Northlight Theatre

What Northlight Theatre does

Northlight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional theatre company founded in 1974 in Evanston, Illinois, currently operating as a resident company at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie ahead of a planned September 2026 relocation to its own purpose-built 285-seat venue at 1012 Church Street in downtown Evanston. The company produces five mainstage productions annually — a mix of contemporary dramas, musicals, and refreshed classics — supplemented by new play development (11 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards to date), student matinees, the Northlight Youth Council, community writing residencies, and the Arts for Everyone free-ticket program serving 20+ Chicagoland social service organizations. Revenue is generated through individual ticket sales ($39–$89), three subscription tiers and three Flex Pass tiers ($159–$295), an annual fund with giving levels from $100 to $20,000+, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, a capital campaign for the new facility, and rentals of costumes, props, and the scene shop to peer theatres including Drury Lane and Chicago Children's Theatre. GTM is direct-to-consumer via the website box office (Spektrix/Ticketmaster), a telephone box office, in-person sales, and a dedicated group sales function, with marketing across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, email, earned PR (Cathy Taylor PR), and community events such as Savor Evanston and the annual Gala. Leadership has been stable since the late 1990s under Artistic Director BJ Jones (since 1998) and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans (since 2007), with an approximately 30-person staff across administration, advancement, artistic, capital campaign, education, marketing, and production functions.

Name

Northlight Theatre

Legal name

Northlight Theatre

Website

https://northlight.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northlight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional theatre founded in 1974, producing five mainstage productions annually plus education and community programs for Chicagoland audiences and relocating to a new 285-seat venue in Evanston in 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre / 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

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO), Theater & Performing Arts Ticketing (HSACALAC)

Keywords

• Live theatrical productions
• Performing arts education
• Community theatre programs
• Season subscription tickets
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Skokie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual ticket sales for mainstage productions. Regularly priced adult tickets range from $39–$89 depending on seat location and performance date. Preview performances offer lower price points.
2. Season Subscriptions: Traditional 5-play subscription packages (save up to 40% off individual tickets) and Flex Passes (4 ticket credits to use at will). Subscription prices are all-inclusive with no handling fees. Senior discounts ($10 off) available on Wednesday shows.
3. Donations and Annual Fund: Donations at multiple giving levels ($100–$20,000+) with escalating donor benefits including name recognition, event invitations, opening night access, Name-A-Seat opportunities, and backstage tours. The Visionaries Circle requires $1,500/year minimum. Monthly recurring donation option available.
4. Capital Campaign: Capital campaign for the new theatre at 1012 Church Street in Evanston, scheduled to open September 2026. Accepts checks directed to the Capital Campaign, stock gifts, vehicle donations, and planned giving through the Northlight Legacy Society.
5. Rental and Scene Shop Services: Revenue generated from renting costumes, props, and set pieces, custom scenic builds, CNC fabrication services, and scene shop facility rentals to other theatres and productions.
6. Charitable IRA Rollovers (QCD): Qualified charitable distributions from IRAs for donors age 70½ or older, providing tax-advantaged giving option.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Northlight Theatre is a nonprofit professional theatre company that produces five mainstage theatrical productions per year at an intimate 285-seat venue, selling individual tickets ($39-$89) and multi-tier season subscriptions and Flex Passes. It supplements ticketing revenue with arts education programs (Build A Play, Speak Up, Student Matinees, Youth Council, Highlights), the Arts for Everyone free-ticket community access program, scene shop and costume/prop rental services to other productions, and a robust donor and capital campaign fundraising operation supporting its move to a new owned Evanston facility opening September 2026.

Product overview

Northlight Theatre is a professional, non-profit theatre company that operates as a single, unified performing arts organization with a primary venue-based offering. Its core product is mainstage theatrical productions (five annually), supplemented by education programs (Build A Play, Speak Up, Student Matinees, Youth Council, Highlights), community engagement initiatives (Arts for Everyone, Savor Evanston), audience enrichment (Backstage with BJ, Post-Show Discussions), and operational services (Venue/Scene Shop rentals including costume and props rentals, custom builds, and CNC fabrication). The organization generates revenue through ticket sales (individual and subscription packages), donations, grants, and rental/service fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions
• Season Subscriptions and Flex Passes
• Education Programs
• Student Matinees
• Arts for Everyone
• Venue and Scene Shop Rentals
• Northlight Youth Council (NLYC)
• Northlight Gala 2026 and Show Stoppers Auction

Quantifiable outcome

• Free tickets provided to 20+ social service organizations per season through Arts for Everyone program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Barn SteakhouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant located at 1016 Church St, directly behind the new theatre. Offers Northlight attendees 10% off food and beverage with same-day ticket.
• The Addled BunnyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPub at 1010 Church St, Northlight's direct neighbour. Offers Northlight audiences 10% off food with same-day ticket.
• Core & Rind Hospitality (Blue Horse, Taco Diablo, Five & Dime, Lulu's)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant group one block from theatre. Spend $75 pretax and receive a $15 gift certificate for future dine-in. Multiple cuisine options available.
• LeTour Social Kitchen & BarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant at 625 Davis St, 0.2 miles from theatre. Offers Northlight attendees 15% off their final bill with same-day ticket.
• The Barn SteakhouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHospitality partner offering Northlight patrons 10% off food and beverage with same-day ticket.
• The Addled BunnyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighbouring pub with 10% discount for Northlight ticket holders.
• Core and Rind HospitalityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant group offering a $15 gift certificate for every $75 spent by Northlight ticket holders.
• LeTour Social Kitchen & BarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDining partner offering 15% discount to Northlight patrons.
• KoiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner in Evanston.
• Nothing Bundt Cakes (Skokie)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHospitality partner providing in-kind support.
• Doubletree by Hilton Chicago North ShoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel partner for visiting artists and patrons.
• Hecky's BarbecueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHospitality partner providing dining benefits.
• League of Chicago TheatrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthlight is a founding member of the League of Chicago Theatres (one of the founders, Gregory Kandel, co-founded the League). League provides grants and advocacy for Chicago theatres.
• Evanston ScholarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit helping first-generation, low-income, and students of color with college access. Northlight helps students express their identity through creative writing.
• Family Focus (Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthlight teaching artists lead grandparents in writing and performance workshops about their life experiences as caregivers.
• Levy Senior CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthlight's Highlights program runs writing workshops via Zoom at the Levy Center, culminating in a printed collection of senior stories.
• McGaw YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWriting and storytelling workshops for YMCA residents, with completed pieces displayed at the facility. Supported by Catherine and Bart Rocca.
• Y.O.U. (Youth & Opportunity United)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthlight has led Speak Up! theatre for social change residencies and improv masterclasses for Y.O.U.'s youth.
• Youth Job CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWork readiness programming focused on conflict resolution and building positive workplace relationships. Supported by Suzanne and Dan Kanter and Libby Ester and Michael Brody.
• YWCA Evanston/North ShoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWriting, storytelling, and costume design workshops for women and children living in domestic violence residences. Supported by the Mammel Foundation.
• Galway International Arts Festival (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational co-production partner. Northlight produced its first international co-production (Chapatti) with GIAF and participated in several other productions with the festival.
• North Shore Center for the Performing ArtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthlight has been the resident theatre company at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie since 1997. The 2025-26 season is the last at this venue before the move to Evanston.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Court Theatre: University-affiliated Chicago nonprofit theatre producing a subscription mainstage season. Comparable peer in the Chicago nonprofit regional theatre ecosystem with similar educational mission and donor-supported model.
• Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago-based nonprofit ensemble theatre producing original work and adaptations. Comparable peer in Chicago nonprofit regional theatre market with similar subscription, ticket, and donor revenue model.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago-based nonprofit professional theatre company producing mainstage seasons. Comparable as a peer nonprofit regional theatre in the Chicago market with similar subscription and donor revenue model, though substantially larger in scale and budget.
• TimeLine Theatre Company: Chicago nonprofit theatre producing plays about history and contemporary social issues. Comparable peer in Chicago nonprofit regional theatre space with similar subscription model and education/community engagement programs.
• Goodman Theatre: One of Chicago's oldest and largest nonprofit regional theatres with a subscription model, education programs, and donor-driven revenue. Comparable peer in scale and operational structure, though larger and with multiple stages.
• Lifeline Theatre: Chicago North Side nonprofit theatre known for literary adaptations and original work for families and adults. Comparable peer as a mid-sized Chicago nonprofit theatre with subscription and education programming.
• Writers Theatre: North Shore suburban Chicago nonprofit theatre with a focus on new and classical work. Highly comparable as a peer suburban Chicago regional theatre with similar subscription, education, and donor-driven nonprofit model.
• Chicago Children's Theatre: Chicago nonprofit theatre focused on youth and family productions. An existing rental/scene shop customer of Northlight; comparable as a peer Chicago-area nonprofit theatre that also serves school and family audiences.

Regional players

• Milwaukee Repertory Theater: Regional nonprofit theatre in the Upper Midwest producing mainstage seasons. Comparable as a peer mid-size regional theatre with subscription, education, and donor-driven revenue, serving a nearby but distinct metropolitan market.
• Indiana Repertory Theatre: Indianapolis-based nonprofit regional theatre with a subscription mainstage season and education programming. Comparable as a peer mid-size regional nonprofit theatre with similar operating model, though in a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NorthlightThtr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NorthlightTheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthlightTheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/northlightthtr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Northlight Theatre