Woodward Productions

What Woodward Productions does

Woodward Productions is a Brisbane-based private theatrical production company founded in 2016 by Alex Woodward (originally under the name Understudy Productions). It produces, tours, and co-produces musicals, plays, and concerts across Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Gold Coast) and internationally (London's West End, New York's Broadway and Off-Broadway). Its repertoire spans over 20 productions, including signature IP like the adults-only comedy 'A Very Naughty Christmas' (now in its eighth consecutive year and extended to London), Tony and Olivier Award-winning remounts such as Fiddler on the Roof, Jersey Boys, The Woman in Black, and Peter and the Starcatcher, and the commissioned Australian original Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Valkyrie premiered at QPAC.

The company's business model combines three revenue mechanics: ticket sales and production fees from its own touring productions, co-production and general management arrangements with international production houses (Prospero Arts, Trafalgar Entertainment, Neil Gooding Productions, Dead Puppet Society), and financial investments into third-party productions such as Back to the Future the Musical worldwide and The Book of Mormon UK Tour. It monetises through venue box office splits with partners including QPAC, Brisbane Powerhouse, La Boite, Theatre Royal Sydney, and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, while offering an 'Investing' page to source capital for its own shows. The customer base is bifurcated: B2C general theatre audiences across Australia and the UK (75,000+ attendees on the 2023 Woman in Black tour alone) and B2B co-producers and venue partners.

The company operates with a lean core team of fewer than ten people, supplemented by project-based creatives and performers. There is no disclosed technology platform; competitive advantage derives from brand reputation, venue relationships, multi-party co-production negotiation, and the founder's industry standing. Self-funded growth since inception is evidenced by expansion into London in 2024 and active management of six simultaneous touring productions.

Name

Woodward Productions

Legal name

Woodward Productions

Website

https://woodwardproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Woodward Productions is a Brisbane-based private theatrical production company that produces, tours, and co-produces musicals, plays, and concerts across Australia, London, and New York for general theatre audiences, with a lean team and a slate of 20+ productions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theatrical Production Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC)

Keywords

• Theatrical production
• Live entertainment
• Musical theatre
• Stage productions
• Performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Theatrical Production Revenue: Generates revenue through producing and touring theatrical productions (musicals, plays, concerts) to venues. Revenue comes from ticket sales, production fees, and co-production arrangements with venues and partner producers.
2. Investor Partnerships: Accepts investments from external parties for productions. Theatre investing is described as high-risk but potentially rewarding. Financial investors include Back to the Future the Musical Worldwide and The Book of Mormon UK Tour.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Woodward Productions is a Brisbane-based theatrical production company that produces, tours, and manages musicals, plays, and concerts across Australia and internationally. The company develops original Australian productions, licenses and adapts West End and Broadway hit shows, and serves as General Manager and Executive Producer for partner production houses including Prospero Arts and Trafalgar Entertainment.

Product overview

Woodward Productions is a Brisbane-based theatre production company that produces and manages theatrical productions. The company operates as a unified portfolio of theatrical productions rather than a technology platform. Their offering includes original Australian productions (A Very Naughty Christmas, Plied and Prejudice, Weathering Well), commissioned works (Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Valkyrie), West End/Broadway adaptations (Shirley Valentine, The 39 Steps, Peter and the Starcatcher), and serves as General Manager/Executive Producer for international productions (Back to the Future the Musical, Jersey Boys, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pirates of Penzance). The company also functions as a financial investor in productions including The Rocky Horror Picture Show, What's New Pussycat, and The Book of Mormon UK Tour. Their repertoire spans over 30 productions including musicals, concerts, plays, and cabaret shows performed in Australia and internationally (London's West End, New York's Broadway and Off-Broadway).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A Very Naughty Christmas: Australia's favourite adults-only Christmas comedy show featuring live band, stand-up comedy, parodied songs, dancing, singing, and burlesque performances.

Products and services

• A Very Naughty Christmas
• Fiddler on the Roof
• Jersey Boys
• The Pirates of Penzance in Concert
• Peter and the Starcatcher
• The Woman in Black
• Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
• The 39 Steps
• Shirley Valentine
• Steel Magnolias
• Little Shop of Horrors
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Back to the Future the Musical
• Trent Dalton's Love Stories
• Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Valkyrie
• Plied and Prejudice
• The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
• What's New Pussycat
• Sweet Charity
• Yank! A WWII Love Story
• Bare: A Pop Opera
• Weathering Well
• Caroline O'Connor: From Broadway With Love
• Boys of Sondheim
• Edges - A Song Cycle
• (title of show) Meta-musical about two struggling writers creating a show for the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• De Bortoli WinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresented by Woodward Productions and De Bortoli Wines for Plied and Prejudice production. De Bortoli is an Australian wine company serving as a sponsor/presenting partner.
• Prospero ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoodward Productions serves as General Manager and Executive Producer for Prospero Arts productions including Jersey Boys and The Pirates of Penzance. Close collaborative partnership in producing and managing concert productions.
• Neil Gooding ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on multiple productions including Shirley Valentine, The Woman in Black, Steel Magnolias, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).
• Dead Puppet SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere. Dead Puppet Society is acclaimed for creating visually astounding theatrical worlds and serves as General Manager for the production.
• Disney Theatrical GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOriginal developer and licensor of Peter and the Starcatcher. Commissioned and originally produced by Disney Theatrical Group, licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia).
• PowerArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented by Woodward Productions in association with PowerArts for Sherlock Holmes - The Mystery of the Valkyrie production.
• Trafalgar EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoodward Productions serves as Executive Producers and General Managers for Trafalgar Entertainment in Australia. Co-producing Fiddler on the Roof produced by Trafalgar Theatre Productions.
• Regents Park Open Air TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Fiddler on the Roof production.
• Glass Half Full ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere.
• JONES Theatrical GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-producer and General Management consulting for Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere.
• Canberra Theatre CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-producer on Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere.
• Neil Gooding ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere.
• Gooding ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere.
• Trafalgar Theatre ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead producer of Fiddler on the Roof production in association with Regents Park Open Air Theatre and Brian and Dayna Lee.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Really Useful Group: Andrew Lloyd Webber's international theatrical production empire and rights holder for many of the world's longest-running musicals (Phantom of the Opera, Cats, etc.). The category leader in commercial musical theatre IP that Woodward often licenses and produces locally.
• Malthouse Theatre: Major Melbourne-based Australian institutional theatre company producing original theatrical works. Comparable category — Australian theatrical producer — but with significantly larger scale, institutional backing, and venue ownership.
• Sydney Theatre Company: Major Australian institutional theatre company based at Walsh Bay, producing original and established theatrical works at scale. Operates as a producing entity in the same Australian market as Woodward, but with institutional funding, larger permanent staff, and a season-based subscription model.
• Global Creatures: Australia's largest independent theatrical producer, responsible for major international productions including Walking with Dinosaurs, King Kong, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Operates in the same Australian production ecosystem as Woodward but at materially larger scale and with owned blockbuster IP.

Direct peers

• Dead Puppet Society: Acclaimed Australian independent theatre company known for visually inventive productions; co-produces Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere with Woodward Productions and serves as General Manager on that production. Comparable scale and similar independent production model.
• Neil Gooding Productions: Australian independent theatrical production company of similar scale that has co-produced multiple productions with Woodward Productions including Shirley Valentine, The Woman in Black, Steel Magnolias, and Peter and the Starcatcher. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping portfolio, geography, and co-production relationship.
• Glass Half Full Productions: Australian independent theatrical production company that co-produced Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere with Woodward Productions. Similar independent production scale and operating model.
• JONES Theatrical Group: Australian theatrical production and general management firm that has co-produced Peter and the Starcatcher Australian Premiere with Woodward Productions. Provides general management consulting services similar to Woodward's offerings for Prospero Arts and Trafalgar Entertainment.
• PowerArts: Australian theatre company that co-presented Sherlock Holmes - The Mystery of the Valkyrie with Woodward Productions at QPAC. Comparable independent producer working in the Australian theatrical ecosystem.

Others

• Trafalgar Entertainment: UK-based entertainment group that produces theatrical productions (including Fiddler on the Roof and Jersey Boys) and engages Woodward Productions as its Executive Producers and General Managers in Australia. Functions more as a client/partner relationship than a direct competitor, but operates in adjacent production and venue management spaces.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/woodwardproductions
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodward_productions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woodwardproductions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Woodward Productions