Lyric Theatre

What Lyric Theatre does

The Lyric Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts venue operating a 500-seat historic theater (built 1925) at 59 S.W. Flagler Avenue in Historic Downtown Stuart, Florida, under the legal entity The Friends of The Lyric, Inc. It presents a continuously programmed calendar of live concerts, comedy, tribute performances, and family entertainment, supplemented by an arts-education portfolio that includes the AWESOME! Summer Camp, the 22+ year-old Discovery Series for school audiences, artist residencies and master classes, and KidTix youth ticketing. The venue reopened on October 1, 2021 after a pandemic-driven closure and infrastructure overhaul (new roof, HVAC with air purification, restored marquees).

The revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit construct spanning ticketed admissions (Showare platform plus a physical box office), tiered annual memberships starting at $50, charitable donations and planned-giving vehicles (Director's Circle, Lyric Legacy Society), corporate sponsorships, three-times-yearly The Lyric Magazine advertising (30,000 copies, 23,000 direct-mailed), venue rentals for corporate and private events, concessions and bar sales, and fees from summer camp programs. Ticket sales alone are stated to cover less than half of artist fees, production costs, and operating expenses, making donations, memberships, and sponsorships essential to the operating margin. Customer acquisition runs through direct-to-consumer marketing (website, magazine, email), a Patron Privilege Card affiliate network with local businesses, and group sales outreach for bulk tickets and private rentals.

Operationally, the organization is lean (11-50 employees), governed by a Board of Directors led by President/CEO Kia Fontaine, and supported by a network of volunteers. The programming slate visible on the venue's website for the 2026-2027 season spans tribute acts (Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Bee Gees, Chicago, Eagles), original performers (Coco Montoya, Jesse Cook, Firefall, Leo Kottke, Ricky Skaggs), comedy (Kevin Nealon, Leslie Jones), and structured wine-and-jazz pairing events. The venue relies on a historic physical asset (originally 900 seats, post-renovation 500 seats) and a 99-year community reputation as its primary competitive position, with no proprietary technology or diversified revenue assets beyond magazine printing and rental optionality.

Name

Lyric Theatre

Legal name

The Friends of The Lyric, Inc.

Website

https://lyrictheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Lyric Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a 500-seat historic performing arts venue in Stuart, Florida, presenting concerts, comedy, tribute shows, and youth arts-education programs funded by ticket sales, memberships, donations, corporate sponsorships, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

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

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Concert venue
• Arts education
• Theater rental
• Community entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuart

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from ticket sales for live performances and events. According to their support page, ticket sales cover less than one-half of artist fees, production costs and operating expenses.
2. Memberships & Donations: Annual membership programs beginning at $50, with tiers offering advance ticket purchasing, local business discounts, and other perks. Donations from supporters help fund operations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate Partnership packages offering visibility to thousands of patrons, show sponsorships with benefits including complimentary tickets, drink vouchers, magazine ads, and recognition.
4. The Lyric Magazine Advertising: The Lyric Magazine printed three times annually (30,000 copies) with advertising opportunities for local businesses targeting the arts-going demographic.
5. Venue Rentals: The 500-seat venue is available for rental for fundraisers, corporate meetings, seminars, award ceremonies, private performances, and weddings.
6. Concessions & Bar: Beverage service including beer, wine, limited mixed drinks, soft drinks and water sold prior to performances and during intermission.
7. Summer Camp Programs: AWESOME! Summer Camp provides three-week sessions exploring drama, dance, music and technical theater production for children grades 1st-8th.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Lyric Theatre is a historic 500-seat performing arts venue that produces and presents live concerts, comedy shows, tribute performances, family entertainment, and theatrical productions. It also operates arts education programs for youth (summer camps, Discovery Series, residencies), rents its facility for private and corporate events, and publishes The Lyric Magazine.

Product overview

The Lyric Theatre is a historic 500-seat performing arts venue in Stuart, Florida, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Rather than a unified software product, it offers a portfolio of live entertainment and arts education programs including live concerts and performances (both Lyric-presented and third-party shows), its flagship AWESOME! Summer Camp for youth, the Discovery Series for young audiences, artist residencies, venue rental services, and The Lyric Magazine publication. The venue serves as a cultural center for the Treasure Coast community, combining ticketing services, educational programming, and community engagement through the performing arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Shows and Performances
• AWESOME! Summer Camp
• Discovery Series
• Venue Rental
• The Lyric Magazine
• Membership Programs
• Artist Residencies and Master Classes
• Wine and Jazz Tasting Events

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,400 children have participated in AWESOME! Summer Camp
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Business Partners (Patron Privilege Card)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork of local restaurants, shops, and service providers offering discounts to Lyric Theatre members. Benefits drive membership sign-ups while directing patrons to local businesses before and after shows. Contact Heather Long, Development Director.
• Corporate SponsorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate Partnership packages offering visibility to thousands of Lyric patrons. Includes show sponsorships with complimentary tickets, drink vouchers, recognition, magazine ads, and Season Wrap Up Party invitations.
• The Lyric Magazine AdvertisersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses advertising in The Lyric Magazine (30,000 circulation). Advertisers reach arts-interested demographic in Indian River County to Palm Beach County.
• U.S. State Department (via Henhouse Prowlers performances)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Henhouse Prowlers, who perform at The Lyric, work with the U.S. State Department and their own Bluegrass Ambassadors non-profit to tour internationally, using traditional American music to bridge cultural gaps.
• Karam Foundation (via Bassel & The Supernaturals)minorOthersBassel & The Supernaturals, who perform at The Lyric, donate a substantial portion of concert proceeds to the Karam Foundation, a non-profit focused on building a better future for Syria.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Parker Playhouse: Historic performing arts venue in Fort Lauderdale, FL, hosting touring concerts, comedy, and tribute acts similar to The Lyric's mixed-genre programming model in a comparable Florida regional market.
• Flat Rock Playhouse: Resident professional regional theater in Flat Rock, NC, operating a historic venue with a mixed season of musicals and plays plus a strong education program — a closely analogous community-producing theater.
• Riverside Theatre: Nonprofit regional theater in Vero Beach, FL, operating a comparable mainstage venue, producing plays and musicals, and running education programs that mirror The Lyric's Treasure Coast community theater model.
• Asolo Repertory Theatre: Florida-based professional LORT theater producing plays, musicals, and education programs with a similar community nonprofit structure; a comparable resident-producing Florida performing arts organization.
• Barter Theatre: Historic community-based resident theater in Abingdon, VA, with similar scale, nonprofit structure, mixed season of plays and musicals, and an embedded education/youth program — a strong national analog.
• Bucks County Playhouse: Historic nonprofit community playhouse in New Hope, PA, with comparable venue scale, mixed-bill touring programming, and youth programming — directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Maltz Jupiter Theatre: Regional community performing arts venue in Jupiter, FL, with comparable scale, nonprofit status, mixed resident/touring programming, and youth education programming — the closest geographic and operational peer to The Lyric.
• Sunrise Theatre: Historic 1,200-seat performing arts venue in Fort Pierce, FL, on the Treasure Coast, hosting concerts, comedy, and community events — the closest geographic and venue-format peer to The Lyric.
• Capitol Theatre (Clearwater): Historic Florida theater hosting concerts, comedy, and community programming; a directly comparable regional venue operator with similar mixed-genre, touring-act programming strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Kravis Center for the Performing Arts: Larger, multi-venue Florida performing arts center in West Palm Beach serving a broader geographic region with similar programming categories but significantly greater scale and programming breadth than The Lyric.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Lyric Theatre