Stages Theatre Company

What Stages Theatre Company does

Stages Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre-for-young-audiences organization founded in 1984 (originally as Child's Play Theatre) and headquartered in Hopkins, Minnesota, within the Hopkins Center for the Arts — a 37,000 sq ft multi-disciplinary facility the company helped design and fundraise for in the mid-1990s. The company produces professional-quality theatre productions featuring youth performers in all performance roles (no adult actors), supported by professional artistic direction, set design, lighting, sound, and costume construction. Its portfolio spans Mainstage Theatre productions, Jaycees Studio Theatre shows (including the Theatre for the Very Young series for ages 0-5), and a comprehensive education program offering 150+ school-year classes and summer workshops for ages 2 through grade 12, plus the C.A.S.T. sensory-friendly program for youth with autism developed with AuSM.

The business model combines ticket sales (single tickets $16-$30, season subscriptions), education tuition ($145-$915 per program), donations and sponsorships (including a $2.5M Next Generation Capital Campaign), and government arts funding (Minnesota State Arts Board). Reach is regional across the Twin Cities metro, with annual attendance of approximately 150,000 and an annual operating budget of $3+ million. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company's website and physical box office at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, supplemented by partner locations at PiM Arts High School (Eden Prairie), Robbinsdale Middle School, and the Minnesota Children's Museum (St. Paul). The company has earned national recognition including the 2017 Harold Oaks Award from TYA/USA and the 2018 50/50 Applause Award, and operates a sequenced set of cultural-competence partnerships with Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble (Indigenous), Theater Mu (Asian American), and Threads Dance Project to expand BIPOC representation in TYA programming.

Name

Stages Theatre Company

Legal name

Stages Theatre Company

Website

https://stagestheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stages Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1984 that produces professional theatre for young audiences and provides theatre education programs (ages 0-18) at the Hopkins Center for the Arts in Hopkins, Minnesota, serving approximately 150,000 attendees annually on a $3M+ budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Theatre and Performing Arts Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Youth theatre productions
• Theatre education programs
• Children's performing arts
• Sensory-friendly theatre
• Arts education classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Hopkins

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets across mainstage and studio theatre productions. Single tickets range from $16-$30 depending on production and age category.
2. Season Subscriptions: Season ticket packages offering savings over individual ticket purchases for the full 2026-27 season lineup.
3. Education Programs: Tuition revenue from school-year classes (ages 2 through grade 12), summer workshops, and specialty programs like C.A.S.T. (autism-friendly theatre). Classes range from $145 to $915 depending on program length and type.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions from individual donors, corporate sponsorships, and the Next Generation Capital Campaign ($2.5M goal). Also includes employer-matched giving and payroll giving programs.
5. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships associated with Starlight Celebration event and other naming/opportunity sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stages Theatre Company produces and presents professional live theatre performances for young audiences, with all performance roles cast by youth performers under professional artistic direction. Its programs include mainstage productions, Theatre for the Very Young (ages 0-5), year-round theatre arts classes (ages 2 through grade 12), summer workshops, sensory-friendly C.A.S.T. classes for students with autism, and in-school residencies. Productions are staged primarily at the Hopkins Center for the Arts with additional class and workshop locations across the Twin Cities metro.

Product overview

Stages Theatre Company offers a unified portfolio of theatre productions and arts education programs for young audiences. The core offering includes Mainstage Theatre Productions featuring youth performers in musicals and plays, alongside Theatre for the Very Young productions designed for ages 0-5. Education services encompass School Year Programs (ages 2 through grade 12), Summer Theatre Workshops, the C.A.S.T. Program for students with autism, In-School Programs, and Field Trips. The company also hosts special events including alumni celebrations and fundraiser performances. Productions include adaptations of literary works (The Secret Garden, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hello Universe), holiday shows (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer), and original collaborations with organizations like Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble, Theater Mu, and Threads Dance Project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Theatre Productions Professional live theatre productions (musicals and plays) performed by youth casts under professional artistic direction, presented at the Hopkins Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre. Productions are licensed or original works targeted at families with children and youth, including family-friendly musicals, literary adaptations, and culturally specific collaborations.
• School Year Programs Year-round theatre arts education classes for ages 2 through grade 12, including Creative Play, Theatre Exploration, Actor Training, and Musical Theatre programs. Tuition ranges from approximately $145 to $650 per program and classes are taught by professional teaching artists at the Hopkins Center for the Arts and partner locations.
• Summer Theatre Workshops Seasonal summer theatre camps and workshops for ages 4 through grade 12, covering singing, dancing, acting, and technical theatre skills taught by professional teaching artists. Tuition ranges from $175 to $915 depending on program length and grade level, with locations at Hopkins Center for the Arts, PiM Arts High School (Eden Prairie), Robbinsdale Middle School, and Minnesota Children's Museum (St. Paul).
• C.A.S.T. Program (Creative, Accepting, Sensory-Friendly Theatre) Sensory-friendly theatre education program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other sensory sensitivities, providing acting skills and social development in a structured, supportive environment. Created in partnership with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM).
• In-School Programs Teaching-artist-led in-school residencies and classroom partnerships that integrate drama into daily learning, building communication, empathy, and collaboration skills for K-12 students. Designed for educators seeking arts integration within the school day.
• Field Trips & School Day Shows Affordable, age-appropriate daytime theatre performances for school groups, tied to learning objectives and paired with curriculum enhancement materials. Designed for K-12 schools and educators seeking arts experiences that meet classroom goals.
• Season Subscriptions Multi-show season ticket packages offering savings over individual ticket purchases across the full 2026-27 mainstage season lineup, sold directly through the Stages Theatre Company website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000 annual attendance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Threads Dance ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2027Collaboration with Threads Dance Project (founded by Karen L. Charles) for THE WIZ production. Threads Dance Project creates contemporary dance works examining themes of connection and is based in Minneapolis-St. Paul with a mission to examine, expose and celebrate threads that connect us.
• Theater MucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2027Collaboration with Theater Mu for Hello, Universe production. Theater Mu is one of the largest Asian American theatre companies in the US and the largest in the Midwest, providing resources for Asian American artists and introducing Asian American stories to diverse audiences.
• Mni Giizhik Theatre EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026Collaboration with Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble (founded by Adrienne Zimiga-January, Sequoia Hauck, and Sara Pillatzki-Warzeha) for Bowwow Powwow production. Mni Giizhik brings Native theatre professionals working in collaborative leadership model honoring community circles. The name translates to Cedar Water in Dakota/Anishinaabe languages.
• Hopkins Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHopkins Center for the Arts is the home venue for Stages Theatre Company. A collaborative community arts space that fosters creativity and connection, housing productions, classes, and outreach programs in downtown Hopkins.
• City of Hopkins and Hopkins School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Stages Theatre Company, the City of Hopkins, and Hopkins School District to design and fundraise for the Hopkins Center for the Arts ($4.3 million, 37,000 sq. ft. facility). Led by former Artistic Director Steve Barberio.
• AuSM (Autism Society of Minnesota)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create C.A.S.T. program providing theatre classes for youth with autism and other sensory sensitivities. Designed to create safe, welcoming environment for self-expression, social engagement, and confidence.
• Minnesota Children's MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to bring Summer Theatre Workshops to Minnesota Children's Museum location in St. Paul, expanding access to families visiting the museum.
• PiM Arts High SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEden Prairie location for select Summer Studio classes and musical theatre programs for grades 6-12.
• Robbinsdale Middle SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSummer Theatre Workshop location for Grades 1-6 in Robbinsdale, MN.
• Minnesota State Arts BoardcoreOthersOperating Support grant recipient through Minnesota State Arts Board, funded by legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund and voter support.
• The egg Theatre / Theatre Royal Bath EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational performance tour and artistic exchange partnership with the egg Theatre and Young Peoples Theatre of Theatre Royal in Bath, England.
• Music Theatre International (MTI)minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing arrangement for Shrek The Musical - Theatre for Young Audiences Version through special arrangement with MTI.
• Character Arts, LLCminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical under Character Arts LLC license.
• Broadway LicensingminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPresented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing for Diary of a Wimpy Kid musical.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Theatre: Atlanta-based Tony-winning regional theatre operating a robust TYA season. Larger and broader in scope, but runs comparable youth-cast programming and school outreach.
• Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago-based ensemble theatre that also runs youth and education programming. Broader professional company that intersects with Stages on cast/training talent and education adjacency.

Direct peers

• First Stage: Milwaukee-based TYA producing theatre and academy with both mainstage productions and a substantial acting academy. Closely comparable in combining professional productions with tuition-based training.
• Bay Area Children's Theatre: California-based TYA company with mainstage productions and school outreach programs. Comparable in mission, youth-cast mainstage model, and education programming.
• Children's Theatre Company: Minneapolis-based TYA theatre company, the largest of its kind in the US. Directly comparable as a regional TYA producer with mainstage productions, education programs, and a similar Twin Cities catchment.
• Adventure Stage Chicago: Chicago TYA company with programming for youth performers and a focus on inclusive/accessible theatre. Comparable scale and mission; previous employer of Stages' Education Director.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Regional TYA theatre producing mainstage shows and education classes for youth performers. Same youth-performer-cast identity and tuition-based class structure as Stages.
• ImaginOn: Charlotte, NC collaboration between Children's Theatre of Charlotte and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library producing TYA programming. Comparable as a multi-tenant arts center tenant with resident TYA programming.
• Seattle Children's Theatre: Pacific Northwest TYA producing theatre with mainstage seasons and education programming. Comparable operating model and youth-cast format; Education Director Megan Collins previously worked there.

Others

• Hopkins Center for the Arts: Multi-arts facility housing Stages as anchor resident. Not a competitor but a venue/infrastructure peer whose co-tenants shape Stages' operational environment and shared programming capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stagestheatrecompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stages-theatre-company
• Xx.com/stagestheatreco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Stages Theatre Company