Theatre Jacksonville

What Theatre Jacksonville does

Theatre Jacksonville is a volunteer-based nonprofit community theatre founded in 1919 in Jacksonville, Florida, and is the longest continuously operating community theatre in the state. It produces a season of mainstage plays and musicals at the Harold K. Smith Playhouse, a historic facility at 2032 San Marco Boulevard that opened in 1938 and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991. The organization was reincorporated as Theatre Jacksonville, Inc. in 1969 and has held the mayoral designation of Jacksonville's 'Official Theatre' since 1972.

The core product is a multi-show mainstage season (currently Season 107, 2024–2025) presented with 6–10 performances per production, complemented by an integrated education portfolio spanning toddlers through adults: Summer Camp, Theatre for Babies, Theatre for Explorers, Jr. Mainstage, Stories on Stage, and Teachers Spot. Additional programming includes the Guerrilla Show Series of contemporary works. Ticketing and season subscriptions are processed through the OvationTix platform, with box office sales by phone and in person.

Revenue is generated through ticket sales, season subscriptions, memberships, direct donations, and the Harold K. Smith Playhouse Endowment (established at $500,000 in 1997) and the Next 100 Year Endowment Fund. The organization is supported in part by Florida Arts & Culture and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville's Merit-Based Cultural Service Grant Program, administered with City of Jacksonville funding. Distribution is regional, channeled through direct box office sales and email/direct-mail marketing, with audience engagement via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The leadership team comprises Executive Director Sarah Boone, General Manager Ron Shreve, and Education Director Michelle Leigh, supported by a volunteer board of directors.

Name

Theatre Jacksonville

Legal name

Theatre Jacksonville

Website

https://theatrejax.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Theatre Jacksonville is a volunteer-based nonprofit community theatre in Jacksonville, Florida, founded in 1919, that produces a mainstage season of plays and musicals at the historic Harold K. Smith Playhouse and offers education programs for all ages from toddlers through adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre & Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

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 Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Community theatre
• Live theatrical productions
• Theatre education programs
• Performing arts presentations
• Youth summer theatre camp

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Subscriptions: Revenue from mainstage productions sold through season packages and individual show tickets
2. Memberships and Donations: Donor support through memberships and direct contributions to the theatre
3. Endowment Fund: The Next 100 Year Endowment Fund provides long-term financial support and sustainability

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Theatre Jacksonville produces and presents live theatrical productions (plays and musicals) at the historic Harold K. Smith Playhouse in Jacksonville, FL, currently in Season 107. The core offering is a full season of mainstage performances sold through season subscriptions and individual tickets, complemented by an integrated portfolio of theatre education programs including Summer Camp, Theatre for Babies, Theatre for Explorers, Stories on Stage, Jr. Mainstage, and Teachers Spot.

Product overview

Theatre Jacksonville operates as a multi-faceted community theatre organization offering a unified portfolio of live theatrical productions and educational programs. The core offering consists of mainstage productions at the Harold K. Smith Playhouse (currently in Season 107) featuring plays and musicals, supported by subscription packages and individual ticket sales through the OvationTix platform. The organization supplements performances with an integrated suite of education programs including Summer Camp, Theatre for Babies, Theatre for Explorers, Stories on Stage, Jr. Mainstage, and Teachers Spot, providing theatrical training for all age groups from toddlers to adults. Additional offerings include membership packages with subscriber benefits and the Guerrilla Show Series featuring contemporary experimental works.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions
• Season Subscriptions
• Box Office Ticket Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 seasons of continuous community theatre operation

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Florida TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024In August 2024, Theatre Jacksonville collaborated with the Florida Theatre to bring the 'Broadway Concert Series' to life, fulfilling a 10-year dream of Executive Directors Sarah Boone and Numa Saisselin. First show was MAME featuring Linda Purl with a 26-piece orchestra.
• Florida Arts & CulturecoreOthersProvides funding support as part of Florida's arts and culture funding programs. Theatre Jacksonville is supported in part by Florida Arts & Culture.
• Cultural Council of Greater JacksonvillecoreOthersAdministers the Merit-Based Cultural Service Grant Program with funding from the City of Jacksonville. Key partner in providing operational support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stage West (Fort Worth): Regional repertory theatre in Fort Worth, TX producing a multi-season schedule of plays and musicals. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville in terms of regional repertory structure, subscription model, and education programming.
• Riverside Theatre: Regional theatre in Vero Beach, FL operating a multi-stage season of musicals and plays. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida-based community/regional theatre with multi-show seasons and a long history.
• American Stage (St. Petersburg): Regional professional theatre in St. Petersburg, FL producing a mainstage season and education programs. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville in scope, programming model, and Florida regional market structure.
• Palm Beach Dramaworks: Regional theatre in West Palm Beach, FL producing a season of contemporary and classic plays with a subscription base. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida regional theatre operating on subscription and donor revenue.
• Orlando Shakespeare Theater: Regional theatre in Orlando, FL producing a full season of plays and musicals alongside robust education and youth programming. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida-based community theatre with integrated education programs and multi-season scheduling.
• Asolo Repertory Theatre: Professional regional repertory theatre in Sarasota, FL operating a multi-season schedule of plays and musicals with a dedicated historic venue. Directly comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida regional theatre with a long operating history and full season programming.
• Mad Cow Theatre: Independent professional theatre in Orlando, FL producing a season of plays and contemporary works. Comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida-based community theatre with seasonal programming.
• Florida Studio Theatre: Long-running regional repertory theatre in Sarasota, FL presenting multiple seasons of mainstage productions, cabaret, and education programs. Closely comparable to Theatre Jacksonville as a Florida-based community/regional theatre with multi-season programming and a strong education vertical.

Regional players

• Players by the Sea: Community theatre in Jacksonville Beach, FL producing a season of plays and musicals with volunteer participation. A direct Jacksonville-area peer to Theatre Jacksonville, serving the same local market with a similar community-driven model.

Broad incumbents

• Florida Theatre: Historic performing arts venue in Jacksonville, FL hosting touring productions, concerts, and Broadway series. A direct local partner and broader Jacksonville performing arts incumbent—comparable because it overlaps with Theatre Jacksonville's audience and was its 2024 Broadway Concert Series co-production partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheatreJax
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheatreJacksonville
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/theatrejacksonville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theatre-jacksonville

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Theatre Jacksonville