Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

What Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts does

The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts is a university-based performing arts center operating as an academic unit within Northwestern University's School of Communication. It produces more than 45 productions annually spanning theatre, musical theatre, and dance across two campuses: the Evanston flagship (Arts Circle Drive, encompassing Ethel M. Barber Theater, Josephine Louis Theater, Hal & Martha Hyer Wallis Theater, Mussetter-Struble Theater, Black Box 101, and dance studios) and the downtown Chicago venue at Abbott Hall (710 N. Lake Shore Drive), opened in 2021.

Core programming comprises Mainstage Productions (plays, musicals, dance) featuring student, faculty, and guest artists; the IMAGINE U series for children and families; the MFA Collaboration Series pairing emerging directors and stage designers with playwrights; the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) for developing new musical works; Danceworks; and National Theatre Live screenings. The center is supported by a named endowment from William Rockwell "Rocky" Wirtz and his wife Marilyn Queen Wirtz, honoring Rocky's grandmother Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz, a 1924 Northwestern graduate.

Revenue is generated through ticket sales (one-time purchases, FLEXPASS subscription at $130/$25, and group sales with up to 20% ticket discounts), charitable donations, and grants from the Illinois Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts. Customer segments span Northwestern students, the general public, families with children, seniors (via Levy Senior Center partnership), K-12 students (via Evanston/Skokie School District 65), and adult learners (via Osher Lifelong Learning Institute). Distribution is direct via an in-person Box Office, the Ovations online ticketing platform, phone sales, and space rentals to external organizations. The center is governed as an institutional academic department with a stable headcount of 37 employees and a leadership team led by Assistant Dean and Executive Artistic Director Tanya Palmer and Managing Director Jorge Silva.

Name

Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

Legal name

Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

Website

https://wirtz.northwestern.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wirtz Center is Northwestern University's academic performing arts center, producing 45+ theatre, musical, and dance productions annually across Evanston and Chicago campuses for students, general audiences, families, seniors, and lifelong learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAFAB

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

SECONDARYMPAGABAH

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama)

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

SECONDARYMPAGABAE

Children’s & Youth Theatre

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

SECONDARYMPAGADAH

Dance Competitions & Showcases (Non-Esports)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

Keywords

• Performing arts productions
• Theatrical performances
• Musical theater development
• Dance performances
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for theatrical productions, musicals, dance performances, and family programming across Evanston and Chicago venues. Pricing varies by production type and audience category (general public, seniors, students, NU faculty/staff).
2. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters. Donations of $250 or greater are acknowledged in Wirtz Center programs. Checks payable to Northwestern University with Wirtz Center in memo line.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Programming partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council (state agency) and National Endowment for the Arts.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Wirtz Center produces and presents live performing arts productions — plays, musicals, dance works, family programming, and new musical development — across its Evanston and Chicago venues, drawing on Northwestern University students, faculty, and guest artists. It sells tickets directly to the public, offers subscriptions (FLEXPASS) and group sales, and operates as a training ecosystem for emerging theatre artists. Programming is supported by ticket revenue, donations, and grants from arts agencies.

Product overview

The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Centers operate as a university-based performing arts ecosystem with two campuses (Evanston and Chicago), producing over 45 productions annually across theater, musical theater, and dance. The core offerings center on Mainstage Productions featuring student, faculty, and guest artists, supplemented by specialized programs including IMAGINE U (family and children's theater), Danceworks (dance series), MFA Collaboration Series, American Music Theatre Project (new musical development), and National Theatre Live screenings. The FLEXPASS subscription ticket program and group sales provide access to performances, while accessibility services, artist residencies, and space rentals support community engagement and artistic development. Wirtz Center Chicago serves as the downtown creative hub for bold premieres and interdisciplinary experiments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Full-scale theatrical productions including plays, musicals, and dance performances staged across multiple venues in Evanston and Chicago, featuring student performers, faculty, and guest artists.
• IMAGINE U Family-oriented theatrical productions for children of all ages, including mainstage shows for children and Theatre for the Very Young programming for ages 2-5, with interactive performances and take-home materials. Includes sensory-friendly performances in partnership with Seesaw Theatre.
• Danceworks Annual dance performance series featuring student and faculty choreography exploring contemporary movement and themes.
• MFA Collaboration Series Productions pairing MFA directing and stage design students with emerging playwrights for bold, risk-taking theatrical presentations.
• American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) Program dedicated to developing new American musical theatre works through workshops, concert readings, and world premieres.
• National Theatre Live Screenings Screenings of acclaimed live productions from London's National Theatre, bringing world-class British theatre to local audiences.
• FLEXPASS Subscription Subscription ticket package offering six admissions to any 2026-27 season production for $130 (general public) or $25 (NU full-time students), redeemable through August 31, 2027.
• Group Sales Discounted ticket packages for groups of 10 or more, offering savings up to 20% on tickets and up to 90% on service fees.
• Artist Residency Programs Residency programs including the Hope Abelson Artist-in-Residence and Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence programs, hosting visiting artists to develop new works at the Wirtz Centers.
• Space Rentals Rental offerings for external artists and organizations to use Wirtz Center venues, with production support and professional facilities.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chicago Latin Theater Alliance (CLATA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The production 'Desaparecidas' was presented as part of CLATA's DESTINOS, 7th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.
• Illinois Arts CouncilcoreOthersThe Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, provides grant support for Wirtz Center programming, contributing to the production and presentation of theatrical performances and cultural programming.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreOthersThe NEA provides grant support for Wirtz Center programming, partially funding season productions and artistic initiatives.
• Seesaw TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeesaw Theatre collaborates with Imagine U to provide sensory-friendly performances, creating a relaxed and safe environment for disabled audience members with enhanced focus on theatrical accessibility.
• Evanston/Skokie School District 65coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with District 65 and Northwestern's Neighborhood and Community Relations team invites every third-grade student in the district to campus to experience live theatre, often for the first time.
• Levy Senior Center FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Levy Senior Center Foundation offers free dramaturgy lectures, season previews, contextual conversations, and free tickets to select performances for Evanston seniors.
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-session programs for adult learners including behind-the-scenes access to rehearsals, design presentations, artist conversations, backstage tours, and opening night performances.
• The Flea TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Flea Theater for the production of 'Hang Time' by Pulitzer Prize finalist Zora Howard, presented in New York.
• Physical Theater Festival ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhysical Theater Festival Chicago partnered with Wirtz Center for 'Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer' by Shane Shambhu.
• Hope Abelson Artist-in-Residence ProgramminorOthersJared Mezzocchi visited through the Hope Abelson Artist-in-Residence Program, established at the School of Communication in 1990 through a gift from Hope Altman Abelson.
• En Garde ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEn Garde Arts co-developed and produced '73 Seconds' with creator Jared Mezzocchi.
• National Arts Centre of CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe production '2021' was developed with support from the National Arts Centre of Canada's National Creation Fund.
• Theater MituminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater Mitu provided development support for the production '2021'.
• Astere E. Claeyssens Artist-in-Residence ProgramminorOthersSteven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp of UNIVERSES were in residence through this program throughout the 2023-24 academic year, developing 'In the Beginning There was House'.
• Goodman TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner'In the Beginning There was House' was originally commissioned by Goodman Theatre before being developed at Wirtz Center Chicago.
• Black Arts ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Black Arts Consortium, a university initiative, presents public screenings, symposia, and performances at Wirtz Center Chicago, fostering Black artistic research and community connection.
• Pritzker Pucker Studio LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvents from the Pritzker Pucker Studio Lab explore nuanced portrayals of mental health in film and performance at Wirtz Center Chicago.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Yale Repertory Theatre: Yale School of Drama's professional theatre producing plays and musicals with graduate student artists. Directly comparable as a university-affiliated theatre producing 45+ productions annually with combined academic-professional mission.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Chicago-based contemporary dance company. Comparable for the Wirtz Center's Danceworks program and broader dance programming within the Chicago dance ecosystem.
• McCarter Theatre Center: Princeton University's professional theatre and presenting venue. Comparable as a university-affiliated producing theatre with mixed academic-professional programming and new work development.
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago's acclaimed ensemble theatre. Comparable as a major Chicago-based not-for-profit theatre competing for the same regional audience and donor base.
• Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago-based ensemble theatre founded by Northwestern alumni with strong physical theatre orientation. Comparable as a Chicago professional theatre with Northwestern University ties and physical theatre programming.
• The Flea Theater: NYC off-off-Broadway theatre known for risk-taking new work; a documented Wirtz Center co-production partner (co-produced 'Hang Time'). Comparable as an experimental new-work focused indie theatre.
• Goodman Theatre: Chicago's flagship not-for-profit theatre and a documented Wirtz Center partner (commissioned 'In the Beginning There was House'). Comparable regional peer operating in the same Chicago market with overlapping new-work development mission.
• American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.): San Francisco's MFA-anchored professional theatre and conservatory. Comparable as a university-affiliated theatre combining rigorous actor training with public productions.
• American Repertory Theater (Harvard): Harvard University's professional theatre known for new work development and bold premieres. Highly comparable given Wirtz Center Chicago's similar positioning as a downtown creative hub for new American theatre.

Broad incumbents

• Actors Theatre of Louisville: Long-established regional theatre known for Humana Festival of New American Plays. Comparable as a larger, more established regional theatre with stronger new-work development brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCN4wwbcrH37vYklzPXQHqtw
• Facebookfacebook.com/WirtzCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/wirtzcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wirtzcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts