Imagine Theatre
Imagine Theatre is a UK pantomime production company that produces 21 simultaneous pantomimes per season for mid-market UK theatre venues, plus a Hire Shop renting its catalogued sets, costumes, props, and special effects to other producers. The company operates from Coventry, joined Trafalgar Entertainment Group in 2023, and has produced over 285 pantomimes across 25+ years.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersCoventry, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Imagine Theatre does
Imagine Theatre is one of the UK's largest pantomime producers, operating as Imagine Theatre Ltd from a Coventry headquarters and producing 21 simultaneous pantomime productions across UK theatre venues in the 2026/27 season. Founded in 2005 (originally as Tell-Tale Theatre Productions, later WISH Theatre, renamed Imagine Theatre in April 2009 when founders Steve and Sarah Boden took full ownership), the company joined Trafalgar Entertainment Group in August 2023. Its business spans two main revenue streams: (1) full-service pantomime production contracts with UK theatres — providing complete creative teams, cast, crew, sets, costumes, props, and special effects on a turnkey basis, and (2) a Hire Shop renting theatrical sets, costumes, props, special effects, and transportation to other theatres and production companies (minimum hire value £500 ex-VAT).
The company's underlying operational technology is a proprietary barcoded inventory management system that catalogues approximately 40,000 warehouse items (sets, costumes, props, special effects) with photos and measurements, linked to a central 'Current' data management software platform. This asset base, built over 25+ years and 285+ pantomimes, supports both production reuse and the Hire Shop channel. The company holds nine UK Pantomime Association Awards (from nearly 40 nominations in four years), maintains Carbon Neutral status for five consecutive years (since June 2022), and achieved Theatre Green Book Advanced status for its 2025/26 Stafford Gatehouse production. Customer-facing distribution runs through individual venue box offices, while B2B production is sold via a Hires Enquiry Form and direct enterprise relationships; secondary audiences are reached through a proprietary podcast ('Just Imagine', 130+ episodes) and active multi-platform social media presence.
Imagine Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imagine Theatre
- Legal name
- Imagine Theatre Ltd
- Website
- https://imaginetheatre.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Imagine Theatre is a UK pantomime production company that produces 21 simultaneous pantomimes per season for mid-market UK theatre venues, plus a Hire Shop renting its catalogued sets, costumes, props, and special effects to other producers. The company operates from Coventry, joined Trafalgar Entertainment Group in 2023, and has produced over 285 pantomimes across 25+ years.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imagine Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Theatre Production
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Event Production & Technical Services (AV/Lighting/Staging) (MPAAAGAB)
Keywords
Where Imagine Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Coventry
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Imagine Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Pantomime Production Fees: Imagine Theatre produces and co-produces pantomimes at UK theatres. Revenue is generated through production agreements with theatre venues, covering the full production including sets, costumes, props, special effects, cast, and crew.
- Hire Shop - Sets, Costumes, Props, Special Effects: The company hires out its sets, props, costumes and special effects to theatres and production companies across the UK. Minimum hire value is £500 excluding VAT and transportation costs.
- Junior Ensemble Casting and Child Licensing: The company manages Junior Ensemble casting for child performers across its pantomime productions, handling licensing paperwork and chaperone coordination as part of production services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Theatre Hire - Sets, Costumes, Props, Special Effects |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Imagine Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imagine Theatre's specific products and services are not documented in the provided source material. No sourced description of offerings is available.
Product overview
Imagine Theatre is a multi-award winning pantomime and children's theatre production company and one of the biggest pantomime producers in the UK. Founded in 2005 (originally as Tell-Tale Theatre Productions/WISH Theatre), the company has produced over 285 pantomimes in its history. The core product offering consists of professional pantomime and children's theatre productions performed at venues across the UK, with 21 pantomimes produced in the 2026/27 season. Supporting the production business, the company operates a Hire Shop that rents out theatrical sets, costumes, props, special effects, and transportation to theatres and production companies. Additional offerings include the Just Imagine Podcast (over 130 episodes exploring pantomime industry), Accessible Performances (BSL, audio-described, captioned, relaxed), and the Junior Ensemble children's performance program. The company also runs charitable initiatives through Imagine Cares, supporting sustainability (carbon neutral since 2022), and partnerships with Lend With Care, Shelterbox, and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Imagine Theatre No specific products or services are documented in the provided source material.
Quantifiable outcome
- 285+ pantomimes produced over 25+ years
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Imagine Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Imagine Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Imagine Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- Trafalgar EntertainmentflagshipIn August 2023, Trafalgar Entertainment (founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire) announced a partnership with Imagine Theatre to unlock further growth opportunities. Trafalgar Theatres portfolio includes venues such as Glasgow Pavilion Theatre. Imagine Theatre joined Trafalgar Entertainment Group to build on its 25+ year legacy of family entertainment. The partnership enables Imagine to produce pantomimes at Trafalgar venue theatres.
- Trafalgar Entertainment (Partnership)flagshipTrafalgar Entertainment announced a panto partnership with Imagine Theatre in March 2022, covering productions at multiple venues including High Wycombe, Crewe, Hayes, and Hastings. The partnership combined Trafalgar's venue network with Imagine's pantomime production expertise.
- Lend with Care (CARE International UK)minorSince 2019, Imagine Theatre has supported Lend with Care, a microfinance initiative run by CARE International UK. The partnership helps entrepreneurs in low-income countries access small business loans. Imagine Theatre has funded over 1,225 individual £15 loans, supporting 2,648 entrepreneurs and creating 1,783 jobs.
- UK Theatres (Various Venue Partners)coreImagine Theatre produces pantomimes at 21 UK theatre venues per season. Venues include The Hexagon Reading, Lyceum Theatre Crewe, Wyvern Theatre Swindon, De Montfort Hall Leicester, Stafford Gatehouse, Churchill Theatre Bromley, Swansea Grand, New Theatre Cardiff, Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy, and others. Tickets are sold via venue box offices.
- ShelterboxminorImagine Theatre is proud to support Shelterbox, a disaster relief charity. Shelterboxes have been sent all over the world supported by Imagine Theatre.
- Great Ormond Street HospitalminorImagine Theatre supports Great Ormond Street Hospital via productions of Peter Pan. The company has raised well over £250,000 to date.
- UK Theatre Green BookcoreImagine Theatre is working in partnership with the UK Theatre Green Book to support and grow its sustainability programme. The partnership provides a framework for measuring and formalising sustainable production practices. Imagine achieved Advanced status under the Theatre Green Book for Sleeping Beauty at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.
- PGH Scenic Workshop (Paul Hulston)minorPGH Scenic Workshop, led by Paul Hulston, built full or part pantomime sets for the company from 2001 onwards as an on-site partner in the Coventry warehouse.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Imagine Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Trafalgar Entertainment: Strategic parent company of Imagine Theatre since August 2023, founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire. Not a competitor but the integrating entity for venue partnerships and group strategy decisions affecting Imagine's future.
Direct peers
- Evolution Productions: UK pantomime and theatre production company producing shows at regional venues. Directly comparable as a UK pantomime producer targeting the same mid-market venue base.
- Qdos Entertainment: Qdos is the UK's other dominant pantomime producer and is also part of the Trafalgar Entertainment Group. It is the closest direct competitor to Imagine in scale, business model (full production packages + asset hire), and customer base (UK regional theatres).
- Selladoor Productions: UK-based producer of musicals, plays, and pantomimes for touring and regional theatres. Directly comparable production model and venue-customer profile, although with a smaller dedicated pantomime footprint than Imagine.
- Tall Stories: UK theatre company producing family and children's theatre including touring shows such as The Gruffalo. Comparable in family-theatre production expertise and touring-to-UK-venues model, with overlap on children's audience development.
- Paul Holman Associates: Long-established UK pantomime producer producing and co-producing shows at regional theatres. Comparable in offering full production services to UK venues and competing for the same Christmas season slots.
- Bill Kenwright Ltd: One of the UK's largest commercial theatrical producers, producing West End and touring productions including pantomimes. Comparable in producing-and-touring business model and in supplying full production packages to UK regional venues.
Broad incumbents
- Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG): UK's largest theatre operator, owning and operating major regional venues. Relevant as both a potential customer (venue partner) and competitive threat via vertical integration of venue ownership with in-house production.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Imagine Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceImagine Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imagine Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Imagine Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imagine Theatre 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 Imagine Theatre
What does Imagine Theatre do?
Imagine Theatre's specific products and services are not documented in the provided source material. No sourced description of offerings is available.
Is Imagine Theatre a public or private company?
Imagine Theatre is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Imagine Theatre founded?
Imagine Theatre was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Imagine Theatre based?
Imagine Theatre is headquartered in Coventry, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Imagine Theatre make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pantomime Production Fees are the primary driver. The others are hire Shop - Sets, Costumes, Props, Special Effects and junior Ensemble Casting and Child Licensing.
Who are Imagine Theatre's main competitors?
Trafalgar Entertainment is listed as an others. Direct peers are Evolution Productions, Qdos Entertainment, Selladoor Productions, Tall Stories, Paul Holman Associates and Bill Kenwright Ltd. Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Imagine Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imagine Theatre.
What industry is Imagine Theatre in?
Imagine Theatre's product category is Live Theatre Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAA, Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions, with a secondary code of MPAGABAC, Touring Theatre Productions. Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.