Stephens Auditorium
Stephens Auditorium is a public performing arts venue at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and educational programming as part of the multi-venue Iowa State Center complex, serving central Iowa audiences, K-12 schools, ISU students, and donors.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersAmes, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stephens Auditorium does
Stephens Auditorium is a public performing arts venue located at 1900 Center Drive in Ames, Iowa, operating as part of Iowa State University's Iowa State Center complex. Opened in 1969 by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and named after founding donor Clifford Y. Stephens, the venue hosts a diverse programming calendar spanning Broadway touring productions (e.g., The Wiz, World Ballet Company's Swan Lake with live orchestra), concerts (The Temptations, MANIA: The ABBA Tribute, Vienna Boys Choir), comedy (Brad Williams), family entertainment, and university ensembles. Beyond the main auditorium, the Iowa State Center encompasses the 450-seat Fisher Theater for drama and dance, the Goldfinch Room songwriter showcase space, the Scheman Building conference facility, the Hilton Coliseum athletics venue, and the Brunnier Art Museum.
Revenue is generated through five primary streams: individual ticket sales, multi-show season subscriptions (3-Show Broadway Package and 4-Show Create Your Own Series with savings up to 20%), group ticket discounts for parties of 10+, venue rentals to university and non-university users, and donor contributions to the Performing Arts Fund. Tickets are distributed through the in-person Iowa State Center Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com, and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone, with all purchases subject to a Public Facility Maintenance Surcharge and per-order convenience fees. Customer segments include the general public, Iowa State University students (subsidized via Student Government), K-12 school groups participating in the $4/student Youth Matinee Series, donors at $600+ tiers receiving VIP parking and priority seating, and group bookers.
The venue is managed by Oak View Group and serves as part of Iowa State University's public educational and cultural mission. The complex was originally constructed without state funds, financed through private donations led by C.Y. Stephens' $1 million gift. Beyond ticketed events, the venue runs educational outreach programs including the OnStage! Program, Tye Performing Arts Institute, and community outreach initiatives, positioning itself as a regional cultural anchor for central Iowa. Core technology is conventional: a WordPress-based website with Events Manager plugin, Ticketmaster as the exclusive online ticketing platform, and standard in-house production staff (stagehands, ushers, custodial, concessions).
Stephens Auditorium firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stephens Auditorium
- Legal name
- Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University
- Website
- https://center.iastate.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Stephens Auditorium is a public performing arts venue at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and educational programming as part of the multi-venue Iowa State Center complex, serving central Iowa audiences, K-12 schools, ISU students, and donors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stephens Auditorium industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas) (MPAGALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), University & Academic Conference Venues (THAHAAAD)
Keywords
Where Stephens Auditorium is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ames
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Stephens Auditorium business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from individual and subscription tickets for performances at Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, and other Iowa State Center venues.
- Season Subscriptions: Performing Arts Series subscriptions offering 3-Show Broadway Package and 4-Show Create Your Own Package with subscriber discounts up to 20%.
- Group Sales: Groups of 10 or more receive discounts up to $5 per ticket in select seat locations.
- Venue Rentals: Available for rent to university and non-university users including straight rentals, co-promotion, and in-house promotion arrangements.
- Donor Contributions: Performing Arts Fund donations provide VIP Parking Pass benefits at $300+ level and priority seating benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 3-Show Broadway Package - save up to 20% |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 4-Show Create Your Own Series - save up to 15% |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Show Tickets - Tiered Pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Youth Matinee Series - School Groups |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reiman Gardens Songwriter Showcase |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Stephens Auditorium product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stephens Auditorium is a public performing arts venue at Iowa State University that presents and sells tickets to live entertainment including Broadway tours, concerts, ballets, comedy, and family programming across multiple venues (Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, Goldfinch Room, Scheman Building). It offers season subscription packages with up to 20% savings, group discounts, youth matinee educational programming for K-12 schools, and venue rentals to university and community users.
Product overview
Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University operates as a multi-venue performing arts complex offering live entertainment through distinct venues and programming. The core product suite includes Stephens Auditorium (main performance hall for concerts, Broadway shows, ballets, and comedy), Fisher Theater (450-seat intimate venue for ISU theater productions and dance), Goldfinch Room (songwriter showcase space with table seating), and Scheman Building (conference/event facility). Programming includes the Performing Arts Series subscription packages offering up to 20% savings, the Youth Matinee Series for school groups at $4/student, and the Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase at Reiman Gardens. Ticketing is facilitated through Ticketmaster as the official online provider. Venues also include Hilton Coliseum (athletics), Brunnier Art Museum, and Martha-Ellen Tye Recital Hall.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Stephens Auditorium The main performance venue at Iowa State Center, hosting concerts, Broadway shows, ballets, symphonies, comedy acts, and family entertainment for general audiences.
- Fisher Theater An intimate 450-seat theater venue for Iowa State University Theater productions, dance performances, and family shows, with loading dock, freight elevator, stage, two dressing rooms, and mobility-impaired audience access.
- Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase An intimate songwriter showcase space within Stephens Auditorium featuring Iowa and regional singer-songwriters in a table seating format for up to 68 people. Full Table (up to 4): $40; Half Table (up to 2): $25; GA Chairs: $15; Standing Room: $10.
- Scheman Building Venue Rentals A 23-room conference and event facility with 8,000 square feet of exhibit space and 2,600 square feet of covered outdoor space, including an executive board suite. Available for rent to university and non-university users including straight rentals, co-promotion, and in-house promotion arrangements for conventions, trade shows, weddings, and meetings.
- Youth Matinee Series Educational performing arts programming for K-12 school groups featuring age-appropriate performances including The Nutcracker + STEM, ISU Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, and literacy-based shows like The Snowy Day and Click, Clack, Moo. Priced at $4 per reservation in advance, $5 per reservation day of show, with lunch space available.
- Performing Arts Series Subscriptions Season subscription packages offering savings up to 20% on tickets. Includes the 3-Show Broadway Package (starting at $105) and the Create Your Own 4-Show Package (starting at $88), with benefits including priority seating, exclusive presale access, and flexible ticket exchanges.
- Goldfinch Room Songwriter Showcase at Reiman Gardens Outdoor songwriter showcase series held at Reiman Gardens featuring local and regional artists. Tickets priced at $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 20% savings on tickets through subscription packages
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Stephens Auditorium
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Stephens Auditorium technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Stephens Auditorium partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.
- Arts MidwestcoreArts Midwest World Fest partnership brought international musicians to Stephens Auditorium including Japanese folk ensemble Hikaru (Oct 2019), Ghanaian musician Okaidja Afroso (Feb 2020), and Brazilian artist Paulo Padilha e Bando (May 2022). Facilitated virtual collaboration between Iowa State Lyrica choir and Israeli pop star Hadar Maoz during pandemic.
- TicketmastercoreTicketmaster is the official online ticket provider for all events at Iowa State Center. The only authorized platform for online ticket purchases alongside the physical Iowa State Center Ticket Office.
- Iowa State UniversitycoreStephens Auditorium is part of Iowa State University. Venue supports university programming including ISU Symphony Orchestra, Lyrica choir, and ISU Theatre productions. Funded without state funds through donor contributions led by C.Y. Stephens.
- Iowa State Student GovernmentsecondaryIowa State Student Government helps fund discounted tickets to select series shows exclusively for Iowa State students.
- Iowa State University Extension and OutreachsecondaryPartnership for Nutcracker + STEM Performance Youth Matinee Series combining ballet performance with science, technology, engineering, arts, and math activities.
- Des Moines RegisterminorMedia partnership providing press coverage of events and performances at Stephens Auditorium.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Stephens Auditorium competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Krannert Center for the Performing Arts: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's multi-hall performing arts complex. Comparable in operating a multi-venue university arts center with resident and touring programming, student ticket subsidies, and K-12 matinees.
- Touhill Performing Arts Center: University of Missouri-St. Louis's performing arts venue. Comparable as a Midwestern public-university presenter offering Broadway tours, concert series, and youth matinees in a similarly sized college market.
- Moss Arts Center: Virginia Tech's performing arts and visual arts center. Comparable as a public-university-presented multi-disciplinary arts venue with subscription series, youth programming, and a comparable operating model.
- Wharton Center for Performing Arts: Michigan State University's performing arts venue. Comparable as a Big Ten university auditorium programming Broadway tours, concerts, and family shows for both campus and regional audiences.
- Lied Center for Performing Arts: University of Nebraska-Lincoln's performing arts venue. Direct comparable as a Big Ten/Big 12-adjacent university presenter of Broadway tours, concerts, and youth education programming in a comparable Midwestern college town.
- Hancher Auditorium: University of Iowa's flagship performing arts venue. Closely comparable as a Big Ten university auditorium offering Broadway tours, symphony, and family programming, with similar subscription packages and K-12 matinee series.
Broad incumbents
- Overture Center for the Arts: Madison, Wisconsin's major performing arts center. Comparable as a multi-venue Midwestern presenter with Broadway, concerts, and youth programming, but operates at significantly larger scale and as a non-university venue.
- Des Moines Performing Arts: Operator of the Des Moines Civic Center in Iowa's largest city. Comparable in programming Broadway tours, concerts, and education series, but as a larger non-urban campus presenter competing for the same central Iowa audience.
- Walton Arts Center: Northwest Arkansas's regional performing arts center. Comparable in size, mission, and presenting role (Broadway, family, education), but serves a non-college-town market and is not university-affiliated.
- Bass Concert Hall: University of Texas at Austin's flagship performing arts venue. Comparable as a major Big 12 university auditorium programming Broadway tours and touring concerts, but at substantially larger scale and market size.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stephens Auditorium social profiles
Digital presenceStephens Auditorium financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stephens Auditorium leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Stephens Auditorium subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Stephens Auditorium funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stephens Auditorium 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 Stephens Auditorium
What does Stephens Auditorium do?
Stephens Auditorium is a public performing arts venue at Iowa State University that presents and sells tickets to live entertainment including Broadway tours, concerts, ballets, comedy, and family programming across multiple venues (Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, Goldfinch Room, Scheman Building). It offers season subscription packages with up to 20% savings, group discounts, youth matinee educational programming for K-12 schools, and venue rentals to university and community users.
Is Stephens Auditorium a public or private company?
Stephens Auditorium is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Stephens Auditorium founded?
Stephens Auditorium was founded in 1969. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Stephens Auditorium based?
Stephens Auditorium is headquartered in Ames, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stephens Auditorium make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are season Subscriptions, group Sales, venue Rentals and donor Contributions.
Who are Stephens Auditorium's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Touhill Performing Arts Center, Moss Arts Center, Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Lied Center for Performing Arts and Hancher Auditorium. Broad incumbents are Overture Center for the Arts, Des Moines Performing Arts, Walton Arts Center and Bass Concert Hall.
Does Stephens Auditorium have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stephens Auditorium.
What industry is Stephens Auditorium in?
Stephens Auditorium's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAI, University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas), with a secondary code of MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking). Its NAICS code is 711 and its SIC code is 7900.