America's oldest continuously operating theatre (1809), a producing regional theatre in Philadelphia. Comparable to Springer as a historic landmark venue operating as a professional producing house with education programs.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta-based regional theatre and previous Tony Award winner for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Comparable as another major Georgia-based producing theatre serving the same state, though larger scale and located in a major metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/springertheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/springertheatreacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/springer-opera-house-arts-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Springer Opera House