STORY THEATER COMPANY

What STORY THEATER COMPANY does

Story Theater Company (STC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth theater organization founded in 2006 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa. The company produces three to four mainstage theatrical productions annually at the Ames City Auditorium and Camelot Theater in Nevada, Iowa, plus a dedicated teen-only production for ages 13-18, and engages hundreds of area children ages 9-18 in cast and crew roles. Supporting programming includes summer theater camps, one-day workshops, a Variety Show, and the STC OnTour traveling story troupe, reaching over 5,000 audience members per year and distributing content through the Theater Stories Podcast.

The underlying operational platform is a community-based production cycle built on licensing agreements with Disney Theatrical Group and Concord Theatricals, mentored by Iowa State University performing arts students and local theater professionals. There is no proprietary software product; the technology stack is a standard nonprofit website plus social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) and an email newsletter with 500+ subscribers.

Revenue is generated through a deliberately diversified nonprofit mix. Earned income streams include pay-what-you-can ticket sales (suggested $15), participation fees for productions, classes, and camps, merchandise sales (notably the $50 STC Theater Kit), a $20/month TEAM STC membership, and tiered sponsorship products ranging from $200 Corporate Supporter to $1,000 Title Sponsor. Contributed income comes from tax-deductible individual donations processed via Zeffy and PayPal Giving Fund, plus grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Iowa Arts Council, Ames Commission on the Arts, Story County Community Foundation, and local Kiwanis chapters, with major corporate sponsors including Randall Corporation, RMH Architects, and Clarity Asset Management.

Name

STORY THEATER COMPANY

Legal name

Story Theater Company of Ames

Website

https://storytheatercompany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Story Theater Company is an Ames, Iowa-based nonprofit that provides youth theatrical productions, classes, and summer camps for children ages 9-18, engaging hundreds of area kids and over 5,000 audience members annually through licensed mainstage shows, a teen-only production, and community outreach programs funded by donations, grants, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Theater and Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAE

Children’s & Youth Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYEDAMAAAG

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

SECONDARYMPAGABAC

Touring Theatre Productions

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGAEAI

Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYMPAGABAB

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

Keywords

• Youth theater productions
• Theater education programs
• Community theater performances
• Summer theater camps
• Children performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: STC relies heavily on corporate and individual donations, sponsorships, and grants to fund operations. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made through Zeffy (preferred, 100% goes to STC) or PayPal Giving Fund.
2. TEAM STC Membership: Monthly membership program at $20/month offering exclusive perks including behind-the-scenes access, complimentary tickets, early auditorium access, and name listing in programs.
3. Ticket Sales: Pay-what-you-can ticket model with $15 suggested price. Supports accessibility by allowing patrons to choose pricing that fits their budget.
4. Sponsorship Tiers: Various sponsorship levels from Corporate Supporter ($200) to Title Sponsor ($1000) with benefits including tickets, recognition, and advertising.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of STC-branded merchandise including Theater Kits ($50) containing performance essentials.
6. Participation Fees: Participation fees for productions, classes, and camps help offset costs of space rental, honorariums, costumes, and sets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Story Theater Company is a nonprofit youth theater organization that produces 3-4 mainstage theatrical productions annually at major regional venues for children ages 9-18, plus a dedicated teen-only production for ages 13-18. It also runs summer theater camps, one-day events, an annual variety show, and a traveling story troupe that performs at community locations, all supported by professional mentorship from Iowa State University performing arts students and theater professionals.

Product overview

Story Theater Company provides a comprehensive youth theater program centered around theatrical productions staged at major venues. The core offering consists of 3-4 mainstage productions annually at the Ames City Auditorium and Camelot Theater, with roles for youth ages 9-18, plus a dedicated teen-only production for ages 13-18. Supporting programs include Summer Theater Camps with multi-day immersive experiences, One-Day Events for condensed workshops, an annual Variety Show, and STC OnTour (Traveling Story Troupe) for community outreach. Additional offerings include the Theater Stories Podcast and STC Theater Kit merchandise. The organization engages hundreds of children annually through classes, events, and shows attended by over 5,000 audience members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STC OnTour: A traveling story troupe that performs at various locations and presents a showcase at STC's black box theater.
• Theater Stories Podcast
• TEAM STC

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Full-scale theatrical productions staged at major venues like the Ames City Auditorium and Camelot Theater, featuring cast and crew roles for youth ages 9-18, with 3-4 productions per year and a teen-only production for ages 13-18.
• Summer Theater Camps Summer theater programs offering multi-day camps where children develop theater arts skills including singing, dancing, and acting through immersive musical theater experiences.
• One-Day Events Single-day theatrical experiences and workshops providing condensed theater opportunities for youth to explore creativity and build confidence.
• Variety Show Annual showcase event featuring performances by young artists demonstrating talents in singing, dancing, acting, and comedic acts.
• STC OnTour (Traveling Story Troupe)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Ames Commission On The Arts (COTA)coreOthersPrimary granting agency providing local option tax funds from the City of Ames. COTA funding supports STC's operations and programming accessibility.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreOthersFederal arts funding agency providing grants to support STC's theatrical programming and community outreach.
• Iowa Arts CouncilcoreOthersState arts agency providing funding as a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
• Kiwanis Club of AmesminorOthersLocal service organization providing grants for 'Access to the Arts' programs bringing theater experiences to children from local agencies.
• Town & Country Kiwanis ClubminorOthersLocal Kiwanis chapter supporting STC programming and community arts access.
• Story County Community FoundationminorOthersLocal foundation providing grants supporting STC operations and community programming.
• Randall CorporationmajorOthersProduction Title Sponsor for STC productions. Individual sponsors Nancy Evans & Jim Trenberth also support under Randall Corp banner.
• RMH ArchitectsmajorOthersDesign Sponsor providing support for production design elements including props, costumes, and scenery.
• Clarity Asset ManagementmajorOthersCorporate supporter and production sponsor providing financial backing for STC operations.
• Pyfferoen (Ames Kids Dentist)minorOthersCommunity Outreach Sponsor supporting STC's mission to provide accessible theater opportunities.
• Heuss PrintingminorOthersLocal printing company providing in-kind support for STC materials and programs.
• Iowa Economic Development AuthorityminorOthersState agency supporting arts programming through Iowa Arts Council funding.
• Disney Theatrical GroupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensor for Disney Jr. productions including Lion King Jr., Newsies Jr., and Descendants. STC pays licensing fees to produce these popular youth shows.
• Concord TheatricalscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensor for theatrical productions including Once Upon a Mattress YE. Provides scripts and licensing for STC productions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Main Street Theater: Houston, TX community theater running a dedicated youth performing arts program alongside adult productions, comparable in its split between education and mainstage offerings.
• Honolulu Theatre for Youth: Hawaii-based theater company creating and touring productions for young audiences, a strong functional peer to STC OnTour's touring-troupe model.
• Adventure Theatre MTC: Maryland-based professional theater for young audiences combining mainstage productions and an academy, sharing STC's youth-theater-plus-training hybrid model.
• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD nonprofit producing professional theater for young audiences with an education arm, mirroring STC's combination of youth productions plus theater classes and camps.
• Nashville Children's Theatre: Long-running regional children's theater company producing mainstage productions and educational programming for youth, directly comparable in mission and product to STC.
• First Stage: Milwaukee-based children's theater company that stages mainstage productions plus education programs for youth, the closest direct analog to STC's youth-focused theater-and-education model.
• DreamWrights Center for Community Arts: York, PA community arts organization producing youth theater productions and camps, closely mirroring STC's productions-plus-summer-camps structure.

Others

• Concord Theatricals: Licensor of youth titles STC currently produces (Once Upon a Mattress YE, Matilda Jr.); relevant as the upstream partner whose catalog and royalty economics directly shape STC's product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Theater Company: NYC-based nonprofit producing theater with an associated education program; broader portfolio than STC but a relevant reference point for community-arts nonprofit governance and programming.

Regional players

• Des Moines Community Playhouse: Iowa's largest community theater offering youth education and productions in the same state as STC; overlapping audience and sponsor pool makes it the most relevant regional competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/StoryTheaterCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/storytheatercompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/storytheatercompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/story-theater-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about STORY THEATER COMPANY