Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is a privately held regional dinner theatre in Rock Island, Illinois, operating a 320-seat restored 1920s venue that produces Broadway-style mainstage shows, children's theatre, concerts, and subscription packages for individuals, tour groups, and schools in the Quad Cities region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersRock Island, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse does
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is a privately held professional dinner theatre operating in a restored 1920s vaudeville house at 1828 3rd Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois, serving the Quad Cities region and inbound motorcoach tourism. The venue runs a nine-show season anchored by six mainstage Broadway-style musical productions in a 320-seat semi-thrust theatre, supplemented by three Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) children's productions, a concert and cabaret series, and a separate 120-seat black box space called The Speakeasy. Ticket pricing is all-inclusive, bundling the meal, coffee/tea/water, tax, and facility fee, with mainstage tickets ranging $54-$75 depending on performance day and season (49th vs. 50th).
The business operates a direct-to-consumer GTM through its box office (phone and walk-in), circa21.com online ticketing platform, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, podcast), supplemented by a dedicated outbound group sales function targeting motorcoach tour operators, schools, scout troops, and civic organizations. Revenue mechanics blend transactional ticket sales with a tiered recurring subscription program (Diamond $900, Gold, Silver, Bronze $235, Student $37-$38/show), group pricing tiers (12-19 and 20+), and ancillary add-ons including a $10 celebration cake, full bar service, gift certificates, and appetizer/dessert upsells. The customer base is diversified across individual theater-goers, season subscribers, regional tour groups of up to 334 travelers, and youth organizations.
The underlying technology stack is described as a standard ticketing and reservation system with e-commerce capabilities and account management; no proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or third-party integrations are disclosed. The competitive position rests on the historic venue, 49 seasons of operational continuity, professional touring talent, a multi-tier subscription base with VIP recognition programs, and a specialized group/tourism channel — collectively creating a regional destination attraction in a market with limited direct dinner-theatre competition.
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
- Legal name
- Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
- Website
- https://circa21.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is a privately held regional dinner theatre in Rock Island, Illinois, operating a 320-seat restored 1920s venue that produces Broadway-style mainstage shows, children's theatre, concerts, and subscription packages for individuals, tour groups, and schools in the Quad Cities region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dinner Theater / Live Entertainment
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants (THAFACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Cocktail Lounges & Speakeasies (MPAGAIAD), Venue & Banquet Hall Catering (THAFAIAC)
Keywords
Where Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rock Island
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales with Included Meal: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for mainstage productions, children's shows, and concerts. Ticket prices include dinner, coffee/tea/water, tax, and facility fee. Additional revenue from bar service, appetizers, and desserts available at extra cost during dinner service.
- Season Subscriptions: Season subscription packages (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Student) offering savings and perks including priority seating, VIP celebrations, free transfers, and discounts on guest tickets and other events.
- Celebration Packages: Add-on purchases including Best Wishes Cake ($10) and other drink/dessert packages for celebrations during mainstage performances.
- Gift Certificates: Monetary gift certificates available for purchase. Holiday gift certificates have restrictions (not valid for concerts or special attractions).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 49th Season (through Nov. 6, 2026) - Wednesday Matinee and Evening: $63, Friday/Saturday/Sunday Evening: $70, Preview Performance: $54, Opening Night with Gala: $73 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 50th Season (starting Nov. 11, 2026) - Wednesday Matinee and Evening: $65, Friday/Saturday/Sunday Evening: $72, Preview Performance: $56, Opening Night with Gala: $75 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Children's Shows - Holiday Show (show-only): $15, Holiday Brunch: $23 (10 & younger), $28 (11 & older), Spring/Summer Show-only: $13 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 49th Season Group Pricing (12-19 people) - Wed Matinee/Evening: $61.40, Fri/Sat/Sun Evening: $67.90, Students: $47.90-$49.65 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 50th Season Group Pricing (12-19) - Wed: $63.75, Fri/Sat/Sun: $70, Child (4-12): $47, Teen (13-19): $47 |
| Subscription | Annual | Diamond Subscription: $900 - All Access, attend any performance of all six Mainstage shows unlimited times. Includes Gala Opening Night, VIP Birthday/Anniversary Celebrations, one free transfer per show, 20% off guest tickets and other events. |
| Subscription | Annual | Gold Subscription: Save ~30% - Attend one performance of all six Mainstage shows. Includes Gala Opening Night, VIP celebrations, one free transfer per show, 10% off guest tickets and other events. |
| Subscription | Annual | Silver Subscription: Save ~30%+ - Attend one performance of six mainstage shows within first two weeks of each show (excluding Gala). |
| Subscription | Annual | Bronze Subscription: $235 - Pick 4 of 6 Shows, save ~15%. Attend one performance of choice to four of six mainstage shows, excluding Gala Opening Night. |
| Subscription | Annual | Student Subscription: $37-38 per show - Choose 3-6 shows. Minimum 3 shows. For students 18 or younger. 3 Shows: $111, 4 Shows: $148, 5 Shows: $185. Save 20%. |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Best Wishes Cake: $10 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse operates a professional dinner theatre in a restored 1920s 320-seat vaudeville venue in Rock Island, Illinois, producing Broadway-style musicals and comedies paired with full dinner service. The offering also includes Theatre for Young Audiences productions, a concert series, a 120-seat Speakeasy black-box space, multi-tier season subscriptions, group packages for motorcoach tours and schools, and add-on celebration offerings such as cakes and gift certificates.
Product overview
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse operates as a professional dinner theatre venue offering a portfolio of live entertainment products. The core offering consists of Mainstage Productions—Broadway-style musicals and comedies performed in a restored 1920s 320-seat semi-thrust theatre—alongside Children's Shows (Theatre for Young Audiences), a Concert Series, and performances in The Speakeasy black box space. These are complemented by subscription packages (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Student tiers), group packages for organizations and schools, celebration add-ons like cakes, gift certificates, and an online ticketing system. All productions include dinner service as part of the ticket price, creating a combined dining and entertainment experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mainstage Productions
- Children's Shows (TYA)
- Concert Series
- The Speakeasy
- Season Subscriptions
- Celebration Packages
- Group Packages
- Gift Certificates
Companies that use Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Drury Lane Theatre: Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois dinner theater and banquet facility producing Broadway musicals with dinner service. Comparable scale and Illinois/Midwest market proximity.
- Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre: Lancaster, Pennsylvania dinner theater in a long-running producing tradition, with Broadway musicals, dinner service, and group/tour offerings comparable to Circa '21.
- Derby Dinner Playhouse: Clarksville, Indiana dinner theater offering Broadway musicals with buffet-style dining, children's theater, and group packages — a directly comparable dinner theater format.
- Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre: Indianapolis-based professional dinner theater offering Broadway-style musicals with dinner service, similar capacity and subscription model to Circa '21. Direct Midwest regional competitor.
- The Fireside Dinner Theatre: Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin dinner theater offering Broadway-style productions with included dining, gift certificates, and group packages — a near-direct comparable in the upper Midwest.
- La Comedia Dinner Theatre: Springboro, Ohio dinner theater producing Broadway-style musicals with dinner service, gift certificates, and group bookings — a direct format comparable.
- Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre: Fort Myers, Florida dinner theater with multiple performance venues, Broadway musicals, and dinner-inclusive pricing — a comparable multi-space dinner theater operator.
- Tivoli Entertainment: Sister brand of Circa '21's distributor family (or broader Tivoli network) operating additional dinner theater venues — direct operator-level comparable.
- Tony n' Tina's Dinner Theatre: Long-running interactive dinner theater format with comedic theatrical performance combined with multi-course dining — a direct dinner theater peer in concept.
- Show Palace Dinner Theatre: Hudson, Florida dinner theater offering Broadway-style productions with dinner service — comparable in format and group/tour audience focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse social profiles
Digital presenceCirca '21 Dinner Playhouse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse
What does Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse do?
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse operates a professional dinner theatre in a restored 1920s 320-seat vaudeville venue in Rock Island, Illinois, producing Broadway-style musicals and comedies paired with full dinner service. The offering also includes Theatre for Young Audiences productions, a concert series, a 120-seat Speakeasy black-box space, multi-tier season subscriptions, group packages for motorcoach tours and schools, and add-on celebration offerings such as cakes and gift certificates.
Is Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse a public or private company?
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse founded?
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse was founded in 1977. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse based?
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse is headquartered in Rock Island, United States, in the North America region.
How does Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales with Included Meal is the primary driver. The others are season Subscriptions, celebration Packages and gift Certificates.
Who are Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Drury Lane Theatre, Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, Derby Dinner Playhouse, Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, The Fireside Dinner Theatre, La Comedia Dinner Theatre, Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Tivoli Entertainment, Tony n' Tina's Dinner Theatre and Show Palace Dinner Theatre.
Does Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse.
What industry is Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse in?
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse's product category is Dinner Theater / Live Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAL, Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants, with a secondary code of MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses). Its NAICS code is 711110 and its SIC code is 5810.