Paramount Theatre

What Paramount Theatre does

Paramount Theatre, legally Paramount Theatre of the Arts, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a historic 3,000-seat-class Art Deco performing arts venue at 2025 Broadway in downtown Oakland, California. The venue was built in 1931 and operates under a structure in which the building is owned by the City of Oakland while programming and operations are run by the nonprofit. The facility was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977 after a 1973 restoration and is described as one of the finest remaining examples of Art Deco design in the United States.

The venue hosts a diversified programming calendar that includes touring concerts, jazz and classical performances, comedy, a Movie Classics film series accompanied by its restored Mighty Wurlitzer Opus 2164 organ, the MPSF Speaker Series (8,800+ subscribers, operating for over 30 years), and resident company performances by the Oakland Symphony and Oakland Ballet. Supporting infrastructure includes Meyer Sound audio systems, infrared assistive listening, and Yondr phone-free pouches for select events. Ticketing is processed exclusively through Ticketmaster, with a $3.50 per-ticket facility fee routed to the Paramount Theatre Endowment Fund.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: ticket sales, facility rentals (corporate events, graduations, private functions), concessions and bar operations, guided public and private tours, and charitable donations. Customer segments span individual event attendees, performing arts organizations, schools and universities, corporate event planners, and tourists. Distribution is regional, concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, with no disclosed geographic expansion or external equity investment.

Name

Paramount Theatre

Legal name

Paramount Theatre of the Arts

Website

https://paramountoakland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Paramount Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 1931 Art Deco National Historic Landmark venue in downtown Oakland, hosting concerts, ballet, symphony, film, speaker events, and rentals for Bay Area audiences and performing arts organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Live event venue
• Performing arts center
• Concert hall hosting
• Theater facility rentals
• Guided venue tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from ticket sales through Ticketmaster and Box Office. A facility fee of $3.50 per ticket is added to benefit the Paramount Theatre Endowment Fund.
2. Facility Rentals: The theatre is available to rent for events with commercial and non-commercial rate categories. Includes rates for performances, rehearsals, receptions, and corporate events.
3. Concessions and Bar Sales: Full-service bar offering beverages and light snacks. Concessions operated by Paramount Theatre Endowment Fund.
4. Guided Tours: Public tours at $10/adult and $5/youth, plus private group tours at $250-$500 depending on group size.
5. Donations and Charitable Support: As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, receives donations to support performing arts and theatre preservation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paramount Theatre is a historic Art Deco performing arts venue in Oakland, CA that hosts concerts, comedy shows, classic movie screenings, speaker series, ballet, orchestral performances, graduations, and private events. The venue generates revenue primarily through ticket sales (via Ticketmaster and Box Office), facility rentals for corporate and private events, concessions and bar sales, and guided public and private tours, with charitable donations supporting the Paramount Theatre Endowment Fund.

Product overview

Paramount Theatre is a historic Art Deco performing arts venue in Oakland, CA offering a single unified venue product with multiple programming streams. The core offering is the theater venue itself, supplemented by resident company performances (Oakland Symphony, Oakland Ballet), recurring series (Movie Classics, MPSF Speaker Series), event hosting services (graduations, private rentals), and guided tours. The venue operates primarily as an event space with Ticketmaster-powered ticketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paramount Theatre Venue (Live Performances) Historic Art Deco theater venue serving as a performing arts facility in Oakland, CA, hosting concerts, variety shows, theatrical performances, movie screenings, graduations, and private events.
• Paramount Movie Classics Series Classic film screening series featuring 35mm film presentations with pre-movie entertainment including organ concerts on the Mighty Wurlitzer Opus 2164, classic cartoons, and movie trailers. $10 per person includes a $3.50 restoration fee.
• MPSF Speaker Series Subscription-based lecture series featuring thought leaders, running for over 30 years and averaging over 8,800 subscribers annually as the largest community speaker series in the United States.
• Public Guided Tours Guided public tours of the Paramount Theatre conducted on Saturdays, providing a full view of the historic venue with approximately 90-minute duration. $10 adult (18+), $5 youth (8-17), free for children 7 and under.
• Private Group Tours Private group tours available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, with 90-minute duration for groups of 1-60 people. $250 for groups of 1-30, $500 for groups of 31-60, with minimum 3 weeks' notice required.
• Venue Rental Services Theater rental services for events including corporate events, performances, rehearsals, receptions, and private functions, with commercial and non-commercial rate categories.
• Graduation Hosting Services Graduation ceremony hosting services at the historic venue with specific guidelines for schools and families, offering a prestigious setting for milestone celebrations.
• Concessions and Bar Services Full-service bar offering beverages and light snacks for event attendees, with sustainability partnership using r.World reusable cups. Operated by the Paramount Theatre Endowment Fund.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticketing partner for all Paramount Theatre events. Handles all online ticket sales with mobile delivery only. Exclusive arrangement for event ticketing.
• Oakland SymphonycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident performing arts company and primary home tenant. Oakland Symphony performs regularly at the Paramount Theatre.
• Oakland BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident dance company and home tenant. Oakland Ballet presents Luna Mexicana and The Nutcracker at the theatre. Winner of 2021 Best of Oakland Award.
• Meyer SoundmajorTechnology or IntegrationAudio renewal partnership - Meyer Sound provided new sound systems for the theatre as it enters its second century of operation.
• r.World (Reusable Cups)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability partnership to eliminate single-use waste. r.World provides reusable cups that can be used hundreds of times. Part of theatre's environmental commitment.
• SFJAZZmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPresents jazz performances at the Paramount Theatre including Brad Mehldau and Snarky Puppy events.
• The Great American Songbook FoundationminorOthersParamount Theatre Music Library collection (Bethards-Massey Collection) was deaccessioned to The Great American Songbook Foundation for preservation.
• Oak View GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre participates in Oak View Group's National Theater Alliance for venue partnerships and industry initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Tony Award-winning nonprofit theater company operating multiple Berkeley venues; comparable nonprofit producing/theater-presenting model with strong subscription base in the same Bay Area cultural market.
• Fox Oakland Theatre: Historic 1928 movie palace in Oakland operated as a nonprofit venue for concerts and live events; most direct geographic and architectural peer to the Paramount Theatre, competing for overlapping audiences and touring acts in the same Oakland market.
• Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: Historic SF landmark theater used for concerts, comedy, speaker and cinema events; similar Art Deco/Neoclassical historic venue model in the same Bay Area market, with comparable nonprofit/community programming orientation.
• The Warfield: Historic SF Bay Area theater hosting concerts and live entertainment under similar operational model (Live Nation managed); comparable mid-size historic venue competing for overlapping touring routes.
• Lesher Center for the Arts: Nonprofit performing arts center in Walnut Creek presenting theater, music, dance, comedy, and family programming; comparable regional nonprofit venue model with similar resident-company and rental dynamics.
• Masonic Auditorium (San Francisco): Historic Nob Hill theater hosting concerts, awards shows, and speaker events; comparable Bay Area landmark venue used for similar live-event programming.

Broad incumbents

• Bill Graham Civic Auditorium: Large SF arena operated by Another Planet Entertainment for concerts and live events; comparable historic Bay Area music venue competing for larger touring acts at a different scale and capacity than Paramount.

Regional players

• Yoshi's Oakland: Oakland jazz club and sushi restaurant presenting national jazz artists; comparable Oakland-based music venue with overlapping audience for SFJAZZ-adjacent programming, though smaller scale and focused on jazz.
• Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse: Nonprofit Berkeley music venue focused on roots, folk, and world music with similar community-oriented programming model; comparable nonprofit performance venue rather than direct competition due to smaller capacity and different genre focus.
• The New Parish: Independently operated Oakland music venue hosting concerts and community events; comparable Oakland live-music venue at smaller scale than Paramount, with overlapping local audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OakParamount
• Facebookfacebook.com/oakparamount
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paramounttheatre-oakland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Paramount Theatre