Venice Theatre
Venice Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre founded in 1950 in Venice, Florida, operating as the second-largest community theatre in the United States. It produces live theatrical performances, arts education programs, and community engagement initiatives serving 65,000+ annual patrons through a volunteer-driven model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersVenice, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Venice Theatre does
Venice Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community performing arts organization founded in 1950 in Venice, Florida, and incorporated as Venice Theatre, Inc. (EIN 59-6005807). Operating as the second-largest community theatre in the United States and the largest community theatre per capita, it runs a professional staff of 11-50 alongside approximately 1,300 volunteers contributing nearly 100,000 hours each season. The organization served over 65,000 patrons annually pre-Hurricane Ian and generates an estimated $50 million in annual economic impact on the Venice area per the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County.
Core offerings span live theatrical productions (plays, musicals, comedies, dramas) staged across multiple venues — the Jervey Theatre (432-seat mainstage), Pinkerton Theatre (90-seat black box), and Raymond Center (temporary mainstage during reconstruction). Education programs serve ages 5-105 via classes, camps (including SummerStock), apprenticeships, and scholarships. Community engagement includes specialized troupes such as the Silver Foxes (55+), Pinky's Players (performers with intellectual and developmental disabilities), Teen Improv, and Troupe in a Trunk. Production infrastructure includes set design, lighting, sound systems, costume shop, and props departments. Tickets are distributed through a Salesforce-based online portal, a box office, three subscription tiers (The Raymond 4, Stage 2, Golden Ticket), and gift certificates, at unit prices ranging from $19 to $40.
Revenue derives from five streams: ticket sales and subscriptions, corporate show sponsorships ($3,000-$25,000 tiers), donations and capital campaign contributions (Have-a-Seat, naming opportunities, Legacy Circle), education program fees, and gift certificates. The organization is currently executing a $25 million restoration of the Jervey Theatre following Hurricane Ian's September 2022 destruction, with construction over 80% funded via insurance proceeds (~ $5.5M) and community fundraising (~ $3.5M), and a planned reopening in February 2027.
Venice Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Venice Theatre
- Legal name
- Venice Theatre, Inc.
- Website
- https://venicetheatre.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Venice Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre founded in 1950 in Venice, Florida, operating as the second-largest community theatre in the United States. It produces live theatrical performances, arts education programs, and community engagement initiatives serving 65,000+ annual patrons through a volunteer-driven model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Venice Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Performing Arts (Live Theater)
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)
Keywords
Where Venice Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Venice
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Venice Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from single tickets and subscriptions for theatrical productions across multiple venues (Jervey Theatre, Pinkerton Theatre, Raymond Center)
- Show Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple levels ($3,000-$25,000) providing advertising, recognition, and exclusive benefits
- Donations and Fundraising: Capital campaign for Hurricane Ian restoration ($25 million project), naming opportunities, Have-a-Seat campaign, Legacy Circle planned giving
- Education Programs: Classes, camps, and workshops for ages 5-105 including SummerStock, apprenticeships, and scholarships
- Gift Certificates: Never-expiring gift certificates applicable to shows, classes, and special events
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Taming of the Shrew - Pinkerton Theatre |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blood of the Lamb - Main Productions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Harriet the Spy - Youth Production |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Rocky Horror Show - Adult Content |
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription Packages |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Producer Level Sponsorship |
| Other | Annual | Season and Media Sponsor |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Jervey Theatre Show Sponsor |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Pinkerton Theatre & Raymond Center Show Sponsor |
| Other | Annual | Concert/Advertiser Level |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Have-a-Seat Campaign |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Venice Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Venice Theatre produces and presents live theatrical performances — including plays, musicals, comedies, dramas, and variety shows — across three venues (Jervey Theatre 432-seat mainstage, Pinkerton Theatre 90-seat black box, and Raymond Center temporary mainstage), supported by a season subscription program, single-ticket sales, and educational programs (classes, camps, apprenticeships, and workshops for ages 5–105). The organization also operates community-engagement troupes (Silver Foxes, Teen Improv, Troupe in a Trunk, Pinky's Players, Boys & Girls Club, Youth Company), hosts the international aactWorldFest festival, and runs the Have-a-Seat capital campaign to rebuild the Jervey Theatre after Hurricane Ian.
Product overview
Venice Theatre is a community performing arts organization offering live theatrical productions, educational programs, and community engagement activities. The organization operates multiple venues including the Jervey Theatre (mainstage, 432 seats), Pinkerton Theatre (90-seat black box), and Raymond Center (temporary mainstage during reconstruction). Productions include plays, musicals, comedies, dramas, and variety shows across multiple seasons annually. Educational offerings include classes, camps, apprenticeships, and workshops for ages 5-105. The organization also offers community programs such as Silver Foxes (senior troupe), Teen Improv, Troupe in a Trunk, Pinky's Players (performers with intellectual/developmental disabilities), and behind-the-scenes tours. Venice Theatre is currently in its 77th Season (2026-2027) and operates as the second-largest community theatre in the United States, founded in 1950.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live Theatrical Productions Full-season slate of plays, musicals, comedies, dramas, and variety shows presented across the Jervey Theatre (432-seat mainstage), Pinkerton Theatre (90-seat black box), and Raymond Center (temporary mainstage). Tickets are sold individually per production with tiered audience pricing.
- Season Subscription Packages Annual subscription packages offering reserved seating and subscriber benefits across multiple mainstage productions, sold in three tiers: The Raymond 4, Stage 2, and Golden Ticket, on an annual billing cadence.
- Theatre Education Classes, Camps & Workshops Year-round theatre arts instruction including acting classes, technical theatre training, SummerStock camps, technical theatre apprenticeships, workshops, and scholarships for students ages 5–105.
- aactWorldFest International Community Theatre Festival International community-theatre festival hosted in partnership with the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT), bringing troupes from around the world to perform in multiple Venice Theatre venues. Murray Chase has hosted the festival four consecutive times.
- Theatre Gift Certificates Never-expiring gift certificates that can be redeemed for Venice Theatre shows, classes, and special events.
Quantifiable outcome
- 65,000+ patrons annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Venice Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Venice Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Venice Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and flagship.
- City of VenicemajorCity of Venice provided $5,000 sponsorship for 75th Season and a $125,000 matching grant to stimulate Jervey Theatre restoration. Also assisted with permit expediting and inspections.
- American Association of Community Theatre (AACT)flagshipHosting aactWorldFest 2026 - international community theatre festival with troupes from around the world performing in multiple venues. Festival celebrates theatre as universal art form bringing global talent to Venice.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Venice Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Stage (St. Petersburg): Tampa Bay area professional regional theatre producing mainstage productions and education programs. Comparable mid-sized Florida community/regional producing theatre with a similar subscription and education revenue mix.
- Asolo Repertory Theatre: LPP-affiliated regional repertory theatre in Sarasota, FL, also serving the same South Sarasota County market with a multi-stage producing model. The closest direct geographic and operating peer to Venice Theatre.
- Caldwell Theatre Company: Florida-based professional regional theatre with a producing-season and education model. A direct peer in scale, geography, and nonprofit community-theatre operations.
- Florida Studio Theatre: Sarasota-based professional regional theatre producing a multi-stage season of plays and musicals, sharing the same donor, patron, and Sarasota cultural-funding pool as Venice Theatre.
- Rubicon Theatre Company: California-based nonprofit regional theatre producing a multi-stage season. Comparable as a mid-sized nonprofit producing theatre with education and community engagement programs, though on the West Coast.
- Palm Beach Dramaworks: Florida-based professional regional theatre producing a season of plays with a donor and subscriber-driven nonprofit model. Comparable in scale, programming breadth, and Florida retiree-heavy patron base.
Broad incumbents
- Actors Theatre of Louisville: Long-standing regional theatre known for its Humana Festival of New American Plays. Comparable as a nonprofit producing theatre with a strong festival programming angle (paralleling aactWorldFest) and national recognition.
- Geva Theatre Center: Rochester, NY-based regional theatre producing a mainstage season plus education and community programs. Comparable in operating model and nonprofit structure, with broader programming scope than Venice Theatre.
- Barrington Stage Company: Pittsfield, MA-based nonprofit regional theatre with multiple performance spaces and an education/outreach arm. Comparable multi-stage producing model and nonprofit scale.
Others
- American Association of Community Theatre (AACT): National membership organization for community theatres and the operator/facilitator of aactWorldFest, hosted by Venice Theatre. Ecosystem partner and direct organizational peer reference point for community-theatre scale benchmarking.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Venice Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceVenice Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Venice Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Venice Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Venice Theatre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Venice Theatre
What does Venice Theatre do?
Venice Theatre produces and presents live theatrical performances — including plays, musicals, comedies, dramas, and variety shows — across three venues (Jervey Theatre 432-seat mainstage, Pinkerton Theatre 90-seat black box, and Raymond Center temporary mainstage), supported by a season subscription program, single-ticket sales, and educational programs (classes, camps, apprenticeships, and workshops for ages 5–105). The organization also operates community-engagement troupes (Silver Foxes, Teen Improv, Troupe in a Trunk, Pinky's Players, Boys & Girls Club, Youth Company), hosts the international aactWorldFest festival, and runs the Have-a-Seat capital campaign to rebuild the Jervey Theatre after Hurricane Ian.
Is Venice Theatre a public or private company?
Venice Theatre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Venice Theatre founded?
Venice Theatre was founded in 1950. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Venice Theatre based?
Venice Theatre is headquartered in Venice, United States, in the North America region.
How does Venice Theatre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are show Sponsorships, donations and Fundraising, education Programs and gift Certificates.
Who are Venice Theatre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Stage (St. Petersburg), Asolo Repertory Theatre, Caldwell Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre, Rubicon Theatre Company and Palm Beach Dramaworks. Broad incumbents are Actors Theatre of Louisville, Geva Theatre Center and Barrington Stage Company. American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) is listed as an others.
Does Venice Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Venice Theatre.
What industry is Venice Theatre in?
Venice Theatre's product category is Community Performing Arts (Live Theater). Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of MPAGAEAI, Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals. Its NAICS code is 711110 and its SIC code is 7900.