Independent Shakespeare Co.

What Independent Shakespeare Co. does

Independent Shakespeare Co. is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) theater company (Federal Tax ID 20-1004993) that produces an annual free Shakespeare festival in Griffith Park at the Old Zoo venue, supplemented by ticketed studio productions and recurring acting classes at its Indie Shakes Studio in Atwater Village. The company was co-founded by David Melville (Managing Director) and Melissa Chalsma (Artistic Director), who also personally direct the festival productions and teach the studio classes. The organization has served over 500,000 Angelenos through its free festival since inception and runs a lean operational core consisting of the two co-founders and a Production & Operations Manager (Gabby Bruno), supported by community volunteers.

The company's product portfolio has three legs: (1) the free outdoor Shakespeare festival — the largest audience reach vehicle, currently featuring Coriolanus and The Comedy of Errors in the 2026 season; (2) paid studio productions, including Ghost Songs, an original musical by David Melville scheduled for fall 2025; and (3) Shakespeare Studio Classes — Scene Study ($440, 8-week, 12-student cap) and Monologue Studio ($330, 6-week, 14-student cap). Technology infrastructure is minimal and conventional: a Squarespace website, Salesforce for ticketing and class registration, Givebutter for donation processing, and PointApp for volunteer management. There is no proprietary technology platform.

The revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit mix: the majority of funding comes from individual donations supplemented by a $10,000 matching challenge campaign, a recurring membership program, and class tuition. Distribution is entirely local — single market of Los Angeles — relying on Instagram (@indieshakes), Facebook, email newsletters, and the website indieshakes.org for awareness. The go-to-market is community-led rather than transaction-led: free public performances are designed to build grassroots donor loyalty and sustain the donation-based funding model.

Name

Independent Shakespeare Co.

Legal name

Independent Shakespeare Co.

Website

https://iscla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independent Shakespeare Co. is a Los Angeles nonprofit 501(c)(3) theater company that produces free annual Shakespeare performances in Griffith Park, paid studio productions, and recurring acting classes at its Atwater Village studio, funded primarily by individual donations and serving the general LA community and professional actors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater & Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live theater performances
• Acting classes
• Nonprofit theater
• Outdoor Shakespeare
• Community arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The majority of funding comes from individual donors who believe theater should be accessible to everyone in Los Angeles. The company runs fundraising campaigns including matching challenges.
2. Membership Program: Offer membership program for ongoing supporter engagement.
3. Class Tuition: Professional acting classes taught by co-founders David Melville and Melissa Chalsma. Scene Study costs $440 (8-week session), Monologue costs $330 (6-week session).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Independent Shakespeare Co. produces free outdoor Shakespeare performances in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, and runs professional acting classes at its Atwater Village studio. The company also develops and presents studio theatrical productions such as new musicals. Operations are funded primarily through individual donations and a membership program.

Product overview

Independent Shakespeare Co. is a nonprofit theater company offering a portfolio of live theatrical productions and educational programs. The core offering is the Free Shakespeare in Griffith Park program, providing professional outdoor performances of Shakespeare's plays at no cost to the public. Supporting this, the company operates the Indie Shakes Studio in Atwater Village for studio productions (such as 'Ghost Songs') and educational programming. Educational offerings include Shakespeare Studio Classes — Scene Study (an ongoing advanced class for experienced actors) and Monologue Studio (an introductory six-week class for actors at all levels) — both taught by the company's co-founders. The company also engages volunteers and accepts donations through third-party platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Shakespeare in Griffith Park Annual summer festival of free professional Shakespeare performances staged at the Griffith Park Old Zoo venue in Los Angeles, open to all Angelenos at no cost. Includes special events such as Pride Night throughout the season.
• Shakespearean Acting: Scene Study Ongoing eight-week scene study class for professional and aspiring actors with significant Shakespeare experience, focused on verse and prose structure as the engine of Shakespearean acting technique. Taught by co-founder David Melville at the Indie Shakes Studio.
• Shakespearean Acting: Monologue Studio Six-week class teaching techniques for crafting Shakespeare monologues and soliloquies into confident performances through dynamic, clear choices. Taught by co-founder and Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma. Open to actors of all experience levels.
• Ghost Songs Original musical by David Melville staged at the Indie Shakes Studio in Atwater Village. Set in 1648 Puritan England, it follows two young women who secretly explore confiscated play manuscripts. Sold as a ticketed studio production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500,000 Angelenos have made the free festival happen through attendance and support

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• GivebutterminorOthersGivebutter platform used for the 2026 fundraising campaign (indieshakesGPFSF2026). Online donation processing for individual supporters.
• PointAppminorOthersPointApp platform used for volunteer recruitment and management. Interested volunteers can join the volunteer team through the PointApp platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Center Theatre Group: Large LA-based nonprofit operating the Ahmanson, Mark Taper Forum, and Kirk Douglas theaters. Comparable as a Los Angeles performing arts nonprofit but at much larger scale with broader programming beyond Shakespeare.
• Geffen Playhouse: Not-for-profit theater in Westwood, LA presenting a mix of classics and new work. Comparable as a Los Angeles theater nonprofit, but operates a single indoor venue and a much larger institutional footprint than Indie Shakes.

Direct peers

• Commonwealth Shakespeare Company: Boston-based nonprofit producing free Shakespeare on the Boston Common with companion performance and education programs. Direct conceptual peer: free outdoor Shakespeare as donor-funded civic programming.
• The Public Theater: New York City nonprofit that runs the original Free Shakespeare in the Park in Central Park. The most direct conceptual peer: free outdoor Shakespeare as a public, donor-funded civic program with educational and community programming.
• A Noise Within: A repertory classical theater in Pasadena, CA producing Shakespeare and other classics for Southern California audiences. Closest geographic and mission peer: regional theater operating in the same LA metro with an educational and donor-supported model.
• South Coast Repertory: Tony-recognized regional theater in Costa Mesa, CA producing a season of classic and new work. Comparable as a Southern California nonprofit theater with education programs and donor-driven revenue, though it operates indoors.
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Major repertory Shakespeare festival in Ashland, OR running a multi-play season across multiple venues. Comparable as a Shakespeare-focused nonprofit producing company with educational programming, donor support, and year-round operations.
• The Old Globe: L3D1-style regional repertory theater in San Diego producing Shakespeare alongside new works. Comparable as a California regional theater combining a summer outdoor Shakespeare festival with educational programming and donor-supported operations.

Regional players

• Shakespeare Santa Monica: LA-adjacent nonprofit producing free Shakespeare performances in Santa Monica. Closest geographic peer in terms of free outdoor Shakespeare programming in the greater LA area.

Emerging players

• LA Theatre Works: LA-based nonprofit producing recorded and live theater, including classical works, with an education and outreach mission. Comparable as a small LA performing arts nonprofit with an educational mission, though it specializes in audio/recorded theater rather than outdoor performance.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/indieshakes
• Xx.com/IndyShakes
• Facebookfacebook.com/indyshakes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independent-shakespeare-co-

Compliance1 record

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 Independent Shakespeare Co.