What Shadowlight does

ShadowLight Productions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit shadow theater company founded in 1972 by Larry Reed and headquartered at 22 Chattanooga Street in San Francisco. The organization creates large-scale cinematic shadow theater productions that merge traditional Balinese wayang kulit techniques — an art form in which Reed was among the first Westerners trained as a dalang (shadow master) — with modern filmmaking and theater methodologies. Its proprietary approach uses rear projection screens up to 30' x 15' to cast shadows of masked actors, puppets, and scenery at variable scales, achieving film-like effects including lap dissolves and montages within a live performance context. The company operates three interconnected product lines: cinematic shadow theater productions, traditional wayang performances featuring Reed, and films/documentaries that preserve cultural shadow theater traditions.

The company serves K-12 schools and educational institutions, community organizations and families, performing artists and theater groups, and arts festivals and theaters. Revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations (one-time, weekly, and monthly at $50/$100/$500 tiers), fee-for-service arts education programs (workshops, residencies, school performances), ticket and venue revenue from live performances and film screenings, and co-production arrangements with international partners. Distribution channels include educational residencies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, performances at major festivals (BAM, Spoleto, Jim Henson International Puppetry Festival, SFMOMA), monthly community programming at Red Poppy Art House, and digital streaming of archival content via Vimeo.

Over more than five decades, ShadowLight has produced 30+ works including landmark productions such as 'Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic' (2016, BAM premiere), 'Monkey King at Spider Cave' (2006, toured Taiwan), and 'In His Own Words: An Invocation' (2025). Co-production partnerships with Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Fictionville Studio, Banu Productions, and Taipei Arts Organizations have enabled international cultural collaborations spanning Indonesian, Persian, Native American, Chinese, Japanese, and Cambodian artistic traditions. Following founder Larry Reed's passing in 2026, the organization is continuing operations through the community of artists he trained, preserving and activating the archive of his performances, films, puppets, and creative process.

Name

Shadowlight

Legal name

ShadowLight Productions

Website

https://shadowlight.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ShadowLight Productions is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that creates cinematic shadow theater productions merging traditional Balinese wayang kulit with modern film and theater. It serves schools, community organizations, performing artists, and arts festivals through performances, films, and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Shadow theater productions
• Puppetry performances
• Arts education programs
• Cultural documentary films
• Traditional wayang kulit

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ShadowLight relies heavily on tax-deductible donations from individuals, with options for one-time, weekly, and monthly giving at various tiers ($50, $100, $500, or custom amounts)
2. Arts Education Programs: Fee-for-service programs including school performances, community workshops, teaching artist residencies, and masterclasses for adults and institutions
3. Performance and Event Revenue: Ticket sales and venue fees from live performances, film screenings, and special events at theaters and community spaces
4. Film and Production Partnerships: Co-production arrangements with international partners for creating new shadow theater works, such as collaborations with Taiwanese artists for Monkey King at Spider Cave

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ShadowLight Productions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit shadow theater company that creates and tours large-scale cinematic shadow theater productions, traditional Balinese wayang kulit performances, and films/documentaries. It also delivers arts education programs (school performances, residencies, workshops) and publishes educational resources such as curriculum guides and instructional manuals for educators and community participants.

Product overview

ShadowLight Productions is a shadow theater company that has operated for over five decades, offering three interconnected product lines: (1) Cinematic Shadow Theater - the company's signature form invented in the early 1990s combining Indigenous and traditional practices with modern theater and filmmaking; (2) Traditional Wayang Bali performances featuring Larry Reed as dalang (Shadow Master); and (3) Films and Documentaries documenting cultural stories and shadow theater artistry. The company complements its performance offerings with an Arts Education Program providing workshops, residencies, and performances by professional teaching artists, plus a library of Educational Resources including instructional manuals, curriculum guides, and curated external resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cinematic Shadow Theater Productions Large-scale, multidisciplinary shadow theater works combining traditional Balinese wayang kulit techniques with modern filmmaking effects (lap dissolves, montages, cinema-scale screens up to 30' x 15') for audiences at theaters, festivals, and cultural venues.
• Traditional Wayang Bali Performances Traditional Balinese shadow play (wayang kulit) in which the dalang manipulates carved leather puppets while conducting a live gamelan orchestra; performed at cultural venues, festivals, and community spaces.
• Films and Documentaries Feature films, short films, artist interviews, and documentaries that document shadow theater traditions, cultural stories, and ShadowLight's own productions, distributed at film festivals and via digital streaming.
• Arts Education Program Workshops, residencies, school performances, and masterclasses led by professional teaching artists for K-12 schools, community organizations, colleges, teachers, and performing artists.
• Educational Resources Curated collection of instructional manuals, curriculum guides, educator puppetry guides, and links to international shadow theater organizations and recommended readings for educators and community participants.
• Live Performances and Events Public calendar of shadow theater performances, workshops, film screenings, and family-friendly community events at venues such as Red Poppy Art House and Bindlestiff Studio in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of continuous operation preserving and advancing shadow theater art form
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Red Poppy Art HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Monthly residency partner hosting ShadowLight programs with hands-on workshop activities for families. A Free Monthly program at Red Poppy Art House featuring shadow theater performances and puppet-building workshops.
• ARTogetherminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Community partnership for Shadow Movements - a youth workshop series blending traditional shadow puppetry with animation for newcomers, diaspora, and refugees.
• Fictionville StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-production partner for Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic, created by Hamid Rahmanian in collaboration with ShadowLight Productions.
• Banu ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-production partner for Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic alongside Fictionville Studio.
• Taipei Arts OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006International co-production partnership for Monkey King at Spider Cave featuring 19 performers and musicians from Taipei and San Francisco Bay Area. Production premiered in San Francisco and toured Taiwan for 2 months.
• Gamelan Sekar JayacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Long-standing co-production partner for Balinese shadow theater works including A (Balinese) Tempest (2005) and Kawit Legong (2012). Gamelan Sekar Jaya is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to the study and presentation of traditional and contemporary Balinese performing arts.
• Bindlestiff StudiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for shadow theater performances in San Francisco, hosting Arjuna's Meditation Wayang events.
• San Francisco OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Monkey King workshops as part of SF Opera's Department of Engagement and Connectivity programming at the Asian Art Museum.
• The Ballard Institute and Museum of PuppetryminorOthersArchival partner - ShadowLight's archival partners include the Ballard Institute which presented the exhibition Becoming Modern: U.S. Puppetry in the Twentieth Century.
• Center for Puppetry Arts in AtlantaminorOthersArchival partner for preserving ShadowLight's collection of performances, films, puppets, and creative process documentation.
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Shadows for Carlos Villa short film screening as part of SMARTBOMB x SFMOMA Waves of Knowing film series.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Great Small Works: Great Small Works is a New York-based toy theater and puppet company producing original performances for adult audiences. It shares ShadowLight's scale (small nonprofit), experimental puppetry approach, and blending of traditional forms with contemporary innovation.
• Chinese Theatre Works: Chinese Theatre Works is a nonprofit presenting traditional Chinese shadow puppetry and performing arts. It is the most direct peer to ShadowLight in terms of shadow theater as a core discipline, with comparable educational programming and live performance focus.
• Sandglass Theater: Sandglass Theater is a Vermont-based nonprofit puppet theater company producing original works that blend puppetry, music, and storytelling. Like ShadowLight, it operates as a small nonprofit with touring productions, educational programs, and a focus on preserving and advancing puppetry traditions.
• Bread and Puppet Theater: Bread and Puppet Theater is a Vermont-based nonprofit puppet company with a 60+ year history of politically engaged, large-scale puppet performances. Comparable to ShadowLight in nonprofit structure, longevity, touring model, and blending of traditional craft with activist contemporary work.
• Teatro Visión: Teatro Visión is a San Jose-based Latino theater company and a past co-production partner with ShadowLight. It is comparable through its bilingual performing arts focus, nonprofit structure, and Bay Area community-based theater mission.

Broad incumbents

• Center for Puppetry Arts: Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta is a large nonprofit institution that produces, presents, and preserves puppetry. It is an archival partner of ShadowLight and is comparable through its museum, performance programming, and educational mission in the puppetry field.
• Handspring Puppet Company: Handspring Puppet Company is a globally recognized South African puppet company known for large-scale, artistically ambitious productions (notably War Horse). It is comparable to ShadowLight as a boundary-pushing puppetry company with international touring and museum exhibitions, though at substantially greater scale.

Regional players

• Imagination Stage: Imagination Stage is a Maryland-based nonprofit theater producing work for young audiences with strong education programs. Comparable to ShadowLight through its nonprofit producing model, family programming, and educational residencies, though at larger scale and broader dramatic focus.
• Puppet Showplace Theatre: Puppet Showplace Theatre is a Boston-based nonprofit dedicated to puppetry presenting and education. It is comparable to ShadowLight through its combination of live performance programming, educational residencies, and nonprofit theater operations, though it focuses on presenting rather than producing original works.
• National Theater of the Deaf: National Theater of the Deaf is a nonprofit touring theater company with educational programming for schools. Comparable to ShadowLight in nonprofit touring model and educational outreach, though focused on deaf theater rather than shadow/puppet theater specifically.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shadowlightorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shadowlight