Ghostlight Theatre

What Ghostlight Theatre does

Ghostlight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater (Tax ID 27-1656052) founded in 2010 by a group of high school friends in the Phoenix West Valley area of Arizona. It operates a single intimate 68-seat black box venue at 13541 West Camino Del Sol, Sun City West, which was renovated in 2013 from a small retail location after raising $15,000. The theater produces a six-show mainstage season of plays and musicals, with performances Thursday through Sunday at 7:00pm and 2:00pm matinees, and is currently operating its 17th season with productions scheduled through 2027.

The organization operates with a nine-person all-volunteer Board of Directors, led by Executive Director Laura Vines (an original founder), Director of Special Projects Richard Vines, Production Manager Justin Harris, Marketing Director GinaKay Howell, Treasurer Michael Howell, Communications Director Sheridan Wood, Front of House Director Howie Johnson, and Secretary Kris McQuaid. Revenue is generated through four streams: ticket sales ($25-$30 per ticket via the OntheStage platform and box office), season subscriptions, corporate sponsorships ($250-$1,200 across five tiers including Royalties, Set Design, Costumes/Props, Hair/Makeup, and Lights/Sound), and tax-deductible donations (with giving levels from $50 'Adopt a Ghostie' to $1,500 'Show Sponsor'). Distribution includes online ticketing, in-person box office, and group sales for parties of 10 or more.

Marketing is conducted through the company's website (ghostlightaz.com), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and an email newsletter. The theater engages the community through open auditions (with video submission options), volunteer programs spanning set construction, photography, and ushering, and 50/50 raffles at each show. Productions have earned regional AriZoni Awards for performance, and the organization serves as the primary live-theater venue for the West Valley Phoenix community.

Name

Ghostlight Theatre

Legal name

Ghostlight Theatre

Website

https://ghostlightaz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ghostlight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater in Sun City West, Arizona, operating a 68-seat black box venue since 2010. It produces a six-show annual season of plays and musicals for the Phoenix West Valley community, funded by ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theater / Performing Arts

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Community theater productions
• Live theatrical performances
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Season ticket subscriptions
• Theatrical sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sun City West

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual tickets sold for performances at $25-$30. Revenue from single-show admissions and season subscriptions.
2. Season Subscriptions: Season tickets offered for the 2026/2027 season with multiple show packages.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships at various levels ($250-$1200) including playbill placement, marquee recognition, social media mentions, and complimentary tickets.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with special donor perks at various levels including 'Adopt a Ghostie' ($50), 'Take a Seat' ($150), and 'Show Sponsor' ($1500).
5. Fundraising Events: Hosting fundraising events and 50/50 raffles during each show to support theater operations and space enhancements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ghostlight Theatre produces and performs live theatrical productions, including plays and musicals, in an intimate 68-seat black box theater in Sun City West, Arizona. Revenue is generated through individual ticket sales ($25-$30), season subscriptions for the 2026/2027 season, tiered corporate sponsorships ($250-$1,200), and a tax-deductible donation program supporting the nonprofit's operations. The organization complements performances with volunteer opportunities, open auditions, and community engagement programs.

Product overview

Ghostlight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater offering live theatrical productions at its 68-seat black box theater in Sun City West, Arizona. The company operates as a single unified theater venue offering core productions (plays and musicals), with individual show tickets and season subscription packages as primary revenue streams. Additional services include volunteer programs for set construction, photography, and ushering; open auditions for community performers; corporate and individual sponsorship programs at multiple tiers; and a tax-deductible donation program with named giving levels. The 2026/2027 season features six productions including Spinning Into Butter, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show, Doubt, Southern Fried Funeral, Leaving Iowa, and Dogfight.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cranstoun Court JewellersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business listed as a Proud Sponsor of Ghostlight Theatre. Provides marketing support through sponsorship association with the theater.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• TheatreWorks (Peoria): A Peoria, AZ-based community theater serving the Northwest Valley - geographically adjacent to Ghostlight's West Valley territory. Broader incumbent competing for the same suburban Phoenix community audience with longer seasons and larger venue capacity.
• Arizona Theatre Company: The state-wide professional theater company based in Phoenix/Tucson. Broader Arizona incumbent competing for regional arts patrons, sponsorships, and grant funding; operates at a much larger professional scale than Ghostlight's community model.
• Hale Centre Theatre: A larger established Arizona regional theater operating multiple venues in Gilbert and the Phoenix metro area. Broader incumbent in the same Phoenix theater market; competing for the same regional arts audience and donor base but at substantially larger scale and capacity than Ghostlight.
• Phoenix Theatre Company: A long-established Phoenix-based community and regional theater. Broader incumbent serving overlapping audiences in the Phoenix metro with a broader programming slate, multiple stages, and professional staff.

Direct peers

• Fifth Wall Playhouse: A small Phoenix-area community theater producing intimate plays. Direct peer - Ghostlight board member Kris McQuaid was most recently seen in WIT with Fifth Wall Playhouse, evidencing talent crossover in the same West Valley community theater scene.
• Banzerini House: A small community performance venue in Anthem, AZ producing youth and family productions. Direct peer - Ghostlight Communications Director Sheridan Wood previously served as production manager at Banzerini House for the 2022-2023 season.
• Fountain Hills Theatre: A small Arizona community theater producing plays and musicals with a similar community-driven, volunteer-supported model. Direct peer - Ghostlight board member Kris McQuaid won a 2025 AriZoni Award for a Fountain Hills Theatre production, evidencing active talent overlap in the same Phoenix-area community theater ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@GhostlightTheatreAZ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ghostlightaz
• Instagraminstagram.com/ghostlight_theatreaz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ghostlight-theatre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Ghostlight Theatre