Madison Theatre Guild

What Madison Theatre Guild does

Madison Theatre Guild is a non-profit community theatre organization based in Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1946. It produces theatrical performances at the Bartell Theatre, operating two stages — the 199-seat Drury Stage and the 90-seat Evjue Stage — and has mounted nearly 400 productions over its 75+ year history. Leadership includes President Kendra Thompson and Artistic Director Sam Weeks. The Guild operates with 11-50 staff and a substantial volunteer base typical of community theatre.

Its core assets include a 70,000+ piece costume collection, used both for in-house productions and external rentals, and the historic 1939 Monroe Street Firehouse, which the organization has owned and operated since 1969. Revenue is generated through ticket sales ($15-$25 per ticket), donations, costume rentals, venue-related services, and grants including support from the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission.

The business model is that of a traditional community theatre: locally produced and curated shows for a regional Madison audience, supplemented by ancillary earned-income streams (costumes, venue rental) and philanthropic support. Strategic co-productions with Four Seasons Theatre, Madison Savoyards, OUT!Cast Theater, and Madison Early Music Festival extend repertoire and share production risk. There is no evidence of proprietary technology, digital distribution, AI/ML tooling, or scalable out-of-market revenue; growth is bounded by local audience size, volunteer capacity, and the physical limits of its two stages.

Name

Madison Theatre Guild

Legal name

Madison Theatre Guild

Website

https://madisontheatreguild.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Madison Theatre Guild is a Madison, Wisconsin non-profit community theatre, founded 1946, that produces live theatrical performances at the Bartell Theatre and operates a 70,000+ piece costume rental collection serving local audiences and partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre and Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)

Keywords

• Community theater productions
• Theatrical costume rentals
• Live performing arts
• Volunteer theater programs
• Venue rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual show tickets and season ticket packages sold through the Bartell Theatre box office, online, and at the door.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Zeffy platform and donation forms, including employer matching programs and underwriting opportunities for productions.
3. Costume Shop Rentals: Rental fees for theatrical costumes from their collection of more than 70,000 pieces, available to theatre companies and schools by appointment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Madison Theatre Guild produces live theatrical productions — classical and contemporary plays and musicals — at the Bartell Theatre's Drury Stage (199 seats) and Evjue Stage (90-seat black box). Ticket prices range from $15 to $25 per show, with group discounts for 10+ attendees and season subscription packages. Beyond performances, MTG operates a Costume Shop of 70,000+ pieces available for rental and rents rehearsal/meeting space at the historic Monroe Street Firehouse.

Product overview

Madison Theatre Guild operates as a community theater organization offering a portfolio of interconnected performing arts services. The core offering is theatrical productions—classical and contemporary plays and musicals—performed at the Bartell Theatre on two stages. Supporting services include a Costume Shop with over 70,000 rentable theatrical costumes and props, venue rental of the historic Monroe Street Firehouse, and volunteer programs providing opportunities for actors, designers, directors, and front-of-house staff. The organization also offers theatre arts training and mentorship. All offerings are designed to be accessible to community members of all ages and experience levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatrical Productions Live theatrical performances of classical and contemporary plays and musicals, produced at the Bartell Theatre's Drury Stage (199-seat auditorium) and Evjue Stage (90-seat intimate black box). Tickets priced $15-$25 with group discounts and student discounts available. Targeted at community members in Madison, Wisconsin seeking affordable live entertainment.
• Costume Shop Rentals Rental service for theatrical costumes and props from a collection of more than 70,000 pieces — one of the largest collections in southern Wisconsin. Available to other theatre companies and schools by appointment, housed upstairs in the Monroe Street Firehouse.
• Venue Rental (Monroe Street Firehouse) Rental of the historic Monroe Street Firehouse (built 1939) for rehearsals, set building, and group meetings. Features upstairs rehearsal space and downstairs rehearsal/set building area. Targeted at performing arts organizations and community groups needing rehearsal or meeting space.
• Theatre Arts Training Theatre arts training and mentorship programs in a welcoming, inclusive environment for individuals interested in participating in all areas of theater production — acting, design, directing, and technical roles.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Four Seasons TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for musical productions including 'Side by Side by Sondheim' and 'The Spitfire Grill'. Four Seasons Theatre and MTG work together to produce quality musical theatre in Madison.
• Madison SavoyardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for 'Tarantara! Tarantara!' (Gilbert & Sullivan production). Collaborative effort between the two theatre companies.
• OUT!Cast TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for 'Rock of Ages'. Joint production between OUT!Cast Theater and MTG.
• Dane County Cultural Affairs CommissioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides grant funding and cultural affairs support for productions. Multiple MTG productions received support from this commission.
• Madison Early Music FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for soundtrack creation for 'Meg' production. MEMF provided ensembles and artists for period-appropriate music.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Madison Savoyards: Madison-based community theatre company specializing in Gilbert & Sullivan productions. Already a co-presenting partner with Madison Theatre Guild on 'Tarantara! Tarantara!', making it the most direct local comparable.
• OUT!Cast Theater: Madison-based community theatre focused on LGBTQ+ themed productions; co-produced 'Rock of Ages' with MTG and competes for the same regional volunteer and audience base.
• Forward Theater Company: Madison-based professional theatre producing contemporary plays; serves the same general community audience with overlapping season programming and competes for the same ticket buyer and donor pool.
• Children's Theater of Madison: Madison-based community theatre producing family and youth-oriented productions; comparable in scale, volunteer model, and Madison market footprint.
• Four Seasons Theatre: Madison-based musical theatre company that has co-presented productions such as 'Side by Side by Sondheim' and 'The Spitfire Grill' with MTG; comparable as a small-scale, community-supported musical theatre producer.
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Large-scale repertory theatre producing classical and contemporary work on multiple stages; comparable as a multi-stage repertory theatre with both classical plays and musicals in its season.

Regional players

• American Players Theatre: Spring Green, WI-based classical repertory theatre producing plays and Shakespeare; comparable as a Wisconsin-based repertory theatre with seasonal programming and similar mission profile.
• Peninsula Players Theatre: Door County, WI professional summer repertory theatre; comparable regional repertory model and Wisconsin regional audience overlap with MTG's patron base.

Broad incumbents

• Guthrie Theater: Minneapolis-based major regional repertory theatre producing classical and contemporary works on multiple stages; provides a benchmark for what a scaled-up repertory theatre model can become.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago-based established regional theatre with a much larger production portfolio and professional company; comparable as a Midwestern non-profit repertory theatre operating on a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/madisontheatreguild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Madison Theatre Guild