Comédie - CDN de Reims

What Comédie - CDN de Reims does

Comédie - CDN de Reims is a French Centre dramatique national (national dramatic centre) founded in 1966 and headquartered at 3 chaussée Bocquaine, Reims, in the Grand Est region. It operates a year-round season of professional theatrical productions (the current 25/26 season includes more than 30 productions), the annual FARaway arts festival now in its 8th edition, and an array of supplementary programmes including the INTERCAL hybrid/digital forms series, Cartes Blanches experimental performances, Étapes de création work-in-progress viewings, and educational workshops. The institution also runs the Classe de la Comédie preparatory theatre programme (Promotion 27), the Jeune Troupe de Reims youth ensemble jointly operated with the Comédie de Colmar, and the touring Comédie Itinérante programme extending performances across the Grand Est region. Ancillary operations include the on-site L'Arboretum restaurant in the Parc du Pont de Vesle and an atelier at 13 rue du Moulin Brûlé.

The Comédie's business model is built on a hybrid of public subsidies, earned ticket revenue, and ancillary services. The primary funding base consists of multi-year subsidies from the French Ministry of Culture, the Grand Est Region, the Département de la Marne, and the Ville de Reims, supplemented by private sponsors (Champagne Ayala, Plurial Novilia, Fondation Braux-sous-Valmy). Earned revenue is generated through unit-priced individual tickets (with 10% discounts for subscribers and Carte Comédie holders), season subscriptions and loyalty cards, workshop fees (children: €100 for 5 sessions, adults: €50/€30 with complimentary ticket), restaurant covers (multi-acte menus from €21 to €26), and weekly organic vegetable baskets at €10. Ticketing is operated on a SECUTIX-powered platform (billetterie.lacomediedereims.fr) and physical box office, with a complementary digital audio channel through Echosmédie (echosmedie.fr).

The institution serves a multi-segment audience including the general public of Reims and Grand Est, schools and youth audiences, businesses and CSE employee social committees, amateur theatre practitioners, and student theatre aspirants enrolled in the Classe de la Comédie. Distribution occurs through direct-to-consumer ticketing, on-site performances across multiple theatre spaces (Grande salle, Petite salle, Studio, Auditorium), regional touring via the Comédie Itinérante, and co-productions performed at partner venues including the Opéra de Reims, Le Manège scène nationale, and La Comète Châlons. Marketing spans Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, an email newsletter, regional media partnerships (France 3 Grand Est, Radio Jeunes Reims, L'Hebdo du Vendredi), and the Echosmédie editorial platform. The Comédie is led by artistic director Chloé Dabert and operates as a privately organised nonprofit under the CDN designation.

Name

Comédie - CDN de Reims

Legal name

Comédie, Centre dramatique national de Reims

Website

https://lacomediedereims.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Comédie - CDN de Reims is a French Centre dramatique national founded in 1966 that programmes professional theatre, the FARaway festival, youth training (Classe, Jeune Troupe), touring (Comédie Itinérante), and an on-site restaurant, serving the general public, schools, businesses, and amateur artists across the Grand Est region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA), Touring Concert Promoters & Presenters (MPAGAAAA)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Performing arts centre
• Cultural programming
• Theatrical performances
• Artist training programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Reims, Grand Est

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to theatrical performances, events, and shows programmed throughout the season. The theatre operates an online billetterie platform as well as physical box office sales.
2. Restaurant / L'Arboretum: The on-site restaurant L'Arboretum / Restau Comédie is open for lunch and some evenings, serving seasonal cuisine. It generates food and beverage revenue and also offers event hire.
3. Public subsidies and grants: The Comédie de Reims is a Centre dramatique national (national dramatic centre) funded by government bodies including the French Ministry of Culture, the Grand Est Region, the Département of Marne, and the City of Reims. It also receives support from private partners.
4. Subscriptions and loyalty cards: Season subscriptions and Cartes Comédie offer reduced prices for repeat visitors and members, generating recurring advance revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Comédie - CDN de Reims operates as a French Centre dramatique national (national dramatic centre), producing and presenting professional theatrical productions across an annual season, hosting the annual Festival FARaway, touring productions regionally through La Comédie Itinérante, running the Classe de la Comédie acting training programme and the Jeune Troupe de Reims youth ensemble, and operating the on-site L'Arboretum restaurant. Its activities are funded by ticket sales, season subscriptions, public subsidies from the Ministry of Culture and local authorities, and private sponsorships.

Product overview

Comédie de Reims operates as a national dramatic center (Centre Dramatique National) offering a multi-faceted cultural experience. The core offering consists of theatrical productions across its main season (Saison 25/26) featuring both in-house and touring performances. The institution runs the annual Festival FARaway (8th edition in 2027) celebrating Caribbean and Indian Ocean arts. Educational programs include the Classe de la Comédie training program and the Jeune Troupe youth ensemble. Supporting services include the L'Arboretum restaurant, an online ticketing system (SECUTIX), and the Echosmédie digital audio platform for sound creations. Additional offerings encompass Carte Blanches (experimental performances), Étapes de création (work-in-progress viewings), and the INTERCAL series exploring hybrid digital-artistic forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Saison théâtrale 25/26 (Theatre Season) Annual season of professional theatrical productions performed at the Comédie de Reims venue, offering classical and contemporary repertoire for general audiences in Reims and the Grand Est region.
• Festival FARaway Annual multidisciplinary arts festival bringing together theater, cabaret, dance, performances, concerts, and screenings, with a particular focus on artists from Caribbean and Indian Ocean island cultures.
• La Comédie Itinérante Itinerant touring programme that takes Comédie productions to various locations across the Grand Est region and beyond, including partner venues and community spaces in Ardennes, Aisne and Marne.
• Classe de la Comédie
• Jeune Troupe de Reims Young theatre troupe programme based in Reims with partnership activity in Colmar, providing performance opportunities and development for young artists.
• L'Arboretum / Restau Comédie On-site restaurant located in the Parc du Pont de Vesle, Reims, offering seasonal cuisine with fresh products. Open weekdays for lunch and on select evenings, with multi-course menu pricing (Acte I & II or Acte II & III: 21€; La pièce complète: 26€) and 10% discount for subscribers and Carte Comédie holders; also offers event hire.
• Echosmédie Audio creation platform accessible both in the Comédie building and online at echosmedie.fr, allowing audiences to listen to sound creations related to performances.
• Cartes Blanches Series of free artistic gestures and experimental performances by artists and Jeune Troupe members, presented to audiences in intimate 1-hour sessions.
• Étapes de création Work-in-progress presentations that allow audiences to experience theatrical works in development and engage directly with artistic teams.
• INTERCAL Series of hybrid forms, digital installations, performances and experimental sound creations exploring the intersection of theatre and multimedia technologies.
• Billetterie en ligne (SECUTIX) Online ticketing service powered by SECUTIX allowing customers to purchase tickets to performances and events at the Comédie de Reims.

Quantifiable outcome

• The faraway festival edition 2027 (8th edition) features 150 artists and 35 shows across 12 days
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• France 3 Grand EstminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional public broadcaster France 3 Grand Est acts as a media partner, providing coverage and broadcasting reach for the Comédie's events and programming to a wider regional audience.
• La Boussole – Centre culturel de ReimscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Boussole is a founding member organisation ('membre fondateur') of the Comédie's ecosystem and a key partner for youth and community cultural programming, including co-hosting the Comédie Itinérante and youth theatre activities.
• Opéra de ReimscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA key co-production partner for certain performances (e.g., La Bohème opera), the Opéra de Reims is part of the collaborative network of Reims cultural institutions and a co-producer of the faraway festival.
• Festival faraway partner institutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe faraway festival is jointly imagined and produced by La Cartonnerie (musiques actuelles), Césaré (musique), Comédie de Reims, FRAC Champagne-Ardenne, Le Manège scène nationale, Nova Villa, and Opéra de Reims — forming a multi-institution collaborative arts festival.
• Comédie de Colmar – CDN Grand Est AlsacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA fellow CDN within the Grand Est network, co-producing shows (e.g., S'arracher) and jointly operating the Jeune Troupe de Reims à Colmar, creating cross-regional artistic exchange within the Grand Est CDN network.
• Association des Centres Dramatiques Nationaux (ACDN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Comédie is a member of the national network of French dramatic centres, collaborating on shared advocacy (via SYDEAC), best practices, and occasional co-productions across CDN institutions.
• Quint'Est – Réseau Grand Est du spectacle vivantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA member of the Grand Est live performance network, facilitating regional collaboration, touring circuits, and shared programming initiatives across the Grand Est theatre ecosystem.
• FRAC Champagne-ArdenneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for exhibitions and visual arts programming. The FRAC co-hosts exhibitions in the Comédie's auditorium and participates in the faraway festival, creating interdisciplinary programming between theatre and contemporary art.
• Nova Villa – scène conventionnéecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA co-producer of the Méli'môme festival (youth programming) and faraway festival, and partner for Radio Live events. Nova Villa works with the Comédie on interdisciplinary cultural events and community outreach.
• Plurial NoviliaminorOthersA private-sector partner (housing/social real estate) listed among the Comédie's private partners, providing sponsorship or in-kind support for the theatre's activities.
• Champagne AyalaminorOthersChampagne Ayala is listed among private partners of the Comédie, providing sponsorship or hospitality support for theatre events and receptions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Comédie de Béthune - CDN: Fellow Centre dramatique national operating under the same Ministry of Culture designation, producing a season of theatrical works and co-producing with the Comédie de Reims on productions such as Marie Stuart. Directly comparable as a regional CDN of similar size and mandate.
• Théâtre de la Cité - CDN de Toulouse: Major CDN operating a season of theatrical productions, co-productions, and creation residencies. A co-production partner of the Comédie de Reims on Marie Stuart. Comparable CDN mandate and production profile at larger scale.
• Nouveau Théâtre de Besançon - CDN: Regional CDN with similar season programming and creation residency model. Another co-production partner on shared productions with the Comédie de Reims (Marie Stuart), making it a directly comparable peer within the national CDN ecosystem.
• Comédie de Caen - CDN: Another CDN in the national network with similar public funding structure, season programming model, and co-production role on shared productions (Marie Stuart). Operates as a regional dramatic center in Normandy, parallel to the Comédie de Reims in Grand Est.
• Comédie de Colmar - CDN Grand Est Alsace: Fellow CDN within the Grand Est regional network, co-producing shows with the Comédie de Reims (e.g., S'arracher) and jointly operating the Jeune Troupe de Reims à Colmar program. The closest direct peer given shared CDN status, geography, and co-production activity.

Regional players

• Manège - Scène nationale de Reims: Direct local performing arts peer in Reims, co-producing the FARaway festival with the Comédie. Operates as a scène nationale (different designation from CDN but adjacent public performing arts mission) and a partner venue for touring productions.
• Opéra de Reims: Local Reims cultural institution and direct co-production partner with the Comédie (La Bohème opera, FARaway festival). Comparable as a publicly funded performing arts venue serving overlapping audiences in the same city, though focused on opera and music rather than dramatic theater.
• La Comète - Scène Nationale de Châlons: Grand Est scène nationale partner venue hosting Comédie de Reims touring productions. Comparable as a publicly subsidized performing arts venue in the same region with overlapping audience base and complementary programming focus.

Broad incumbents

• Théâtre National de Strasbourg (TNS): Larger national theater within the same Grand Est region with comparable CDN-style mandate but significantly greater scale, more international co-production activity, and an embedded École du TNS training program. Comparable as a higher-tier CDN but with substantially broader scope.
• TNP - Théâtre National Populaire de Villeurbanne: National theater and CDN-tier institution with significantly larger scale, more productions per season, and broader national reach. Comparable as a French public dramatic theater with similar CDN-style mandate and audience development programs, but operating at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Comediedereims
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCasXGSKbZ4t04mzdPPm6mIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Comediedereims
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/com%C3%A9die-cdn-de-reims
• Instagraminstagram.com/comediedereims

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Comédie - CDN de Reims