Oxford Playhouse

What Oxford Playhouse does

Oxford Playhouse is a registered charity (No. 900039) and producing theatre that has operated continuously since 1938 from 11–12 Beaumont Street in central Oxford, UK. It runs two performance venues — the Main Stage and the Burton Taylor Studio — alongside two wholly-owned operating entities: Tickets Oxford (a ticketing agency serving third-party promoters) and Oxford Playhouse Productions (in-house production company). The organisation serves general public audiences, Oxfordshire schools, corporate clients, adults, young people, and community groups through live programming, learning and participation programmes, venue hire, and the A Day to Remember corporate training service.

The underlying technology stack is standard for a mid-sized UK venue: Spektrix powers CRM, ticketing, marketing, and fundraising workflows, while GoCardless handles direct-debit payment processing for memberships and subscriptions. There is no proprietary technology, AI capability, or app; distribution is delivered via the website, box office, and a multi-channel marketing mix across email, social media, and printed brochures.

Oxford Playhouse operates a multi-stream revenue model. Approximately 80% of income is earned through ticket sales (with £2.75 Main Stage and £1.50 Burton Taylor booking fees per booking), bar and café sales, venue and space hire, and Tickets Oxford agency commissions. The remaining ~20% comes from donations, corporate sponsorship, trusts and foundations, legacies, and grants from Arts Council England, Oxford City Council, University of Oxford, and St John's College. Recurring subscription revenue is generated through Friends and Patrons membership schemes, while schools book at £15 per pupil with every 16th ticket free.

Name

Oxford Playhouse

Legal name

The Oxford Playhouse Trust

Website

https://oxfordplayhouse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oxford Playhouse is a registered charity and producing theatre, founded 1938, operating the Main Stage and Burton Taylor Studio in central Oxford. It serves general audiences, schools, corporate clients, and community groups via live programming, a ticketing agency, learning programmes, and venue hire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Live theatre performances
• Performing arts venue
• Corporate training services
• Theatre membership programs
• Ticketing agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Main revenue stream from ticket sales across Main Stage and Burton Taylor Studio venues. Booking fees of £2.75 for Main Stage and £1.50 for Burton Taylor Studio productions apply per booking.
2. Tickets Oxford Agency: Ticketing agency service for third-party events and promoters, generating commission-based revenue.
3. Venue and Space Hire: Room hire services for events and corporate functions, including the Circle Bar and Patrons Room.
4. Membership Programs: Friends and Patron membership programs offering priority booking, discounts and exclusive benefits in exchange for annual fees.
5. Bar and Café: Food and beverage sales on premises.
6. Corporate Training: A Day to Remember presenting and communication skills training program for corporate clients, delivered in professional theatre setting.
7. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorship, trusts and foundations contributions, and legacies.
8. Learning and Participation Programs: Revenue from workshops and participation activities for adults, young people, families and schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oxford Playhouse operates two live performance venues (Main Stage and Burton Taylor Studio) in Oxford, producing and presenting drama, comedy, dance, family shows and an annual pantomime. It runs creative learning and participation programmes for schools, adults and young people, delivers bespoke corporate communication and presentation training, runs a ticketing agency (Tickets Oxford) for third-party promoters, and offers venue hire and membership schemes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage Theatre Programme Repertory season of professional drama, comedy, dance, family shows and an annual pantomime performed on the Main Stage at 11-12 Beaumont Street, Oxford, with accessibility formats including audio-described, BSL, captioned, dementia-friendly and relaxed performances. Targeted at general audiences, families and visitors.
• Burton Taylor Studio Programme Smaller-scale studio theatre season featuring professional productions, Edinburgh Fringe previews, student productions and Playmaker showcases, operated by Oxford Playhouse Trust at the same Beaumont Street address. Targeted at niche audiences seeking experimental and emerging work.
• A Day to Remember Corporate Training Bespoke presenting and communication skills training delivered in a professional theatre setting for corporate clients, including rehearsal, coaching and a final presentation. Targeted at enterprises seeking team development.
• Take Part Schools Programme School group bookings, workshops, curriculum-linked performances and touring productions for primary and secondary schools across Oxfordshire, including the MakeBeth Tour engaging 1,000+ children annually. Group rate £15 per pupil with every 16th ticket free.
• Take Part Adult and Young People Workshops Workshops and creative participation activities for adults, young people and families covering acting, performance skills and creative development. Targeted at individuals seeking creative expression and skill development.
• Friends and Patron Memberships Annual subscription memberships offering priority booking, 50% ticket discounts and exclusive benefits for supporters of Oxford Playhouse.
• Venue and Space Hire Room hire of the Circle Bar, Patrons Room and other spaces for corporate functions and private events.
• Tickets Oxford Agency Ticketing agency service processing bookings for third-party promoters, venues and events, generating commission-based revenue.
• Bar and Café Services On-premises food and beverage service operated alongside performances for theatregoers and venue visitors.
• Snow White Pantomime 2026 Annual family pantomime produced by Oxford Playhouse for the 2026/27 festive season, written by Sarah Henley and directed by Mike Tweddle, with full accessibility programming.
• Little Shop of Horrors (Co-production) Theatrical co-production with Leeds Playhouse staged as part of Oxford Playhouse's programme in association with the partner venue.
• Oxford Playhouse Five-Year Strategy 2026-2031 Published five-year strategic plan covering Oxford Playhouse's vision, mission and operational priorities from 2026 to 2031.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 Oxfordshire children participate in theatre programs annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered significant and minor.

• Leeds PlayhousesignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Co-production partnership for Little Shop of Horrors - a significant theatrical collaboration between the two regional producing theatres.
• Touring TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Partnership presenting Once Upon a Time in Sokoto - a collaborative touring initiative expanding reach beyond Oxford.
• UK TheatreminorOthersIndustry body membership providing professional development, guidance, and standards support for UK theatres.
• KEEN OxfordminorOthersCommunity partnership providing drama workshop opportunities for vulnerable adults through the KEEN programme.
• Age UKminorOthersCharitable partnership supporting free ticket distribution to elderly community members who cannot afford attendance.
• NHSminorOthersPartnership for providing therapeutic and community-focused arts experiences through theatre attendance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Theatre: Largest publicly funded producing theatre in the UK, operating multiple venues and a national touring programme including productions that frequently play Oxford Playhouse. A broader incumbent in the same producing-theatre category.
• Royal Shakespeare Company: UK's flagship classical producing organisation; while much larger, it competes for the same Arts Council NPO funding and produces theatre in similar classical/contemporary repertoire. Acts as a broader incumbent in the same national funding and touring ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Leeds Playhouse: UK regional producing theatre and current co-production partner with Oxford Playhouse on Little Shop of Horrors. Comparable in scale, producing model, and community engagement remit, making it the most directly relevant peer.
• Chichester Festival Theatre: UK regional producing theatre with a strong classical and contemporary repertoire, similar Arts Council England NPO status, and comparable producing-and-presenting model in a non-London market.
• Royal Court Theatre: London-based producing theatre with a comparable producing + new-writing ethos and Arts Council NPO backing. While London-located, its programming model and partnership/co-production behaviour are closely aligned with Oxford Playhouse's.
• Bristol Old Vic: Historic regional producing theatre in the UK with a similar producing + receiving model and strong community/education programming. Operates at a comparable scale to Oxford Playhouse with comparable funding mix including Arts Council support.
• Young Vic: London producing theatre of similar scale with strong community and participation programmes and a comparable mix of in-house productions and visiting work, providing a useful peer benchmark for producing + participation intensity.
• Sheffield Theatles: Multi-space UK regional producing theatre operating a main house and studio similar to Oxford Playhouse's Main Stage + Burton Taylor Studio configuration, with comparable community engagement and NPO funding.
• Birmingham Rep: Long-established UK regional producing theatre with similar programming breadth (drama, musicals, family) and education/outreach depth, comparable in scale and structure to Oxford Playhouse.

Regional players

• New Wolsey Theatre: Mid-sized UK regional producing theatre outside London with an Arts Council-supported producing model including studio and main house work, broadly comparable in operating scale though operating in a different region (Ipswich rather than Oxford).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/oxfordplayhouse
• Facebookfacebook.com/OxfordPlayhouseTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxford-playhouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/oxfordplayhouse
• Xx.com/oxfordplayhouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Oxford Playhouse