Great Big Theatre

What Great Big Theatre does

Great Big Theatre Company (GBTC) is a Canadian non-profit registered charity founded in 1994 in Dundas, Ontario, by Lily Small (Artistic Director) and Charles Small (Executive Director). The organization delivers drama and theatre arts education to children ages 6–14 across more than 35 Ontario communities, including Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, Waterloo, London, and surrounding regions. Its core offerings are organized into three product lines: full-day Theatre Day Camps (summer and March Break, typically $360/week), year-round Theatre Classes at two skill levels (12-week Fall–Winter–Spring sessions priced $135–$210), and the TIES (Theatre In Every School) school-workshop program delivered to 20 school boards across the GTA and Southwestern Ontario at $100 per class per hour. Add-on services include In-Home Individual Coaching ($50/hour, 2-hour minimum), Extended Hours care ($8/hour/camper/day), and a documented Low-Income 50% discount option.

The underlying "technology" is a graduated in-person drama curriculum — Level 1 (ages 6–8) covering voice, movement, storytelling, and basic drama skills; Level 2 (ages 9–14) advancing to scripted plays, improvisation, playwriting, blocking, character development, and musical theatre. During COVID-19, GBTC developed a virtual camp platform with virtual props, costumes, hats, interactive remote theatre games, and virtual snacks, which served 500+ children in 2020. Registration is handled through Active Network with PCI DSS Level 1 payment security and COPPA-compliant children's data handling. The company is AODA-compliant under Ontario Regulation 191/11.

GBTC's revenue model is a hybrid of direct program fees, government/foundation grants, and charitable donations. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through online registration for camps and classes, in-person sales at community venues (churches, community centers), and in-home coaching. B2B revenue comes from TIES school contracts. Up to 75 subsidized camperships annually are funded by community foundations (Ontario Trillium Foundation, Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, Hamilton/Guelph/K-W/Cambridge-North Dumfries community foundations) and a primary benefactor (Dundas Animal Hospital, supporting since 1994). The organization employed 51–100 staff as of the latest data, supplemented by hundreds of volunteers and co-op students. Sibling discounts (10%), early-bird pricing, a $10 social-media referral credit, and multi-week discounts (20% off) indicate a price-sensitive, family-focused demand profile. In 2022, GBTC served a record ~2,100 children across 95 camps, recovering from a COVID-induced 2020 trough of 500+ virtual participants.

Name

Great Big Theatre

Legal name

Great Big Children's Theatre o/a Great Big Theatre Company

Website

https://gbtc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Great Big Theatre Company is a Canadian non-profit registered charity founded in 1994 that delivers drama and theatre arts education—summer camps, year-round classes, and in-school workshops—to children ages 6–14 across 35+ Ontario communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's drama and theatre-arts education services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Children's drama education
• Youth theatre classes
• Summer drama camps
• School theatre workshops
• Acting coaching for kids

Headquarters

HQ city

Dundas

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices35 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Fees: One-week and four-day full-day camp programs for ages 6-14 during July, August, and March Break. Pricing varies by registration timing with early bird discounts available.
2. Acting Classes: Twelve-week Fall-Winter-Spring sessions for ages 6-13, available on weekdays or Saturdays. Class sizes limited to fourteen students.
3. Individual Coaching/Tutoring: In-home personalized tutoring for audition preparation and skill development. Charged at $50/hour with two-hour minimum.
4. TIES School Program: Workshop-based drama education delivered in schools. Priced at $100 per class per hour with 2-hour minimum per school visit.
5. Donations and Subsidies: Registered charity accepting donations. Tax receipts issued for amounts $25 and more. Receives funding from community foundations for subsidized camperships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Big Theatre Company is a registered Canadian charity that delivers drama and theatre-arts programming for young people ages 6–14, anchored by full-day summer Theatre Day Camps and year-round Theatre Classes. The organization also runs the TIES (Theatre In Every School) in-school workshop program for K–8 schools and offers individual audition coaching/tutoring to students, with discounted and subsidized registration options for low-income families.

Product overview

Great Big Theatre Company operates as a non-profit arts education organization offering a portfolio of theatre programs for young people ages 6-14. The core offerings consist of Theatre Day Camps (summer and March Break day camps), Theatre Classes (Fall-Winter-Spring sessions at two skill levels), and the TIES school workshop program. Add-on services include Individual Coaching/Tutoring for audition preparation, Extended Hours for before/after camp care, and a Low-Income Registration Option. The organization serves communities throughout Ontario including Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, Waterloo, and 25+ other cities. Founded in 1994, programs are delivered by qualified drama instructors with police checks, emphasizing a supportive environment for developing self-confidence and performance skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIES (Theatre In Every School): In-school drama and arts workshops for primary/elementary/middle schools (Grades K-8), bringing working artists into classrooms to develop student creativity, cooperation, and art/literacy skills.

Products and services

• Theatre Day Camps (Summer Camps) Full-day summer drama camps for children ages 6–14, run weekly during summer across 35+ Ontario communities with a maximum of 14 students per class. Camps are staffed by qualified instructors and police-checked personnel and use the company's Graduated Skills Development Curriculum.
• Theatre Classes (Fall-Winter-Spring) Year-round acting classes for children ages 6–14 delivered across fall, winter, and spring terms, using the same Graduated Skills Development Curriculum as the summer camps. Registration is offered with optional monthly payment plans and is discounted via early-bird, sibling, and referral incentives.
• Individual Coaching/Tutoring One-on-one drama coaching and audition preparation for individual students, priced at $50/hour and delivered in-person or virtually by Great Big Theatre instructors.
• TIES Program (Theatre In Every School) In-school drama workshops delivered on-site at K–8 schools across Ontario, aligned to the Ontario drama curriculum for Grades 3–6 and 7–8. Workshops are sold at $100 per class hour with a group minimum of 22 students per class.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95 camps with nearly 2,100 children participating in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fantasy Theatre for Children (Winnipeg, MB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a special angel contributor to GBTC, providing support and collaboration in the children's theatre community.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Soulpepper Theatre: Major Toronto-based charitable theatre company offering performances plus youth and education programming. Comparable as a larger Ontario non-profit theatre with overlapping educational mission, though it serves a broader demographic beyond just children.
• Canadian Stage Company: Toronto-based performing arts company presenting theatre, dance, and opera with education and youth programs. Comparable as a larger Ontario theatre organization with overlapping educational programming for schools and young audiences.
• National Arts Centre: Canada's federal performing arts presenter in Ottawa, with national youth education and engagement programs. Comparable as a large Canadian charitable arts organization delivering theatre programming to young audiences and schools across multiple provinces.

Direct peers

• Stagecoach Performing Arts: International franchise providing weekend performing arts classes for children ages 4-18 in drama, dance, and singing. Comparable to GBTC in target demographic (children) and curriculum structure (graduated skill development in theatre arts).
• Fantasy Theatre for Children: Winnipeg-based children's theatre company producing performances and educational programs for young audiences. Already documented as a GBTC peer/special angel contributor; directly comparable as a Canadian non-profit children's theatre organization.
• Young People's Theatre: Toronto-based charitable theatre organization producing live theatre for young audiences and offering education programs. Directly comparable to GBTC as both are Ontario-based non-profits delivering theatre experiences and training to children/youth.

Others

• Tarragon Theatre: Toronto-based charitable theatre company with education and young audience programming. Comparable as an Ontario non-profit theatre organization with school outreach, though it targets broader adult audiences as its core.
• National Theatre School of Canada: Montreal-based national training institution for theatre professionals with youth programs and school partnerships. Comparable as a Canadian not-for-profit theatre education organization, though its primary focus is professional training rather than children's recreation.

Emerging players

• Bad Hats Theatre: Toronto-based independent theatre company producing original works with strong youth/family programming focus. Comparable as a smaller Ontario theatre company developing theatrical content and educational outreach for young audiences.
• Class Act Drama: Ontario-based organization offering drama classes, workshops, and productions for children and teens. Directly comparable as a smaller-scale children's drama education provider competing in overlapping Ontario markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/greatbigtheatrecompany
• Xx.com/greatbigtheatre

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Great Big Theatre