San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre

What San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre does

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO REP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theatre founded in 1947 and based in downtown San Luis Obispo, California. Since 2017 it has operated as the only year-round, nonprofit, professional theatre in San Luis Obispo County, running an 80th season comprising 12 productions across three series: five Mainstage productions, five Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings, and two Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT) productions, delivering nearly 200 performances annually in a 97-seat venue.

The organization's product surface spans Mainstage and staged-reading performances, ACT theatre education for ages 3-18 (classes, camps, production classes, teen internships, adult classes, scholarships), and donor/sponsor programs. It distributes through online ticketing (purchase.slorep.org), a physical box office at 888 Morro Street, phone sales, and ACT registration via Sawyer, with marketing via website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Yelp, email newsletter (Constant Contact), and local media partnerships (KCBX, KSBY, New Times).

SLO REP's revenue model combines ticket sales (covering approximately 60% of operating costs), season subscriptions ($200 Mainstage 5-pack, $95 Ubu 5-pack), ACT tuition ($600-$750 per performance class), concessions, group sales, gift vouchers, show and season sponsorships, and a tiered annual fund (Fans & Friends through Diamond Circle at $25,000+). A multi-year "A New Stage" capital campaign has raised over $22 million toward a new 215-seat Mainstage plus 100-seat Black Box venue, supported by a $500,000 Harold J. Miossi Charitable Trust matching challenge that was exceeded to $823,000. Operations are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and staffed by approximately 19 paid employees plus contracted professional artists.

Name

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre

Legal name

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre

Website

https://slorep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SLO REP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional theatre in San Luis Obispo, California, founded 1947 and the only year-round professional theatre in the county, producing ~12 shows and ~200 performances annually while running ACT youth theatre education for ages 3-18.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre & Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Professional theatre productions
• Theatre education programs
• Live performing arts
• Youth theatre classes
• Stage performances

Headquarters

HQ city

San Luis Obispo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Individual ticket sales for Mainstage shows, Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings, and ACT productions. Ticket sales cover approximately 60% of annual operating costs.
2. Season Subscriptions: 5-show Mainstage Season Package at $200 and 5-show Ubu's Other Shoe package at $95, providing guaranteed revenue and customer commitment.
3. Donations and Annual Fund: Tax-deductible donations supporting annual operations, covering the approximately 40% gap not covered by ticket sales. Multiple giving levels from Fans & Friends ($1-$99) up to Diamond Circle ($25,000+).
4. Capital Campaign: Major fundraising effort for 'A New Stage' new venue construction. Over $22 million raised toward the project. Pledges accepted up to two years (complete by early 2028).
5. ACT Education Tuition: Tuition fees for Academy of Creative Theatre classes, camps, and production classes. Performance and production classes range from $600-$750. Partial and full scholarships available.
6. Concessions and Bar Sales: Wine, beer, soft drinks, coffee, and sparkling water available at performances. Wine provided by Niner Wine Estates, coffee by Coastal Peaks Coffee.
7. Group Sales and Gift Vouchers: Group discounts for 10+ tickets, gift certificates/vouchers available in any denomination that never expire.
8. Sponsorships: Show sponsors provide early support funding productions before rehearsals begin, covering royalties, actor contracts, sets, costumes and more. Season sponsors and ACT sponsors also support operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre (SLO REP) is the only year-round, nonprofit, professional theatre in San Luis Obispo County. It produces live theatrical performances including Mainstage productions and Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings in its 97-seat downtown venue, while also operating the Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT), a year-round theatre education program for young artists ages 3-18 with classes, camps, and productions.

Product overview

San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre operates as a nonprofit professional theatre organization offering three interconnected product lines: (1) Mainstage Shows featuring professional theatrical productions in their downtown venue at 888 Morro Street, including plays like The Father and Gutenberg! The Musical! and special productions like Million Dollar Quartet Christmas; (2) Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings series presenting experimental and contemporary works in an intimate format; and (3) the Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT), a comprehensive education program providing theatre classes, camps, and productions for youth ages 3-18 at their Empleo Street headquarters. Revenue streams include individual and season tickets, ACT tuition, and charitable donations supporting operations and the A New Stage capital campaign for a new 215-seat Mainstage and 100-seat Black Box venue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Shows Professional theatrical productions presented at SLO REP's 97-seat downtown venue featuring contemporary and classic plays and musicals. Season 80 includes The Father, Gutenberg! The Musical!, Seminar, Three Tall Women, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, serving adult theatre audiences in San Luis Obispo County.
• Ubu's Other Shoe Staged Readings Series of staged readings featuring contemporary and experimental plays in an intimate format with reduced production elements. Includes productions like The Designated Mourner, The Vertical Hour, The Guys, Incognito, and Nickel & Dimed. A 5-show season package is available for $95.
• Season Ticket Packages Subscription packages offering discounted access to multiple shows throughout the season. The 5-Show Mainstage Season Package is priced at $200 and the 5-Show Ubu's Other Shoe package is $95, providing 10-15% savings compared to individual tickets with free flexible exchanges.
• Academy of Creative Theatre (ACT) Comprehensive year-round theatre education program for young artists ages 3-18, offering after-school classes, theatre camps, production classes, and teen internships. Held at the ACT Education Center at 3533 Empleo Street and serving hundreds of young artists annually.
• Adult Classes Theatre education programming for adults ages 18 and older, including Script Analysis and Discussion classes, as well as specialized offerings like The Business of Acting. Classes provide opportunities for drama enthusiasts to deepen their understanding of theatrical craft.
• Capital Campaign Donations Fundraising initiative for A New Stage, a new state-of-the-art venue in downtown San Luis Obispo. Includes recognition opportunities like Pillar of the Theatre ($5,000) and Donor Wall placement ($10,000+).

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200 performances annually attract diverse audiences to downtown San Luis Obispo
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, supporting and minor.

• Theatre Communications Group (TCG)coreOthersSLO REP is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for American theatre. TCG provides resources, networking, and advocacy for nonprofit theatres.
• Californians for the ArtscoreOthersSLO REP is a member of Californians for the Arts, advocating for arts funding and policy at the state level.
• City of San Luis ObispoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVanguard Sponsor and partner in downtown development. The city supports SLO REP's presence in the Cultural Arts District and new theatre development.
• KCBXsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal public radio station, Season Sponsor providing marketing and community visibility support.
• KSBYsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal television station, Season Sponsor providing media coverage and community visibility.
• New TimessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal newspaper, Season Sponsor providing press coverage and community visibility.
• Better Business FinancialsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSeason Sponsor providing financial services partnership and marketing support.
• Subplot StudiosupportingTechnology or IntegrationSeason Sponsor providing website design and development services (theatres website built by Subplot Studio).
• RyLo Media DesignsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSeason Sponsor providing video production and media design services.
• Astound (Digital West)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSeason Sponsor providing technology/business services partnership.
• Niner Wine EstatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides wine for the theatre bar and concessions at performances.
• Coastal Peaks CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides coffee for the theatre bar and concessions at performances.
• Concord TheatricalscoreOthersLicensing agency for many SLO REP productions including The Father, Gutenberg! The Musical!, Seminar, Three Tall Women, and Ubu's Other Shoe staged readings.
• Music Theatre International (MTI)coreOthersLicensing agency for musical productions including The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Forever Plaid, Finding Nemo, and other ACT shows.
• Theatrical Rights WorldwidecoreOthersLicensing agency for Million Dollar Quartet Christmas production.
• Dramatic Publishing CompanycoreOthersLicensing agency for Number the Stars production (based on Lois Lowry's novel).

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA): PCPA is a professional regional theatre based in Santa Maria on the Central Coast, serving the same Central Coast/SLO County region with year-round productions, training programs, and a similar nonprofit operating model. Direct peer as a comparable regional repertory theatre in adjacent geography.
• La Jolla Playhouse: Tony Award-winning nonprofit professional regional theatre in San Diego with a Mainstage season and education/outreach programming. Comparable in professional repertory model, subscription pricing, donor-supported economics, and youth education programs.
• Ensemble Theatre Company: Nonprofit professional theatre in Santa Barbara presenting a season of plays and musicals. Comparable to SLO REP as a smaller California coastal professional regional theatre with subscription ticketing and donor-funded operations.
• Rubicon Theatre Company: Nonprofit professional regional theatre in Ventura, CA producing a Mainstage season plus education and outreach. Comparable as a small-to-mid sized California regional theatre with donor-supported economics and year-round programming.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: One of the leading nonprofit regional theatres in the U.S., based in Berkeley, CA. Compares directly to SLO REP in its professional repertory model, subscription-based season packages, donor-funded operations, and youth programming. SLO REP's Board President previously served on Berkeley Rep's board.
• South Coast Repertory: Long-established nonprofit professional regional theatre in Costa Mesa, CA, offering a Mainstage season, smaller-stage programming, and education programs. Closely mirrors SLO REP's three-pronged model (mainstage + staged readings/second stage + youth education) and California regional theatre economics.

Others

• North Coast Repertory Theatre:

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SLORepertoryTheatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/sloreptheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/sloreptheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sloreptheatre

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 San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre