EAST LYNNE THEATER COMPANY

What EAST LYNNE THEATER COMPANY does

East Lynne Theater Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Equity Professional theater company founded in 1980 in Cape May, New Jersey, and currently operating in its 46th season. The company produces live theatrical performances — mainstage plays, concerts, educational programming, and community events — staffed by members of Actors' Equity Association and historically staged from June through December at the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May. Its customer base comprises Cape May visitors, local residents, theater patrons, youth and family audiences, and individual donors, with supplemental revenue from business sponsorships and government arts grants (NJ State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Cape May County Division of Culture & Heritage).

In May 2025, the company secured its first permanent home after 45 years of itinerant operations: the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church, a circa-1870 historic African Methodist Episcopal Church repurposed on a 25-year lease (with a 25-year renewal option) granted by the City of Cape May. The venue is outfitted with a configurable multi-level thrust stage, intelligent moving lighting fixtures, a new lighting control board, and a dressing room trailer, representing the most technically sophisticated production capability in the company's history. The site carries a Preservation New Jersey endangered-places designation and historical significance tied to African American heritage.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack: one-time ticket sales through an online ticketing platform (onthestage.tickets) and venue box office, recurring individual donations and business sponsorships (season and show sponsors with playbill advertising), gala fundraisers ($125 per ticket for the Spring Soiree), capital campaign contributions, and recurring government arts grants. In 2025, the company transitioned from seasonal to year-round programming for the first time, adding concerts, art exhibits, youth theater camps, and weddings. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees led by Co-Board President Susan Tischler, with Mark David Boberick serving as Executive Director (a role created in April 2025) and a staff headcount of 9 employees.

Name

EAST LYNNE THEATER COMPANY

Legal name

East Lynne Theater Company

Website

https://eastlynnetheater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East Lynne Theater Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Equity Professional theater in Cape May, NJ, producing live theatrical productions, concerts, and educational programs for visitors and residents from its first permanent home, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church, since 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theater and Performing Arts

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Professional theater productions
• Live theatrical performances
• Youth theater education
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Fundraising gala events

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape May

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from admissions to theatrical productions, concerts, and special events at the Clemans Theater and Cape May Presbyterian Church venues
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals supporting the nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, including the New Beginnings Capital Campaign
3. Business Sponsorships: Season sponsorships and show sponsorships providing recognition benefits, playbill advertising, and marketing material listings
4. Government Grants: Funding from NJ State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and Cape May County Division of Culture & Heritage
5. Gala Events: Spring Soiree fundraiser at $125 per person, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit organization
6. Joe Pannullo Fund: Capital campaign fund for the Joe Pannullo Business Center within the theater annex, with $25,000 lead gift and $25,000 matching gift goal

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

East Lynne Theater Company produces and presents professional Equity theatrical productions, concerts, youth theater education, and fundraising events at its permanent venue, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church in Cape May, New Jersey. Offerings include a mainstage season of plays, a Youth Theater Camp, gala fundraisers, and supporting capital campaigns. The company serves Cape May residents and visitors seeking professional live theater and cultural experiences.

Product overview

East Lynne Theater Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Equity Professional theater organization offering live theatrical productions, concerts, educational programs, and community events. Their primary offerings include mainstage play productions (such as 'Having Our Say', 'Funny Girls', 'War of the Worlds'), youth theater programming, gala fundraisers, and their newly acquired venue - the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Theatrical Productions Live theatrical productions featuring classic American plays, world premieres, and adaptations performed by professional Equity actors at Cape May venues. Targeted at theater enthusiasts, Cape May residents, and visitors.
• Youth Theater Camp Summer theater camp program for youth providing training and performance opportunities for young actors. Targeted at families and youth.
• Spring Soiree Gala (Annual Fundraiser) Annual fundraising event featuring appetizers, wine, beer, live entertainment, and community celebration to support theater operations and the capital campaign. Priced at $125 per person. Targeted at patrons and supporters.
• Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church (Venue Rental / Performance Space) Historic 1870s church repurposed into a performance venue serving as East Lynne's first permanent home; features thrust stage, state-of-the-art lighting, and sound system. Targeted at performers, patrons, and event clients.
• Season and Show Sponsorships Sponsorship packages providing businesses recognition in programs, marketing materials, and tickets to performances. Three packages available annually. Targeted at local and regional businesses.
• Playbill Advertising Year-round advertising in season programs/playbills providing exposure to residents and visitors. Targeted at local businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• First permanent home achieved after 45 years of touring
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Cape MaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity purchased the Allen AME Church in 2021 and entered partnership with East Lynne to repurpose the historic building into a performance facility. City turned over building in early 2025.
• La Mer Beachfront ResortminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor2026 Season Partner providing sponsorship support for the theater company's season programming.
• Hoffman Agency Real EstateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor2026 Season Partner providing sponsorship support for the theater company's season programming.
• Petals Floral Design & GiftsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor2026 Season Partner providing sponsorship support for the theater company's season programming.
• Exit ZerominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising sponsor providing local media exposure and marketing support for the theater.
• 98.7 The Coast RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising sponsor providing local radio marketing support and visibility.
• Cape May Radio WCFA 101.5 FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising sponsor providing local radio marketing support and visibility.
• New Jersey Theatre AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership consortium of equity professional nonprofit theaters in New Jersey. ELTC participates in Curtain Call Awards and industry events.
• South Jersey Cultural AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership consortium of nonprofit organizations in eight South Jersey counties. ELTC participates in Encore Awards recognizing cultural contributions.
• ArtPrideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of ArtPride, New Jersey's arts advocacy organization.
• First Presbyterian Church of Cape MaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for 25 years where ELTC staged mainstage shows. Used alongside Clemans Theater for 2025 season split.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goodspeed Musicals: East Haddam, CT nonprofit Equity theater famous for developing new musicals. Comparable regional professional model with a dedicated venue, audience-development focus, and donor-driven capital model.
• Barrington Stage Company: Pittsfield, MA nonprofit regional Equity theater with year-round programming and a youth theater program, mirroring ELTC's mix of mainstage and educational offerings in a smaller regional market.
• Two River Theater: Red Bank, NJ Equity professional regional theater and fellow NJ Theatre Alliance member. Comparable scale, mission, and producing model with a year-round season of classic and new works.
• George Street Playhouse: New Brunswick, NJ nonprofit LORT professional theater producing mainstage seasons. Comparable as a New Jersey-based regional Equity theater with similar funding mix (NEA/NJ State Council grants, donations, sponsorships).
• Cape Playhouse: Dennis, MA historic summer-stock Equity theater founded in 1927, structurally similar to ELTC as a regional professional theater producing classic American plays with seasonal programming in a tourist destination.
• Bucks County Playhouse: New Hope, PA nonprofit Equity theater in a historic venue producing a mix of classics, musicals, and premieres. Closely comparable business model: regional professional theater, tourism-driven audience, preserved historic building.
• Paper Mill Playhouse: Millburn, NJ Equity Professional nonprofit theater that shared the 2009 NJ Theatre Alliance Curtain Call Award with East Lynne. Comparable as a fellow NJ Theatre Alliance member producing mainstage seasons with professional actors.

Broad incumbents

• McCarter Theatre Center: Princeton, NJ larger regional professional presenting/producing theater. Comparable as a NJ producing house with year-round programming and educational components, but at materially greater scale and budget.
• Walnut Street Theatre: Philadelphia, PA nonprofit regional theater operating in the historic Walnut Street Theatre building. Comparable as a professional Equity theater housed in a historic venue with educational programming, but at larger scale.

Regional players

• Cape May Stage: Cape May, NJ rival professional theater producing a separate season in the same resort town. Directly comparable as the primary local competitor for Cape May theatergoers and tourists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-lynne-theater-company

Compliance2 records

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 EAST LYNNE THEATER COMPANY