What Coterie Theatre does

The Coterie is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional theatre founded in 1979 and headquartered at Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. It produces live theatre productions specifically designed for young audiences and families, alongside acting classes spanning early childhood through master-class level for students in grades K-12. Beyond the stage, the organization operates an integrated portfolio of community programs: in-school literacy residencies for grades 1-12 on multi-year contracts through 2027, the Project Daylight mental wellness tour for middle-schoolers, Project Pride serving LGBTQ+ youth, the Young Playwrights Roundtable, and specialized Theatre for Young Audiences programming.

The business model blends earned and contributed revenue across four streams: ticket sales for productions such as Disney's Frozen, Madagascar, Pete the Cat, and experimental works like Electric Poe (staged at Union Cemetery) and Baby Rave; tuition for acting classes held at multiple Kansas City locations; donations processed through the OvationTix platform; and corporate and foundation sponsorships from Hallmark, the Kauffman Foundation, the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, and Theatre League. Gift cards provide an ancillary retail layer. Operations rely on standard commercial SaaS — OvationTix for ticketing and donations, Mailchimp for email — and a direct-to-consumer go-to-market through box office, phone, and online channels, supplemented by B2B contracts with Kansas City area schools.

Customer segments split between families with children (primary consumer base) and schools/educators (institutional channel for residencies and mental wellness programming). The organization maintains active presence across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and an Edublog for educator resources. With 61 employees and a 45-year operating history, the Coterie functions as a stable regional institution rather than a high-growth venture, with revenue derived substantially from contributed sources alongside earned ticket and class income.

Name

Coterie Theatre

Legal name

The Coterie Theatre

Website

https://coterietheatre.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Coterie Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional youth theatre founded in 1979 in Kansas City, Missouri, producing live productions for families, K-12 acting classes, and school-based literacy and mental wellness programs, funded by ticket sales, tuition, and major foundation and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Theatre / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE), Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Children's theatre productions
• Youth acting classes
• Live family entertainment
• School theatre residencies
• Community arts programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to live theatre productions including children's shows, family performances, and special events like Electric Poe, Pete the Cat, Madagascar, and Disney's Frozen.
2. Acting Classes: Fees from acting and drama classes for students incoming grades K-12th, including early childhood actors, elementary actors, preteen actors, teen actors, and master classes at multiple KC locations.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on charitable donations and corporate sponsorships from organizations like Hallmark, Kauffman Foundation, and other local sponsors. Sponsors can Step into the Spotlight to support youth arts education.
4. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards redeemable for shows or acting classes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Coterie Theatre produces live professional theatrical performances for children and families and offers acting classes for K-12 students. It also delivers in-school residency programs and community outreach initiatives such as Project Daylight, Project Pride, and the Young Playwrights Roundtable, operating year-round from its venue at Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Product overview

The Coterie Theatre operates as a single unified offering—a nonprofit professional theatre dedicated to young audiences—rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of live theatre productions (including touring shows and venue-based performances) and structured acting classes for grades K-12. These two pillars are supplemented by community programs including In-School Residencies, Project Daylight (mental wellness), Project Pride (LGBTQ+ youth support), and the Young Playwrights Roundtable. The product portfolio works as an integrated ecosystem: productions generate audience engagement and enrollment for classes, while community programs extend reach into schools and neighborhoods. Additional services include gift cards for shows and classes, and group booking options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Theatre Productions Professional live theatrical productions performed at Crown Center in Kansas City, designed for young audiences and families. Tickets are sold individually through on-site box office, online ticketing, and telephone reservations.
• Acting Classes for K-12 Students Acting and theatre classes for K-12 students offered by Coterie Theatre, aimed at building performance skills and arts enrichment for school-aged children.
• School Residencies and In-School Programs Theatre and arts residencies delivered in K-12 schools, enabling students to experience Coterie programming within their school environment.
• Project Daylight Community-outreach program run by Coterie Theatre that extends theatre programming to underserved or at-risk youth audiences.
• Project Pride Community-outreach program developed by Coterie Theatre to engage specific youth populations through theatre-based programming.
• Young Playwrights Roundtable Program in which students develop and present original theatrical works, supporting young writers' creative writing and playwriting skills.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The White Theatre at The JcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for Disney's Frozen production. The Coterie stages productions at this partner venue, demonstrating collaborative venue sharing arrangement within the Kansas City arts community.
• Union CemeteryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Electric Poe production, using Union Cemetery as a unique performance location for this show, indicating innovative venue partnerships for special productions.
• Crown CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost location for The Coterie's headquarters at 2450 Grand Blvd, Suite 144. Long-term tenant in this Kansas City cultural district.
• Theatre LeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTheatre League sponsor appearing in the sponsors' spotlight section, suggesting partnership for broader theatre industry connections and marketing support.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD professional theatre for young audiences producing original and adapted works, running classes, and school residencies. Closely mirrors Coterie's integrated production/education/community model.
• Children's Theatre Company: The nation's largest children's theatre company based in Minneapolis. Operates professional productions for young audiences, acting classes, and school programs with a comparable nonprofit, youth-focused mission.
• Seattle Children's Theatre: One of the largest children's theatres in the U.S., producing mainstage productions for young audiences and offering acting classes. Comparable scope, programming breadth, and nonprofit operating structure.
• The New Victory Theater: New York City's only performing arts venue devoted exclusively to kids and families, presenting professional productions and education programs. Comparable nonprofit youth-focused programming with educational mission.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Professional children's theatre in Nashville producing mainstage shows, acting academy classes, and school outreach. Comparable scale, regional focus, and youth/family audience targeting.
• Dallas Children's Theater: Dallas-based nonprofit professional theater producing shows for children and families, with school programs and acting classes. Similar regional scale and integrated community outreach focus.
• Adventure Theatre MTC: Maryland-based professional children's theatre producing live productions, classes, and educational programming for young audiences. Closely comparable nonprofit youth-theatre model with school partnerships.
• First Stage: Milwaukee-based children's theatre and academy offering professional productions, theater classes for ages 3-18, and in-school programs. Strong direct comparison on programming mix and educational focus.

Regional players

• Kansas City Repertory Theatre: KC-based professional theatre presenting adult and family programming. Operates in the same Kansas City market and arts ecosystem, providing an adjacent peer for shared audience and sponsor overlap.
• Stages St. Louis: Regional professional theatre in the KC/St. Louis corridor producing musicals and family programming. Comparable Midwest nonprofit regional theatre with shared audience demographics and sponsor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@thecoterietheatre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CoterieWeb
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCoterieTheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecoterietheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coterie-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Coterie Theatre