Mad Horse Theatre Company

What Mad Horse Theatre Company does

Mad Horse Theatre Company is a private nonprofit professional theater founded in 1986 and based in South Portland, Maine. The company operates an intimate 50-seat black box theater inside the historic Hutchins School building, which it leases from the City of South Portland since 2009. Its core product is a seasonal slate of professionally produced cutting-edge contemporary plays and dramatic classics, supplemented by a BY LOCAL new play reading series showcasing Maine playwrights. The company has no paid staff, with all management handled by a Board of Directors composed of company members and outside directors.

The organization's go-to-market is bifurcated between direct-to-consumer ticketing and community-driven fundraising. Tickets are sold through the Pay What You Decide model, requiring only a $4 reservation fee, with patrons determining final payment after attending. Venue rental of the black box theater and lobby, group reservations, gift reservations, and tiered subscription packages (Thursday Opening Night at $100, Friday Gala at $120) extend the commercial surface. Distribution relies on OvationTix for online reservations, box office phone/email, and a Constant Contact email list, with marketing amplified through season reveal parties at local venues such as Oxbow Blending & Bottling, social media (approximately 4,000 followers), and local press coverage.

Revenue is diversified across six streams: Ticket Sales (49.8%), Grants and Sponsorships (21.4%), Annual Appeal (16.4%), Rentals and Ad Sales (10.9%), Special Events (9.0%), and Concessions (3.3%). Major sponsors include Coffee By Design (Marquee Season Sponsor), Port City Legal, Maine Trust for Local News, and Bangor Savings Bank. Foundation support comes from the Onion Foundation, Maine Arts Commission, Davis Family Foundation, Maine Community Foundation Theater Fund, Morton Kelly Charitable Trust, and Rines Thompson Fund. The company is led by Artistic Director Allison McCall (since 2024) and Board President SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal. Geographic reach is regional, serving the greater Portland, Maine area and broader New England arts community.

Name

Mad Horse Theatre Company

Legal name

Mad Horse Theatre Company

Website

https://madhorse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mad Horse Theatre Company is a nonprofit professional theater in South Portland, Maine, operating a 50-seat black box theater in the historic Hutchins School. Founded in 1986, it produces cutting-edge contemporary plays and dramatic classics for the greater Portland community using a Pay What You Decide ticketing model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Contemporary plays
• Performing arts
• Theatrical performances
• Nonprofit theater

Headquarters

HQ city

South Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream contributing approximately 49.8% of annual income. All productions use a Pay What You Decide model with a $4 reservation fee required at booking.
2. Grants and Sponsorships: Foundation and corporate support including season sponsors, community sponsors, and foundation grants. Contributes approximately 21.4% of annual income.
3. Annual Appeal: Direct donation campaigns to supporters, contributing approximately 16.4% of annual income.
4. Special Events: Revenue from fundraising events, season reveal parties, and auctions, contributing approximately 9.0% of annual income.
5. Concessions: Sale of refreshments including beer, wine, coffee, tea, and locally baked goods before shows and during intermission, contributing approximately 3.3% of annual income.
6. Rentals and Ad Sales: Venue rental income from the black box theater and lobby spaces, plus advertising in season programs, contributing approximately 10.9% of annual income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mad Horse Theatre Company is a professional nonprofit theater that produces cutting-edge contemporary plays and dramatic classics performed in an intimate 50-seat black box theater housed in the historic Hutchins School in South Portland, Maine. The company operates on a Pay What You Decide model where patrons pay a $4 reservation deposit and decide the final ticket payment after seeing the performance. It supplements main stage productions with season subscriptions, venue rentals, the BY LOCAL new play reading series, special fundraising events, and concessions.

Product overview

Mad Horse Theatre Company is a professional theatre producing cutting-edge contemporary plays and dramatic classics. Their core offering consists of Main Stage Productions performed in their intimate 50-seat black box theater at the historic Hutchins School, supplemented by Pay What You Decide ticketing and Season Subscriptions. Additional services include Venue Rental (lobby and Black Box Theater spaces), the BY LOCAL new play reading series for Maine playwrights, Special Events including fundraisers and season reveal parties, and Concessions. The company operates on a Pay What You Decide model where patrons pay a $4 reservation deposit and determine payment after seeing the performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BY LOCAL: A new play reading series that gives Maine playwrights the opportunity to present their original full-length plays in front of Mad Horse's audience. Premiered during the 2013-14 season.

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions Professional live theater productions featuring cutting-edge contemporary plays and dramatic classics performed in an intimate 50-seat black box theater in South Portland, Maine, running seasonally with multiple shows per season.
• Season Subscriptions Annual subscription packages providing one ticket to opening night or first Friday performance of each production in the season, with options including complimentary concessions vouchers and post-show cast meet-and-greets.
• Venue Rental Rental of the 50-seat black box theater and lobby space at the Hutchins School to outside groups for events and performances when not in use by Mad Horse productions, including access to audio and lighting systems.
• BY LOCAL New Play Reading Series New play reading series showcasing original works by Maine playwrights, providing opportunities for audience feedback and script development, with some plays going on to full productions.
• Special Events and Fundraisers Community-building theatrical events including season reveal parties held at local venues like Oxbow Blending & Bottling, murder mystery events, holiday variety shows, and auctions used for fundraising.
• Concessions Sale of refreshments before shows and during intermission, including beer, wine, water, coffee, tea, and locally baked goods from Tin Pan Baking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Producing plays for over 40 seasons since 1986
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Coffee By DesignflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCoffee By Design is the Marquee Season Sponsor for Mad Horse Theatre Company, receiving prominent logo placement on the website homepage, season programs, and marketing materials.
• Port City LegalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPort City Legal serves as a Season Sponsor, supporting the company's productions and receiving recognition in marketing materials and programs.
• Maine Trust for Local NewscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMaine Trust for Local News provides Season Media Sponsorship, supporting the company's visibility and receiving recognition in the Portland Press Herald and other media channels.
• Bangor Savings BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for specific productions including the WITCH production, providing advertising support in exchange for sponsorship recognition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fenix Theatre Company: Portland, Maine-based small theater company producing contemporary and original works. Comparable as a local peer competing for audiences, donors, and Maine playwright talent.
• Portland Stage Company: Professional regional theater also based in Portland, Maine. Most direct comparable: produces a full season of contemporary and classic works, similar artist-led model, and competes for the same local audience and donor base as Mad Horse.
• Merrimack Repertory Theatre: Professional nonprofit regional theater in Lowell, Massachusetts producing contemporary plays. Comparable as a small-budget LORT theater with similar programming mix and revenue model (tickets, grants, donations).
• Shakespeare & Company: Professional theater company in Lenox, Massachusetts producing Shakespeare and contemporary works. Comparable as a New England-based professional nonprofit theater of similar scale with similar earned/contributed revenue mix.
• Good Theater: Small professional theater in South Portland/Portland, Maine producing contemporary plays. Most directly comparable in size, programming focus, and immediate market overlap with Mad Horse.
• Portland Players: Community theater in Portland, Maine producing a season of plays in a small venue. Comparable in scale and immediate market but operates as a community rather than professional company.

Others

• New England Foundation for the Arts: Regional arts funding body supporting New England performing arts organizations. Relevant as a potential funding partner and ecosystem connection for a small Maine theater.
• OvationTix: Ticketing platform used by Mad Horse and many small U.S. theaters. Relevant as the technology infrastructure that enables Mad Horse's online reservation flow and PWYD deposits.

Regional players

• Penobscot Theatre Company: Professional theater in Bangor, Maine operating the Bangor Opera House. Comparable as a Maine-based professional theater producing a mix of contemporary and classic works with similar reliance on grants and ticket revenue.
• Theater at Monmouth: Long-established professional theater in Monmouth, Maine producing a Shakespeare-heavy repertory season. Comparable as a Maine-based professional theater with similar nonprofit structure and reliance on foundation funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/madhorsetheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/madhorsetheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mad-horse-theatre-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Mad Horse Theatre Company