Sandusky State Theatre
Sandusky State Theatre is a 1928-founded nonprofit performing arts venue in Sandusky, Ohio, serving Erie County residents and Lake Erie shore visitors with Broadway tours, concerts, and intimate events, currently suspended for restoration after 2020 storm damage.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1928
- HeadquartersSandusky, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sandusky State Theatre does
Sandusky State Theatre is a nonprofit performing arts venue founded in 1928, located at 107 Columbus Avenue in Sandusky, Ohio, on the Lake Erie shore. For nearly a century the theatre has served Erie County residents and regional visitors as a community gathering place for live performances, currently operating with a staff of 19. The venue's core offerings consist of two performance spaces: a Main Auditorium hosting Broadway National Tours and large-scale concerts, and a new Second Venue being added as part of its post-disaster restoration to host intimate recitals, jazz concerts, and comedy shows. The theatre also maintains the historic 1928 Page Organ, currently being restored to playing condition after storm damage. The primary revenue streams are ticket sales, community donations collected through the OvationTix platform, and venue rentals for private events. Distribution is operated through three channels: the OvationTix-powered website, a phone-based box office at (419) 626-1950, and a physical on-site box office.
The theatre is currently suspended from performances under a 'PAUSED FOR INTERMISSION' status, following catastrophic storm damage on June 10, 2020, in which winds exceeding 55 miles per hour blew off the roof, collapsed the auditorium ceiling, and destroyed the stage and seating areas. In response, the organization launched a community-supported restoration plan to rebuild and expand the facility, retaining salvaged historic assets (the 1928 Page Organ console and chandelier) while commissioning new murals to replace those destroyed. Eric Wobser is identified as a representative figure for the organization's communications. The business model is community-led: go-to-market is centered on local community engagement and Lake Erie shore tourism, with email newsletters and social media used to drive donation and ticket demand, and no disclosed pricing or institutional investor base.
Sandusky State Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sandusky State Theatre
- Legal name
- The Sandusky State Theatre
- Website
- https://sanduskystate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1928
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sandusky State Theatre is a 1928-founded nonprofit performing arts venue in Sandusky, Ohio, serving Erie County residents and Lake Erie shore visitors with Broadway tours, concerts, and intimate events, currently suspended for restoration after 2020 storm damage.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sandusky State Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)
Keywords
Where Sandusky State Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sandusky
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sandusky State Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets for performances and events at the theatre including Broadway National Tours, concerts, recitals, jazz, and comedy shows.
- Donations: Community donations supporting the theatre's restoration and preservation efforts. Donation portal available through OvationTix platform.
- Venue Rental: Renting theatre spaces including main auditorium and new second venue for private events.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
Sandusky State Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Sandusky State Theatre operates a historic performing arts venue in Sandusky, Ohio (founded 1928) hosting Broadway National Tours, large-scale concerts, intimate recitals, jazz concerts, comedy shows, and other live events across a Main Auditorium and a newly added Second Venue. The organization also rents its theatre spaces for private events and accepts community donations to fund ongoing restoration following the June 2020 storm.
Product overview
The Sandusky State Theatre is a historic performing arts venue (established 1928) on the Lake Erie shore in Sandusky, Ohio. Its core offering is live performances across two venues: the Main Auditorium hosting Broadway National Tours and large-scale concerts, and a new Second Venue for intimate recitals, jazz, and comedy. The venue also maintains the historic 1928 Page Organ, currently under restoration. The theatre operates as a nonprofit arts organization relying on donations and ticket sales, with its website serving as the primary digital channel for event information and contributions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Main Auditorium Performances The primary performance venue at the Sandusky State Theatre, hosting Broadway National Tours, large-scale concerts, and main stage productions. Features historic elements including restored ceiling ornaments and ornate balcony decorations.
- Second Venue Performances A new intimate performance space created as part of the post-2020 storm restoration and expansion, designed to host recitals, jazz concerts, comedy shows, and other smaller-scale performances complementing the Main Auditorium.
- Venue Rental Rental of theatre spaces including the Main Auditorium and the new Second Venue for private events.
Quantifiable outcome
- Community brought together following storm disaster to support restoration
Companies that use Sandusky State Theatre
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sandusky State Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Sandusky State Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sandusky State Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- National Trust for Historic Preservation: Nonprofit that supports preservation of historic structures including theaters. Relevant as a potential funding/advocacy partner given Sandusky State Theatre's heritage restoration narrative.
- OvationTix: Ticketing and donation platform used by the Sandusky State Theatre. Comparable as the technology infrastructure provider already integrated into the theatre's sales and donor operations.
- Erie County Visitors Bureau: Tourism-promotion body for the Lake Erie shore region that drives visitor flow to Sandusky. Comparable as the primary demand-generation ecosystem partner for the theatre's tourism audience.
Direct peers
- The Ohio Theatre: Historic 1928 movie palace-turned-performing-arts-venue in Columbus, Ohio. Comparable as a vintage Ohio theater venue hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and comedy, with similar preservation and touring-programming dynamics.
- KeyBank State Theatre: Playhouse Square's flagship 1920s movie palace converted into a performing arts venue. Closely comparable as a similarly named, similarly aged Ohio theater hosting Broadway national tours.
Broad incumbents
- Playhouse Square: Cleveland-based performing arts center and the largest performing arts district in the US outside of New York. Operates multiple historic theaters hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and comedy — directly comparable as a multi-venue Ohio performing arts operator, though larger and still fully operational.
Regional players
- Fisher Theatre: Historic Detroit performing arts venue hosting Broadway in Detroit series. Comparable as a vintage theater venue in the broader Great Lakes region competing for the same touring Broadway productions.
- Stranahan Theater: Regional performing arts venue in Toledo, Ohio hosting Broadway tours, concerts, and family shows. Comparable as a mid-size Ohio touring-arts venue competing for the same regional Broadway-tour audiences.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Sandusky State Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceSandusky State Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sandusky State Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sandusky State Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sandusky State Theatre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sandusky State Theatre
What does Sandusky State Theatre do?
The Sandusky State Theatre operates a historic performing arts venue in Sandusky, Ohio (founded 1928) hosting Broadway National Tours, large-scale concerts, intimate recitals, jazz concerts, comedy shows, and other live events across a Main Auditorium and a newly added Second Venue. The organization also rents its theatre spaces for private events and accepts community donations to fund ongoing restoration following the June 2020 storm.
Is Sandusky State Theatre a public or private company?
Sandusky State Theatre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sandusky State Theatre founded?
Sandusky State Theatre was founded in 1928. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sandusky State Theatre based?
Sandusky State Theatre is headquartered in Sandusky, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sandusky State Theatre make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and venue Rental.
Who are Sandusky State Theatre's main competitors?
Others on record are National Trust for Historic Preservation, OvationTix and Erie County Visitors Bureau. Direct peers are The Ohio Theatre and KeyBank State Theatre. Playhouse Square is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Fisher Theatre and Stranahan Theater.
Does Sandusky State Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sandusky State Theatre.
What industry is Sandusky State Theatre in?
Sandusky State Theatre's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses), with a secondary code of MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies. Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.