Winnipeg Jewish Theatre

What Winnipeg Jewish Theatre does

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre (WJT) is a non-profit professional theatre company founded in 1987 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the only professional theatre in Western Canada exclusively dedicated to Jewish stories, culture, and voices, and one of only two professional Jewish theatres in Canada. WJT operates from a single venue, the Berney Theatre within the Asper Jewish Community Campus, producing four mainstage subscription productions per season supplemented by staged readings, new play development programs, and educational matinees. The organization is a PACT member working under Canadian Actors' Equity Association agreements since 1992, and currently produces four subscription shows plus special readings.

WJT's core offerings are live theatre productions including world premieres of Canadian-Jewish plays (e.g., The Cut, The History of the Jewish People…In 54 Minutes!, Anne's Attic), co-productions of established musicals (Fiddler on the Roof, Dear Evan Hansen with Rainbow Stage), and Canadian premieres (Ride: The Musical from London's West End). Supporting programs include a New Play Development initiative, Playwright in Residence (currently Alex Poch-Goldin), Student Matinees, and a Theatre Under 30 program. Distribution is via OvationTix online ticketing, phone box office, and walk-up sales at the campus office.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: individual ticket sales, four-show season subscriptions starting at $160, individual donations via annual campaigns, corporate sponsorships (playbill ads, opening receptions), an endowment fund managed by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, and raffles. Operating support comes from Canada Council for the Arts, Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg Arts Council, The Asper Foundation, Azrieli Foundation, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, and The Winnipeg Foundation. Customer segments include Jewish community members, general Winnipeg theatre audiences, Canadian-Jewish playwrights, and schools/educational groups.

Name

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre

Legal name

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre

Website

https://wjt.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is a non-profit professional theatre company founded in 1987, producing four subscription seasons annually at the Berney Theatre within the Asper Jewish Community Campus. It is the only professional Jewish theatre in Western Canada, serving Jewish community members, general audiences, and Canadian-Jewish playwrights through world premieres and co-productions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Theatre / Performing Arts

NAICS

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAB

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAH

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAG

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

Keywords

• Professional theatre productions
• Jewish cultural programming
• Live performance arts
• New play development
• Community arts engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets sold for each production through online platform, phone, and in-person box office. Ticket prices vary by production with student matinees and special pricing available.
2. Season Subscriptions: Four-show season subscription packages offering best value, priority seating, complimentary welcome drink, concessions discounts, free parking, and unlimited no-fee exchanges.
3. Individual Donations and Annual Campaign: Donations from individuals supporting WJT's mission to produce bold, inspiring Jewish stories. Donors receive benefits based on giving level including exclusive donor events and behind-the-scenes access.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Playbill ads, opening reception sponsorships, and production sponsorships. Sponsors receive exposure through media campaigns, in-house publications including playbill ads and posters, reaching 20,000 community members during the season.
5. Endowment Fund: Long-term endowment fund managed by Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. Donations matched through JFM's matching initiative. Investment income provides annual operational support.
6. Raffles and Special Events: Periodic raffles such as 'Ride the Moment Raffle' offering prize packs to raise funds and engage community support for productions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre produces and presents professional theatrical productions that explore Jewish and human experiences, including world premieres, co-productions, established musicals, and staged readings. The company's primary output is a four-production annual subscription season performed at The Berney Theatre inside the Asper Jewish Community Campus in Winnipeg, supplemented by new play development programs, educational student matinees, and community engagement events.

Product overview

Winnipeg Jewish Theatre operates as a single-venue professional theatre company producing Jewish-themed plays and musicals at The Berney Theatre within the Asper Jewish Community Campus. The core offering consists of four annual subscription productions featuring both world premieres of Canadian-Jewish works and established Jewish theatre, supplemented by staged readings, theatrical workshops, and community engagement programs. The 2026-27 season includes world premieres (The Cut, The History of the Jewish People…In 54 Minutes!, Anne's Attic: A Sonic Experience), co-productions (Fiddler on the Roof with Rainbow Stage), and presentations (Dear Evan Hansen). Additional offerings include individual tickets, new play development, corporate sponsorships, donations, and educational programs including student matinees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Subscription (2026/27) Annual subscription package providing access to all four mainstage productions of the season, with subscriber benefits including priority seating, complimentary welcome drink, concessions discount, free parking, and unlimited ticket exchanges. For individual patrons and families seeking guaranteed access and best value.
• Individual Show Tickets Single tickets purchased for individual theatre productions, available online through OvationTix, by phone, and in person at the box office. For walk-up patrons and casual theatre-goers.
• Fiddler on the Roof Classic Tony Award-winning musical about Tevye and his daughters. Performed September 9-10, 2026 as a co-production with Rainbow Stage.
• The Cut World premiere drama by Jordi Mand about an interfaith couple facing circumcision decisions. Directed by Philip Akin. Co-produced with Toronto's Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company. Runs October 15-25, 2026.
• The History of the Jewish People…In 54 Minutes! World premiere comedic celebration of Jewish history written and directed by Steven Schipper. Presented by The Gail Asper Family Foundation and produced with Heritage Theatre Works Live. Runs December 10-13, 2026.
• Dear Evan Hansen Tony Award-winning musical about a teenager whose web of lies unravels. Presented by Rainbow Stage. Runs March 30 – April 18, 2027 at the Berney Theatre.
• Anne's Attic: A Sonic Experience World premiere immersive audio experience using 3D sound technology to transport audiences to Anne Frank's Secret Annex in Amsterdam 1944. Conceived and directed by Dan Petrenko, written by Tracey Erin Smith. Runs May 26 – June 6, 2027.
• Ride: The Musical Canadian premiere musical based on the true story of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to cycle around the world. Stars Berkley Silverman and Colleen Furlan. Directed and choreographed by Lisa Stevens. Ran April 16 – May 2, 2026.
• The Right Road to Pontypool Staged reading by Alex Poch-Goldin about Jewish families who built summer communities in rural Ontario. Presented in partnership with Rady JCC. Originally ran November 22-23, 2025.
• Job: The Play Broadway psychological thriller by Max Wolf Friedlich about workplace burnout. Ran September 11-21, 2025.
• New Play Development Program Development program supporting Canadian-Jewish playwrights through new play submissions, script commissions, and developmental workshops. For playwrights writing about Jewish themes. WJT is the only theatre company in Canada regularly commissioning new Canadian-Jewish plays.
• Playwright in Residence Residency program supporting playwrights in the development of new works, currently featuring Alex Poch-Goldin developing the play Edenbridge about prairie Jewish history.
• Student Matinees and Educational Programs Educational programming for schools and students including matinee performances, study guides, and talkback sessions. For school groups seeking curriculum-connected cultural enrichment.
• Theatre Under 30 $30 ticket program for students and young professionals under 30, plus a 20% discount for arts workers. For young adults and arts community members seeking affordable access to professional theatre.
• Group Tickets Discounted group ticket rates for parties of 10 or more attending a single performance. For organizations, social groups, and large parties arranging theatre outings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced over 12 new works during 1993-2005 alone, establishing track record of new play development
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, core and minor.

• Heritage Theatre Works LivesecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2026Produced in partnership with Heritage Theatre Works Live for 'The History of the Jewish People...In 54 Minutes!' world premiere December 2026.
• Harold Green Jewish Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2026Co-production partnership for 'The Cut' (World Premiere, October 2026). Toronto-based Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company co-produces this raw drama about interfaith relationships with Winnipeg Jewish Theatre.
• Rainbow StagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2026Co-production partnership for Fiddler on the Roof (September 2026) and presentation partnership for Dear Evan Hansen (March-April 2027). Rainbow Stage presents WJT productions in the intimate setting of Berney Theatre, bringing major musical theatre works to Winnipeg audiences.
• Rady JCCsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 November 2025Presented in partnership with Rady JCC for 'The Right Road to Pontypool' staged reading. Jewish community centre provides venue and audience reach.
• Olympia Cycle & SkiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated raffle prizes (KHS Brentwood bike, Evo All Mountain helmet, Lockdown bike lock) valued at approximately $1,000+ for 'Ride the Moment Raffle' supporting the Canadian premiere of Ride: The Musical.
• Yoga PublicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated 3-month membership valued at $500 for raffle prize pack supporting Ride: The Musical production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Neptune Theatre: Halifax-based regional professional theatre producing a season of plays and musicals. Comparable as an Atlantic Canadian PACT-member regional theatre with subscription-driven revenue model similar to WJT's, though serving a different geographic market.
• Soulpepper Theatre Company: Toronto-based large-scale Canadian professional theatre with a strong new play development mandate. Comparable artistic focus on Canadian work and PACT-membership, but operating at significantly greater scale, headcount, and budget than WJT.
• Citadel Theatre: Edmonton-based regional theatre and one of Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre companies, operating multiple venues. Comparable as a PACT-member regional theatre producing a season of plays and musicals, but at materially larger scale than WJT.
• Theatre Calgary: Calgary-based regional professional theatre producing a subscription season of plays and musicals. Comparable as a Western Canadian PACT theatre competing for similar audiences, sponsors, and government arts council funding as WJT.

Direct peers

• Rainbow Stage: Winnipeg-based professional musical theatre company and confirmed co-production partner of WJT (Fiddler on the Roof, Dear Evan Hansen). Comparable scale and Winnipeg market, with overlapping subscriber audiences in the musical category.
• Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre: Winnipeg's flagship professional regional theatre producing a multi-show season of plays and musicals. Comparable as a PACT-member professional theatre in the same city, sharing the Winnipeg audience pool and competing for the same subscribers and corporate sponsors.
• Segal Centre for Performing Arts: Montreal-based Jewish community performing arts organization operating a professional theatre within a Jewish community campus, mirroring WJT's Asper Jewish Community Campus model. Comparable mission of producing Jewish and broader cultural programming for a Jewish community audience.
• Tarragon Theatre: Toronto-based professional theatre nationally renowned for new play development and Canadian playwright commissioning. Comparable artistic mission to WJT's New Play Development Program and Playwright in Residence, though operating at a larger scale.
• Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company: Toronto-based professional Jewish theatre company and the other of only two professional Jewish theatres in Canada. Directly comparable niche focus on Jewish stories, professional PACT-member operations, and a confirmed co-production partner of WJT for The Cut (2026).
• Prairie Theatre Exchange: Winnipeg-based professional regional theatre with comparable season-of-productions model and new play development focus. Direct competitor for Winnipeg theatre audiences and donor dollars, operating at similar small-scale economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@winnipegjewishtheatre545/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/winnipegjewishtheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewjt
• Xx.com/WJTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wpgjewishtheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Winnipeg Jewish Theatre