PURE Theatre

What PURE Theatre does

PURE Theatre is a professional regional theatre company and 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Charleston, South Carolina, founded in 2003 by Sharon Graci and Rodney Lee Rogers. Operating from the Cannon Street Arts Center at 134 Cannon Street, the company produces 5–7 mainstage productions per season featuring contemporary plays, world premieres, and Southeast Regional Premieres, with Season 24 scheduled to run through 2027. The organization has produced 27 world premiere productions and more than 90 Southeast Regional Premieres over its 24 seasons, supported by a dedicated Core Ensemble of professional actors and designers.

The business model is diversified across earned and contributed revenue streams: ticket sales and Flex Pass subscriptions (individual and annual K-12 educator editions), individual donations through a multi-tier system (Benefactor, Producer, Patron, Director, Ensemble, Player, Chorus), corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (from the National Endowment for the Arts, South Carolina Arts Commission, Shubert Foundation, Donnelley Foundation, and others), planned giving and stock donations, education program fees (summer camps at $600, Seniors & Seniors program), and PURE Live streaming. The go-to-market is community-led, with direct-to-consumer ticket sales via online (vboTickets), phone, and in-person box office, plus school and community partnerships for education distribution.

The product portfolio centers on mainstage productions and extends across sub-brands: PURE Lab (new work development), PURE Youth Companies (Title 1 school programs), Summer Camps (ages 13–18), the Septima statewide tour (all 47 SC counties plus out-of-state dates), Seniors & Seniors (inter-generational programming), PURE Live (streaming), PURE Podcast/Substack, and the Flex Pass subscription. The most significant recent evidence of scale includes education programs serving over 1,000 students in a single season and a $53,600 NEA grant supporting the Septima tour expansion. The company is led by co-founders Sharon Graci (Artistic Director) and Rodney Lee Rogers (Director of Education & New Media) with a 19-person team and a Board of Directors including President Stephanie Hunt, Vice Chair Brad Erickson, and Treasurer James M. Ward.

Name

PURE Theatre

Legal name

PURE Theatre

Website

https://puretheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PURE Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional regional theatre company in Charleston, SC, producing 5–7 mainstage productions per season alongside PURE Lab new work development, education programs serving 1,000+ students, and the Septima statewide tour across all 47 South Carolina counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG)

Keywords

• Professional theatre productions
• Theatre education programs
• Live performance streaming
• New play development
• Youth arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets and Flex Pass season subscriptions for mainstage productions
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals at various giving levels (Benefactor, Producer, Patron, Director, Ensemble, Player, Chorus)
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Season and production sponsorships providing advertising and business visibility benefits for corporate partners
4. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including National Endowment for the Arts, South Carolina Arts Commission, Shubert Foundation, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Chalmers Foundation, and others
5. Stock Donations: Acceptance of stock or appreciated securities as charitable contributions
6. Bequests: Planned giving through wills or trusts allowing donors to make gifts after lifetime
7. PURE Live Streaming: Streaming program serving audiences beyond the physical theatre locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally
8. Education Programs: Fees from summer camps, workshops, after-school programs, and education performances serving students across South Carolina

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PURE Theatre is a nonprofit professional regional theatre company that produces and presents contemporary mainstage productions, Southeast Regional Premieres, and World Premieres in Charleston, SC across an annual season. Beyond live performance, it runs education programs (Youth Companies, Summer Camps, Seniors + Seniors, Septima Tour), a new-work development division (PURE Lab), a streaming service (PURE Live), a podcast/newsletter, and an All-Access Flex Pass subscription.

Product overview

PURE Theatre is a professional regional theatre company in Charleston, SC offering a portfolio of live theatrical productions and arts education programs. The core offering consists of mainstage productions across annual seasons featuring contemporary plays, world premieres, and regional premieres. Supporting products include PURE Lab (new work development with 27 world premieres since 2003), PURE Youth Companies (education programs for Title 1 schools), Summer Camps (intensive training for students), the Septima Tour (educational touring program), Seniors + Seniors (intergenerational program), PURE Live (streaming of performances), PURE Podcast (artist interviews), and Flex Pass (subscription with dining benefits). The company operates from Cannon Street Arts Center and has established itself as a premier theatre company in the Southeast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PURE Lab: The division of PURE responsible for developing new work and world premiere productions.
• PURE Live
• PURE Substack / PURE Podcast
• PURE Youth Company
• Septima

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions
• All-Access Flex Pass
• Summer Camps
• PURE Youth Companies
• Septima Tour
• Seniors + Seniors
• PURE Live Streaming

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 1,000 students across South Carolina in the past season
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gaillard CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Gaillard Center's Education & Community program for summer camp intensive; students perform at Martha & John M. Rivers Performance Hall
• League of Women VotersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Septima tour dates in Washington DC with the League of Women Voters
• Charleston Arts FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Dining Benefits Program offering discounts at Charleston restaurants for Flex Pass holders
• Engaging Creative MindsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit organization through which Tonya Nicole teaches Theater Arts as independent contractor

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Warehouse Theatre: Warehouse Theatre is a professional regional theatre in Greenville, SC that PURE is co-producing Bat City with in Season 24. Both organizations share a contemporary, new-work sensibility and operate at similar scale in the Carolinas.
• Trustus Theatre: Trustus Theatre is a professional regional theatre in Columbia, SC producing contemporary and new work. Comparable to PURE in size, programming philosophy, and South Carolina footprint.
• Charleston Stage: Charleston Stage is the longest-running professional theatre company in Charleston, SC, producing a full mainstage season plus education programs. It is the most direct local competitor for patrons, donors, and education partnerships in PURE's home market.
• Round House Theatre: Round House Theatre is a professional regional theatre in Bethesda, MD producing a mainstage season of contemporary and new work plus education programs. Comparable in mission, scale, and education programming model.
• Triad Stage: Triad Stage is a professional regional theatre in Greensboro, NC producing a mainstage season with an emphasis on American stories. Comparable to PURE in scale and contemporary/repertory programming.
• Flat Rock Playhouse: Flat Rock Playhouse is the State Theatre of North Carolina, producing a Broadway-scale mainstage season plus new works and education. Comparable as a Southeast regional theatre with broad programming and touring activity.
• PlayMakers Repertory Company: PlayMakers is a LORT professional regional theatre in Chapel Hill, NC that produces a mix of classics, contemporary plays, and new work. Comparable in mission to PURE as a Southeast regional theatre with a strong education mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Berkeley Rep is a Tony-winning LORT theatre known for premiering new work and producing contemporary plays. Comparable to PURE in programming philosophy (new work, contemporary voices) but at significantly larger scale and budget.
• Center Stage: Center Stage in Baltimore, MD is a LORT professional regional theatre producing classics, contemporary plays, and new work with an active education arm. Comparable as a mid-Atlantic/Southeast regional theatre with programming breadth beyond PURE's scale.
• Alliance Theatre: Alliance Theatre is the largest regional theatre in the Southeast, based in Atlanta, GA, with a national profile for new-work development. It is the leading Southeast comparable for PURE's PURE Lab programming ambitions and artistic reputation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PURETheatre-Charleston-rd7xb
• Facebookfacebook.com/puretheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/puretheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pure-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 PURE Theatre