NEW NATIVE THEATRE

What NEW NATIVE THEATRE does

New Native Theatre (NNT) is a Native-led nonprofit theatre company founded in 2009 by Rhiana Yazzie and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. NNT produces, commissions, and devises authentic Native American stories for the stage, serving the eleven Minnesota tribes and the urban Twin Cities Native community, a population of approximately 70,000 people historically underserved by the roughly 100 professional theatres in the region. Its core programming comprises mainstage productions (typically 4 per season) presented at partner venues such as 825 Arts and Gremlin Theatre, supplemented by touring productions to Upper Midwest reservations, a Youth Theater Summer Camp, training programs (internships, apprenticeships, Actor's Lab), and the annual Two Spirit Powwow — Minnesota's only powwow honoring Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ relatives.

The company's "technology" is its artistic and community production infrastructure rather than software: a curated repertoire of original Native-authored works, a developer pipeline for emerging Native playwrights, and venue partnerships that allow a small core staff of approximately 6 to mount full productions. Programming is led by Artistic Director Rhiana Yazzie (a 2025 United States Artist Fellow and Lanford Wilson/Steinberg Award winner), supported by Managing Director Genevieve Lane, Artistic Producer Benjamin Wilson, and an Artistic Associate Intern. Productions are created and staged in-house with engagement of volunteers and seasonal workers.

NNT's revenue model is structurally that of a 501(c)-style nonprofit combining institutional grants, individual donations, and earned revenue. Named funders include the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Mellon Foundation, McKnight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, Carlson Family Foundation, Headwaters, Sundance Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, and Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Earned revenue consists of pay-what-you-can ticket sales (suggested $40, with $25 and $10 tiers and group rates), and a small online merchandise line (Two Spirit Powwow t-shirts and mugs). The company is currently in its 16th season (2025-2026).

Name

NEW NATIVE THEATRE

Legal name

New Native Theatre

Website

https://newnativetheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Native Theatre is a Saint Paul-based, Native-led nonprofit theatre company producing authentic Native American stories for the stage, serving approximately 70,000 Native community members across eleven Minnesota tribes and the Twin Cities urban Native population.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD), Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI), Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI)

Keywords

• Native American theatre
• Community performing arts
• Youth theater programs
• Cultural storytelling productions
• Two Spirit powwow events

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible contributions from individual donors supporting the mission of Native American theatre and community programming.
2. Ticket Sales: Pay-what-you-can admission with suggested price of $40, plus reduced $25 and $10 tiers. Group tickets available for parties of 5 or more.
3. Merchandise Sales: Limited edition merchandise including Two Spirit Powwow t-shirts ($30) and mugs (starting at $19), available through the online store.
4. Foundation and Government Grants: Support from arts foundations including Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Mellon Foundation, McKnight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New Native Theatre produces, commissions, and devises authentic Native American stories for the stage at Twin Cities venues. The company supplements mainstage productions with a Youth Theater Summer Camp, an annual Two Spirit Powwow, an Actor's Lab, and internship/apprenticeship training programs for emerging Native artists. All offerings are grounded in culturally affirming practice and serve the Native community of Minnesota and the broader Upper Midwest.

Product overview

New Native Theatre (NNT) is a Native-led nonprofit theatre company based in the Twin Cities that produces authentic Native American stories for the stage. Founded in 2009 by Rhiana Yazzie, NNT is the nation's largest Native-led nonprofit theatre company. The organization operates as a single integrated offering centered around theatrical productions, supplemented by youth programming (Youth Theater Summer Camp), community events (Two Spirit Powwow), professional training (internships, apprenticeships, Actor's Lab), and a donation program. NNT produces commissioned and existing plays by Native playwrights, community-created works on social justice topics, and presents the best Native American productions from across North America. The company engages approximately 70,000 Native community members in the eleven Minnesota tribes and urban Twin Cities area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 15+ years of consistent programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Division of Indian Work's Youth Leadership Development ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Youth Theater Summer Camp programming, providing culturally affirming theatre education for Native youth.
• Keep the Fire Alive ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal funding program providing internship opportunities for Native youth through NNT's Artistic Associate Intern program.
• 825 ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner for NNT's mainstage productions including The Bird Blind and A Christmas in Ochopee.
• Theater MumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting the MU TANG CLAN VOL 3 Playwright Cohort with NNT, supporting Asian American and Native playwright development.
• Playwrights' CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRhiana Yazzie has been a Playwrights' Center Fellow multiple times. NNT collaborates with their Native playwrights lab.
• ArtspaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter of NNT's work.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO): New York-based nonprofit producing Asian American theater. Comparable as a mission-driven, identity-focused nonprofit theater of similar scale developing new work by underrepresented playwrights.
• Echo Theater Company: Native American theater company producing new works by Indigenous playwrights. Comparable as a smaller-scale Indigenous-led theater company focused on developing original Native American stage works.

Regional players

• Bedlam Theatre: Minneapolis-based community-focused theater. NNT partnered with Bedlam on the 2013 Native-Somali Friendship Play, making it a comparable community-engaged theater in the same market.

Direct peers

• Native Earth Performing Arts: Toronto-based Indigenous theater company producing works by Native playwrights. Comparable as a North American Indigenous-led theater company with year-round programming and development programs.
• Mixed Blood Theatre: Minneapolis-based professional theater known for diverse casting and community-centered programming. Comparable to NNT as a mission-driven, multicultural nonprofit theater operating in the same Twin Cities market.
• Perseverance Theatre: Juneau, Alaska-based professional theater producing Native Alaskan and contemporary works. Comparable as an established nonprofit theater engaging Indigenous communities and producing plays by Alaskan Native playwrights.
• Red Sky Performance: Toronto-based Indigenous performing arts company. NNT has presented Red Sky's Raven Stole The Sun, and both focus on Indigenous storytelling through dance and theater.
• Theater Mu: Minneapolis-based Asian American theater company. NNT is actually a co-presenting partner with Theater Mu on the Mu Tang Clan Vol 3 Playwright Cohort, and both serve as identity-focused nonprofit theaters in the Twin Cities.
• Penumbra Theatre Company: Saint Paul-based nonprofit theater with a mission-driven focus on African American stories and community programming. Comparable to NNT as a regionally rooted, culturally specific nonprofit producing theater company in the Twin Cities.
• Stages Theatre Company: Hopkins, Minnesota-based theater producing family and youth programming. NNT has collaborated on productions like The Three Snow Bears, and both serve the Minnesota audience with theatrical productions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/newnativetheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-native-theatre

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 NEW NATIVE THEATRE