RTC

What RTC does

Rockaway Theatre Company (RTC) is a non-profit community performing arts organization founded in 1997, operating the 234-seat John Gilleece Theater within the Fort Tilden section of the Gateway National Recreation Area in Rockaway Park, New York. The company produces an annual season of five productions — three musicals and two dramatic comedies ("dramadies") — performed primarily by community volunteers under professional artistic direction. Its audience base spans the New York City metropolitan area, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Long Island, Connecticut, and Westchester County.

RTC's revenue model is built on a mix of single ticket sales, season subscriptions, and tuition-based educational programming. The Young People's Workshop charges $625 per child, and the organization has expanded into adult workshops as a complementary offering. The theater adopted the On the Stage digital ticketing platform to manage online sales, and obtains performance licensing through Concord Theatricals. Sponsorship support comes from local businesses including Seaweed Rockaway, Ruoff Realty, Crustinos, and BK Car Audio Security, while venue access is enabled by a long-standing partnership with the National Park Service via Gateway National Recreation Area.

The organization is volunteer-driven, with the majority of production, operational, and front-of-house work performed by community members. Leadership transitioned in 2024 when Frank Caiati was appointed Artistic Director following the death of founder-figure John Gilleece in October 2023; the venue was renamed in Gilleece's honor in January 2024. Governance is provided by a board that includes Danielle Rose Fisher-Panepinto and Brian Sadowski (joined January 2025). RTC does not raise external capital and operates on earned revenue plus in-kind and cash sponsorship.

Name

RTC

Legal name

Rockaway Theatre Company

Website

https://rockawaytheatrecompany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rockaway Theatre Company is a volunteer-driven non-profit community theater founded in 1997, producing five annual shows and tuition-based educational workshops for NYC metro audiences from its 234-seat venue at Fort Tilden.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Community theater
• Live theatrical productions
• Performing arts education
• Youth theater workshops
• Season subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockaway Park

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Main Stage Ticket Sales: Individual tickets for theatrical productions - musicals and plays. Primary revenue stream from in-person audience attendance at The John Gilleece Theater.
2. Season Subscriptions: Subscription packages including all 5 productions per season (3 musicals and 2 dramadies) with discounted pricing and early access to seat reservations. Sold as Adult or Senior passes.
3. Young People's Workshop Tuition: Five-month workshop program culminating in Broadway-quality production performed by students ages 8-18. Tuition covers instruction and participation; sponsorship opportunities available for child tuition ($625 per child).
4. Adult Workshops and Seminars: Adult seminars in dance, acting, vocal, stage management, costume design, yoga, set construction, sound design, watercolor, photography, and audition technique taught by licensed teaching professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RTC is a non-profit community theater company founded in 1997 and based in Rockaway Park, New York. It produces live theatrical performances — including plays, musicals, and main-stage productions — at The John Gilleece Theater, and runs educational performing-arts programs such as the Young People's Theatre Workshop and adult seminars/workshops.

Product overview

The Rockaway Theatre Company (RTC) is a non-profit community theatre organization offering live theatrical productions, educational programs, and performing arts workshops. The core offerings include main stage productions (musicals and plays performed at the John Gilleece Theater in Fort Tilden), the Young People's Theatre Workshop for children ages 7 through high school, and Adult Seminars covering various theatre arts disciplines. Season subscription packages provide bundled access to all productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Stage Productions
• Young People's Theatre Workshop
• Adult Seminars and Workshops
• Season Subscriptions

Quantifiable outcome

• 29+ years of continuous operation and Broadway-quality productions

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort TildencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established October 31, 1997 for use of Fort Tilden facilities. RTC entered into Memorandum of Understanding allowing live theatre performances in exchange for restoring and renovating the historic Post Theatre (Building T-4). This partnership enabled the organization's permanent home and continues to be foundational to operations.
• NYC Department of Cultural AffairsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic funding support for adult workshops and educational programming through NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.
• Councilman Eric UlrichminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic funds from Councilman Eric Ulrich supporting the adult workshop programs.
• Concord TheatricalscoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensing partner for theatrical production rights. Productions presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals including Grease, The Importance of Being Earnest, and other licensed works.
• The Actors ChannelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional content partnership sharing YouTube channel featuring performing arts education content with NYC and LA arts educators, casting directors, and professional artists.
• Seaweed RockawayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor advertising in theater programs and on website.
• Ruoff RealtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReal estate sponsor advertising in theater programs (2026 page ad).
• CrustinosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant/business sponsor advertising in theater programs.
• BK Car Audio SecurityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business sponsor advertising in theater programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Weston Playhouse: Vermont-based summer regional theater producing musicals and plays in a small-house setting. Comparable small-venue, seasonal regional theater model with Broadway-licensed titles.
• Barrington Stage Company: Regional theater in Pittsfield, MA producing musicals and plays in a small-house setting with a youth theater program. Directly comparable small-venue regional model with Broadway-licensed titles.
• Paper Mill Playhouse: Regional theater in Millburn, NJ producing Broadway-quality musicals and plays with educational programming. Highly comparable as a mid-Atlantic regional theater serving the NYC metro market with similar subscription and youth workshop models.
• Two River Theater: Professional regional theater in Red Bank, NJ producing a season of plays, musicals, and new works. Comparable in scale, mission, and regional theater programming for the NYC metro catchment.
• Walnut Street Theatre: Historic regional theater in Philadelphia producing musicals, plays, and children's theater with extensive educational programming. Comparable in scale, mission, and educational-program scope to RTC.
• Goodspeed Musicals: Historic musical theater in East Haddam, CT focused exclusively on producing and developing new and classic musicals. Closely comparable small-venue musical-theater model serving the Northeast regional market.
• George Street Playhouse: Regional theater in New Brunswick, NJ producing a season of plays and musicals with educational outreach. Comparable as a non-profit theater serving the greater NYC/NJ corridor.
• Bucks County Playhouse: Historic regional theater in New Hope, PA producing musicals and plays with a comparable small-venue Broadway-revue model. Directly comparable as a non-profit regional theater serving the greater NYC/Philadelphia metro area.

Broad incumbents

• Hartford Stage: Established LORT regional theater in Hartford, CT producing a season of plays and musicals with strong educational programming. Larger-scale incumbent serving the broader Northeast market that overlaps with RTC's geographic reach.
• McCarter Theatre Center: Larger Princeton, NJ presenting theater, dance, and music with resident theater company producing mainstage productions. Broader regional incumbent with overlapping programming but a wider scope than RTC's community-theater focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/theactorschannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/RockawayTheatreCompany
• Xx.com/rockawaytheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rockaway-theatre-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 RTC