CADENCE THEATRE COMPANY INC

What CADENCE THEATRE COMPANY INC does

Cadence Theatre Company Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 2009 by Anna Senechal Johnson and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The company operates a multi-program portfolio built around contemporary theater, film, and arts education, currently in its 16th season (2025-2026) with a small core team of seven employees. Its activities span five core areas: mainstage productions at partner venues (Dominion Energy Center's Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse, Firehouse Theatre, and The House), site-specific immersive theater in non-traditional venues (e.g., Love & Vinyl at Plan 9 Records), playwright development through the Pipeline New Works Program co-founded with Tony Award-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, BIPOC-centered film and storytelling via Sitelines BLM, and a suite of youth and adult education programs including the TRAIN pre-professional acting program ($1,500 tuition), Jammin' in June & July summer camps, STAGE WRITE, Cadence Cabaret, and CUE The Future.

The organization's revenue model is mixed and characteristic of a regional nonprofit theater: ticket sales from productions (priced at roughly $50-$55 per seat), tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and organizations, and education program tuition. Productions are operated in partnership with established regional venues rather than owned infrastructure, with co-production arrangements with Firehouse Theatre and Virginia Repertory Theatre, and membership in the National New Play Network enabling rolling world premieres (most recently DOG MOM). Cadence's primary audiences are multigenerational community members in the Richmond metropolitan area, with secondary audiences of aspiring professional actors, playwrights in early-career development, and BIPOC artists and communities served through targeted programming. The technology footprint is minimal — live performance production is the core "technology," supplemented by digital distribution channels (website, email newsletter, Instagram, Facebook) and filmed-play output via Sitelines BLM, with no disclosed software platform, AI capability, or proprietary IP.

Name

CADENCE THEATRE COMPANY INC

Legal name

Cadence Theatre Company Inc

Website

https://cadencetheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cadence Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 2009, that produces contemporary theater and film works, runs site-specific immersive productions, and operates youth/adult arts education programs including the TRAIN pre-professional acting program and the Pipeline New Works playwright fellowship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Youth arts education
• Playwright development programs
• Site-specific performances
• Community theater

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from theater productions and performances at various venues including Dominion Energy Center and Firehouse Theatre. Ticket prices vary by production.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting the nonprofit arts education and theater mission. Cadence is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
3. Education Program Tuition: Revenue from TRAIN pre-professional acting program ($1500 tuition) and other youth/adult education offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cadence Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization in Richmond, Virginia, that produces contemporary theater and film works at partner venues including Dominion Energy Center and Firehouse Theatre, develops site-specific immersive performances in non-traditional spaces, and runs a portfolio of youth and adult arts education programs such as TRAIN, Jammin' in June & July, STAGE WRITE, and Acting Classes. Its differentiated offerings include the Pipeline New Works Program (a playwright fellowship co-founded by David Lindsay-Abaire) and Sitelines BLM (a film/visual storytelling program centering BIPOC voices and Richmond's Black history sites).

Product overview

Cadence Theatre Company is a performing arts organization presenting contemporary theatre and film works, operating as a multi-program portfolio. The core offerings include mainstage theatre productions (such as Love & Vinyl, Annie, and WitchDuck), youth arts education programs (TRAIN, Jammin' in June & July, STAGE WRITE, Cabaret, CUE The Future), adult education (Acting Classes), and playwright development (Pipeline New Works). The company also runs Sitelines BLM, a film program for underrepresented voices. Productions are staged at various Richmond venues including Dominion Energy Center, Firehouse Theatre, and The House.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sitelines BLM: Filmed plays and screenplays program focusing on BIPOC voices and sites of importance to Richmond's Black community
• Pipeline New Works Program
• TRAIN
• STAGE WRITE
• ACTION Film Festival
• Jammin' in June & July
• Cadence Cabaret

Products and services

• Mainstage Theater Productions Staged contemporary theater productions at partner venues in Richmond, Virginia, presented for general theater audiences (multigenerational). Recent and upcoming titles include DOG MOM, Annie, Love & Vinyl, WitchDuck, and Long Day's Journey Into Night, performed at the Dominion Energy Center's Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse, Firehouse Theatre, and The House.
• TRAIN Pre-Professional Acting Program Virginia's premier pre-professional actor training program for serious acting students ages 12-18, covering stage and screen performance with top industry professionals including the award-winning casting and production organization arvold. Tuesday rehearsals 5-7 PM, September through February, $1,500 tuition.
• Pipeline New Works Program A fellowship-style program for playwrights offering mentorship, writer retreats, and staged readings to develop new works. Co-founded by David Lindsay-Abaire, the program has supported writers including Irene Ziegler and Eva DeVirgilis, whose plays (e.g., Safety, WitchDuck) have been developed through Cadence.
• Sitelines BLM Film and Storytelling Program A program that commissions and produces filmed plays and screenplays centering artists from the Global Majority, celebrating cultural heritage at sites of importance to Richmond's Black community. Developed with William & Mary, VCUarts, Oakwood Arts, and University of Richmond; features the ACTION Film Festival for local filmmakers.
• Jammin' in June & July Summer Youth Arts Program Summer theatre program for children featuring acting, singing, dancing, and art classes over two weeks, culminating in a final performance for families and friends. Open to theatre kids ranging from new to experienced performers.
• STAGE WRITE Youth Leadership Program A student leadership and workforce readiness program that helps young people develop skills through theatre and storytelling, including volunteer engagement from board members such as Capital One's Cassandra Freeman.
• Adult Acting Classes Adult education program offering acting classes for various skill levels, taught as part of Cadence's broader adult arts education portfolio.
• Cadence Cabaret Performance program offering cabaret-style performance opportunities for youth and young adults.
• CUE The Future Youth Arts Program Youth arts program designed to inspire and develop future theatre artists.
• The PSA Project Youth arts program operating under Cadence's Youth/College Arts portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of DOG MOM
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Firehouse TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Co-producing partner for WitchDuck world premiere and other productions. Firehouse is interested in new work and Virginia history storytelling.
• Virginia Repertory TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing producing partner for theatrical productions and education programs. Cadence and Virginia Rep have collaborated on numerous shows including Small Mouth Sounds and educational initiatives.
• National New Play Network (NNPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of NNPN, enabling rolling world premieres of new plays. Dog Mom received National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere designation.
• ATLAS PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for the Annie production at Dominion Energy Center, bringing additional resources and partnership to the musical.
• William & MaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with William & Mary Program in Africana Studies for Sitelines BLM project, bringing academic collaboration to community storytelling.
• Oakwood ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Oakwood Arts for Sitelines BLM, providing digital technology workforce readiness training for youth involved in film production.
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership through VCUarts Theatre for Sitelines BLM collaborative project supporting BIPOC storytelling.
• University of RichmondminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Richmond Free Theatre and Dance for Sitelines BLM initiative.
• Plan 9 RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSite-specific performance venue for Love & Vinyl production, with pre-show micro-concerts by local musicians.
• arvoldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning casting and production organization providing casting, production, and education for TRAIN pre-professional program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hangar Theatre: Waverly, NY-based regional summer theater producing new works, musicals, and education programs; comparable to Cadence in operating a small-team, multi-program regional model with education and development components.
• Virginia Repertory Theatre: Richmond-based producing partner that co-produces shows with Cadence (including Small Mouth Sounds) and shares the same donor, audience, and venue pool; the two operate as the largest theater companies in the Richmond market.
• Firehouse Theatre: Richmond-area co-producing partner that co-produced WitchDuck and Long Day's Journey Into Night with Cadence; both focus on new and contemporary work and compete for the same regional subscribers and grant funding.
• Actors Theatre of Louisville: Louisville, KY-based regional theater home to the Humana Festival of New American Plays; comparable to Cadence because of its national reputation for developing and premiering new scripts, similar to Cadence's Pipeline New Works and NNPN participation.
• Signature Theatre: Arlington, VA-based regional theater known for musicals and new works; comparable to Cadence because of its Virginia footprint, musical theater strength, and developer of new scripts, putting it in direct competition for producing talent and audiences in the DMV region.
• TheatreSquared: Fayetteville, AR-based regional theater with a new-works focus and comparable scale; similar to Cadence in operating from a single secondary market while pursuing national new-play ambitions.
• Barrington Stage Company: Pittsfield, MA-based regional theater presenting musicals, new plays, and audience-development programming; comparable to Cadence in producing both musicals (e.g., Annie) and new works from emerging playwrights.
• Round House Theatre: Bethesda, MD-based LORT-equivalent regional theater producing new and contemporary works on a similarly multi-program scale; comparable to Cadence in operating model, programming philosophy, and reliance on ticket/donation/education revenue.
• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Washington, D.C.-based regional theater specializing in bold new plays and community engagement; comparable to Cadence in scale, new-work focus, and blending of contemporary production with audience-development programming.

Broad incumbents

• Playwrights Horizons: New York City-based nonprofit theater and developer of new American plays; comparable as a BROAD incumbent because Pipeline New Works occupies a similar new-play development niche but at a much larger NYC scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cadencetheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/cadencetheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cadence-theatre-company-inc

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 CADENCE THEATRE COMPANY INC