Nashville Repertory Theatre

What Nashville Repertory Theatre does

Nashville Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theatre company founded in 1985 by Martha Rivers Ingram and Mac Pirkle, headquartered at 161 Rains Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee with all performances staged at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC). The organization operates four mainstage productions per season at TPAC's Polk Theater and Johnson Theater (current/recent titles include John Proctor Is the Villain, Disney's Frozen, Primary Trust, and Dear Evan Hansen), alongside the Ingram New Works Project, which has developed 70+ new plays since 2009 and hosts an annual Ingram New Works Festival of staged readings.

The company runs an integrated portfolio of earned and contributed revenue streams. Earned revenue comes from single tickets starting at $38.50, season subscriptions (4 shows, 15–20% discount), Choose Your Own packages (3 shows, 15% discount), rush tickets, group sales, military discounts, and a 50,000+ item costume and prop rental business serving other theatre organizations on 6-week terms with a $100 minimum. Contributed revenue is anchored by the Broadway Brunch annual fundraiser ($3,000 table sponsorships, with $2,000 tax-deductible), a tiered corporate sponsorship program (season, education, show, event, artist, accessibility), individual giving through the 1985 Society ($1,985+ leadership tier), planned giving vehicles, and grants from Ingram Charities (flagship), Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, MetroArts Nashville, Tennessee Arts Commission, HCA Healthcare Foundation, Hays Foundation, and Amazon.

Nashville Rep employs 37 full-time staff supplemented by over 200 theatrical artists annually (actors, playwrights, designers, directors, musicians, technicians, educators), making it the leading employer of theatrical artists in Middle Tennessee. The organization serves 36,000+ audience members and 12,500+ students and emerging artists annually through education programs including Young Voices, masterclasses, camps, the Theatre Apprenticeship Program, and the Building Community Through Theatre community outreach initiative. Distribution is centralized through the TPAC box office (phone, online, in-person), with digital reach extended through the website, email newsletter, and a YouTube Design Tutorials series. The organization received Best Professional Theatre (Nashville Scene, 2025) and Best Local Theatre (The Tennessean, 2025) recognition.

Name

Nashville Repertory Theatre

Legal name

Nashville Repertory Theatre

Website

https://nashvillerep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nashville Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional theatre company founded in 1985, presenting four mainstage productions per season at TPAC, developing new plays through the Ingram New Works Project, and serving 36,000+ audience members and 12,500+ students annually across Middle Tennessee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Regional Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Professional theatre productions
• Theatre education programs
• Costume prop rentals
• New play development
• Community performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Single tickets and season subscriptions for mainstage productions at TPAC venues. Single tickets start at $38.50, season subscriptions offer 20% savings with premium seating access.
2. Individual Giving: Annual fund donations, leadership giving through 1985 Society ($1,985+), and planned giving vehicles including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and endowments.
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Season sponsorships, show sponsorships, education sponsorships, event sponsorships (Broadway Brunch), artist sponsorships, and accessibility sponsorships for corporate partners.
4. Broadway Brunch Event: Annual signature fundraising event featuring entertainment, auction, and sponsorships. Ticket tables at $3,000 with $2,000 tax-deductible portion.
5. Costume and Prop Rentals: Rental program offering costumes spanning 1400s-1990s, props, furniture, and technical equipment (mics, projectors) to other theatre companies and organizations. 6-week rental periods with $100 minimum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nashville Repertory Theatre produces and presents professional mainstage theatre productions at Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), running a four-show annual season that includes Broadway-licensed musicals such as Frozen and Dear Evan Hansen alongside contemporary plays. Beyond ticketed performances, the company operates the Ingram New Works Project for new play development, a portfolio of education programs (Young Voices, masterclasses, camps, apprenticeship), a costume and prop rental service drawn from a 50,000+ item inventory, and fundraising events including the annual Broadway Brunch.

Product overview

Nashville Repertory Theatre is Nashville's premier regional theatre company offering a portfolio of theatre productions and arts education services. The core offerings include mainstage productions at TPAC featuring musicals, new plays, and reimagined classics; the Ingram New Works Project for playwright development; comprehensive education programs including camps, masterclasses, apprenticeship, and youth development; costume and prop rentals to other productions; and signature events like Broadway Brunch. The organization employs over 200 theatrical artists annually and serves over 30,000 community members through productions and outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Theatre Season Four-show annual mainstage season of professional theatre productions performed at Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), mixing Broadway-licensed musicals and new or contemporary plays for general audiences, subscribers, and group buyers.
• Ingram New Works Project Playwright development program providing season-long support, travel, lodging, and networking for playwrights creating new American plays, including the Lab, Fellowship, and public readings components.
• Ingram New Works Festival Annual festival featuring four original scripts presented as professionally staged readings, serving as the public-facing culmination of the Ingram New Works Project development pipeline.
• Theatre Apprenticeship Program Professional development program training future theatre professionals through hands-on experience in stage management, directing, design, choreography, and wardrobe roles.
• Young Voices Monologue competition and workshop series for middle and high school students featuring BIPOC playwrights' works, coached by professional teaching artists with scholarship awards up to $750.
• Theatre Camps Theatre camps for students including Improvisation & Sketch Comedy Camp and Musical Theatre Camp led by professional teaching artists for grades 7-12.
• Masterclasses Exclusive workshops bringing top theatre professionals to Middle Tennessee for hands-on training in acting, spoken word, improvisation, and performance skills.
• Costume & Prop Rentals Rental service offering over 50,000 costumes, props, and set pieces from the 1400s to 1990s, including microphone and projector packages for other theatres and productions on 6-week rental periods with a $100 minimum.
• Building Community Through Theatre Community outreach program at Johnson Alternative Learning Center using trauma-informed curriculum with BIPOC playwrights' texts to build confidence through creativity and collaboration.
• Broadway Brunch Annual signature fundraising event featuring awards, auctions, entertainment, and food to support student matinees, in-school programs, and paid training opportunities, with table sponsorships at $3,000.
• 1985 Society Leadership annual giving circle recognizing donors who invest $1,985 or more annually, offering event invitations, concierge service, and exclusive experiences.
• Corporate Sponsorship Programs Corporate partnership opportunities including season, education, show, event, artist, and accessibility sponsorships with brand visibility and exclusive access benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ community members served annually through productions and outreach
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville Rep is TPAC's resident professional theatre company. All performances take place at TPAC venues (Polk Theater and Johnson Theater). TPAC handles all ticket distribution and box office operations for Nashville Rep productions.
• Nashville PBSsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Young Voices Monologue Competition event. Nashville PBS hosts the culminating showcase event for the program.
• WO Smith Music SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Ingram New Works events including Pride & Prejudice staged reading at 1125 8th Ave S location.
• Category 10supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent venue for Broadway Brunch fundraiser at 120 2nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201.
• Premium ParkingminorOthersOfficial parking sponsor for Broadway Brunch, offering discounted parking rates for event attendees.
• Music Theatre InternationalsupportingOthersLicensing partner for productions including Frozen and Dear Evan Hansen.
• National Arts StrategiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville Rep has adopted the National Arts Strategies' racial equity advancement framework to guide EDI commitments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Playhouse on the Square: Memphis-based regional theatre producing mainstage productions and education programs in the Mid-South. A comparable regional theatre peer serving a similar community audience in Tennessee.
• Actors Theatre of Louisville: Actors Theatre of Louisville is a regional LORT theatre producing mainstage seasons, new play development (Humana Festival), and education programs. Closest peer in scale and programming model to Nashville Rep.
• Alliance Theatre: Alliance Theatre in Atlanta is a regional producing theatre with mainstage seasons, new play development, and education programs. Comparable to Nashville Rep in mission, programming model, and Southeast regional positioning.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Nashville Children's Theatre is a fellow Nashville-based professional theatre company serving families and young audiences. It overlaps with Nashville Rep on education programming and local theatre audience development.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Berkeley Rep is a major regional theatre known for producing new work and mainstage productions. Comparable to Nashville Rep in its commitment to new play development and repertory programming.
• Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is a regional LORT theatre with mainstage productions, education programs, and new play initiatives. Comparable to Nashville Rep in scale and programming approach.

Others

• Music Theatre International: MTI is Nashville Rep's licensing partner for productions like Frozen and Dear Evan Hansen. It is an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor, providing the rights that enable Nashville Rep to mount commercial titles.

Broad incumbents

• Goodman Theatre: Goodman Theatre in Chicago is a major regional theatre producing classic and new work. Comparable in core mission but operates at a significantly larger scale than Nashville Rep.
• Guthrie Theater: Guthrie Theater is a large LORT regional theatre in Minneapolis. It operates in the same regional theatre category with production, education, and new work programs but at a substantially larger scale than Nashville Rep.
• Tennessee Performing Arts Center: TPAC is Nashville's primary performing arts center and Nashville Rep's venue partner. It presents a broader portfolio of touring Broadway, dance, and music attractions, making it both a partner and the parent venue that frames Nashville Rep's local positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClidV8xfbuSuOLpcSNduDFw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nashrep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 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 Nashville Repertory Theatre