Mudlark Theater

What Mudlark Theater does

Mudlark Theater Company is a not-for-profit youth theater organization founded in 2005 and headquartered inside the First Congregational Community Center at 1417 Hinman Avenue in Evanston, Illinois. It serves children and teenagers from kindergarten through grade 12 in Evanston and surrounding communities, offering theater education programs that emphasize performance skills alongside life skills such as confidence, empathy, collaboration, and public speaking. The organization delivers a multi-tiered portfolio that includes grade-stratified summer camps (K-2, 3-5, 6-8), a Teen Acting Conservatory, a Teen Comedy Intensive co-developed with iO Theater, school-day productions for elementary and middle school, summer Shakespeare productions for high school students (in partnership with Ridgeville Park District), and identity-specific programming such as the Latinidades initiative developed with Northwestern University.

Mudlark's operational backbone is built on third-party SaaS platforms rather than proprietary technology. The Hi Sawyer platform handles self-serve registration, account management, scholarship code application, and installment-based payments (2-6 installments) for camps, classes, and workshops; Neon CRM is used for ticketing and donations tied to mainstage and showcase performances. Programs are delivered through three distribution channels: directly at Mudlark HQ, inside District 65 schools via the Right At School platform, and through community venues such as Cherry School (Learning Through The Arts). Ticketed performances use a donation-based or pay-what-you-can model.

The revenue model combines four streams: program registration fees (camp and class tuition), donation-based ticket sales for productions, an annual fundraising program with tiered sponsorship levels ($50-$1,000), and an after-care add-on ($75/week standard, $60/week shortened weeks). Unconditional sliding-scale scholarships covering 10%-100% of program cost are applied via promo codes, and no participant is turned away for financial reasons. Funding is community-based — program fees, individual donations, and fundraising — with no venture capital, private equity, or parent-company backing. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board; day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Christina Lepri-Stringer alongside directors covering finance, education, development, and marketing.

Name

Mudlark Theater

Legal name

Mudlark Theater Company

Website

https://mudlarktheater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mudlark Theater is a nonprofit youth theater organization in Evanston, Illinois that delivers theater education and performance programs for children in grades K-12, including summer camps, school-based classes via District 65, teen conservatory and comedy intensives, and the Latinidades identity-specific program developed with Northwestern University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Theater Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Youth theater education
• Theater arts programs
• Performing arts training
• Summer theater camps
• After-school theater

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Registration fees for camps, classes, and theater programs with sliding-scale scholarship options available. Payment plans offered with 2-6 installments.
2. Ticket Sales: Donation-based ticket sales for productions including Summer Shakespeare shows and seasonal performances.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations, with suggested amounts ranging from $50 to $1000. Includes Summer Shakespeare fundraising campaigns.
4. After Care Services: Optional aftercare add-on for summer camp programs at $75/week for standard weeks, $60/week for shortened weeks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mudlark Theater is a nonprofit youth theater organization that produces theater education programs and performances for children and teens in grades K-12. Its core offerings include summer day camps (segregated by age bands K-2, 3-5, and 6-8), the Teen Acting Conservatory and Teen Comedy Intensive, in-school residencies, mainstage productions (elementary, middle, and high school shows), and the Latinidades program serving Latino/a youth. Programs are delivered on-site, in partner schools, and in community venues.

Product overview

Mudlark Theater is a nonprofit youth theater organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of theater arts programs for young artists ages 5-18. The organization operates a multi-tiered product architecture comprising summer camp programs stratified by grade level (K-2, 3-5, and 6-8), teen programming including the Teen Acting Conservatory and Teen Comedy Intensive (in partnership with iO Theater), and school-based productions at elementary, middle, and high school levels. Supporting infrastructure includes the Hi Sawyer registration platform for program enrollment, scholarship and payment plan modules enabling financial accessibility, and after-care services. Community engagement extends through programs in schools (D65 partnerships), programs in the community (Cherry School Learning Through The Arts), and the Latinidades identity-specific program developed with Northwestern University. All programs are anchored by Mudlark's mission of unconditional accessibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camp Program (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) Age-segmented summer day camps (Kindergarten-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade) that introduce children to theater through acting, singing, dancing, and performance. Targeted at Evanston/North Shore families with elementary and middle school children; ends with a final showcase for families.
• Teen Acting Conservatory Advanced training program for high school-aged teens offering conservatory-style theater instruction. Targeted at teen students seeking serious theater training.
• Teen Comedy Intensive Specialty teen program focused on comedy performance skills. Targeted at high school students interested in comedic acting and improvisation.
• Elementary School Plays / Mainstage Productions Mainstage theater productions featuring elementary school-aged performers, performed for community audiences. Targeted at families and community members in the Evanston/North Shore area.
• Middle School Plays / Mainstage Productions Mainstage theater productions featuring middle school-aged performers, performed for community audiences. Targeted at families and community members in the Evanston/North Shore area.
• High School Productions Mainstage theater productions for high school-aged performers, performed for community audiences. Targeted at teen students and families in the Evanston/North Shore area, staged at venues such as the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.
• Programs in Schools In-school theater residencies and classes delivered in partnership with Evanston/Skokie School District 65, District 202, and other partner schools. Targeted at K-12 students receiving theater instruction during the school day.
• Programs in the Community Community-based theater programming delivered in partnership with the City of Evanston and community organizations, including performances at venues such as the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre and Evanston Pledge of Allegiance Park. Targeted at Evanston residents and community members.
• Latinidades Program Culturally specific theater program for Latino/a youth, providing theater training and performance opportunities. Targeted at Latino/a children, teens, and families in the Evanston/North Shore area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Unconditional scholarships available 10%-100% to ensure all families can participate

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Northwestern's Latina and Latino Studies program on the Latinidades project, which includes Dr. Myrna Garcia's course Latino 391 and involvement of Professor Henry Godinez from the Department of Theatre. Partnership focuses on empowering young Latinx artists and developing curriculum for identity-specific programming.
• iO TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for Teen Comedy Intensive program. iO instructors provide improv and sketch comedy training at Mudlark Theater. Program culminates in showcase at iO Theater.
• Right At SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFacilitates registration for all District 65 in-school programs through Right At School's platform. Key distribution channel for reaching students in Evanston schools.
• Ridgeville Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Theater on the Ridge, producing high school summer Shakespeare productions. Includes Macbeth in the Dark and Romeo and Juliet shows.
• Evanston District 65 SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchools including Dewey Elementary, Kingsley Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Washington Elementary, Disney II, Baker Demonstration, and Roycemore host Mudlark after-school programs.
• First Congregational Community CentercoreOthersHost venue for Mudlark HQ, offices, and theater spaces. Located at 1417 Hinman Ave, Evanston.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Adventure Stage Chicago: Chicago nonprofit (part of Northwestern University Settlement) that creates and tours theater for young audiences and runs year-round ensemble programming. Comparable mission around access, identity-focused storytelling, and youth theater education in the same metro area.
• First Stage: Milwaukee-based youth theater company offering theater academies, productions, and education programs for children and teens. Direct comparable as a Midwest nonprofit youth theater with similar age-stratified programming and a track record of training young performers; Mudlark's Marketing Director Sarah Kinn is a First Stage alumna.
• Emerald City Theatre: Chicago-based children's theater company producing mainstage musicals and offering theater classes for young people. Directly comparable as a youth-focused theater combining professional productions with education programs in the same metro area.
• Chicago Children's Theatre: Chicago-based nonprofit producing theatrical works and educational programming specifically for young audiences. Directly comparable as a Chicago-area youth theater organization combining mainstage productions with in-school residencies and education programs, with similar DEI commitments.

Regional players

• Provision Theater: Chicago nonprofit professional theater that runs youth programming and summer camps. Comparable Chicago theater with both mainstage and youth education offerings, though Provision serves a broader audience mix.
• Northlight Theatre: Evanston-based professional regional theater that also runs significant education and community engagement programming. Comparable as a Chicago-area theater organization with overlapping education mission; Mudlark's Executive Director previously served as Director of Education and Community Engagement at Northlight.
• Lookingglass Theatre Company: Chicago-based ensemble theater with established youth and education programming. Comparable as a Chicago-area theater with parallel education/outreach mission and live performance focus, though broader in artistic scope than Mudlark's youth-only remit.

Others

• Peninsula Players Theatre: Wisconsin-based professional theater where Mudlark's Development Manager Emiley Kiser previously worked. Comparable as a Midwest nonprofit professional theater feeding talent into the Chicago theater ecosystem.
• TUTA Theatre Chicago: Chicago storefront theater company. Relevant as a peer organization where Mudlark's Finance & Operations Director Brad Gunter concurrently serves as Managing Director; provides adjacent comparison for Chicago storefront theater operations and economics.
• iO Theater: Chicago improv theater and training center. Directly relevant as a strategic partner — Mudlark's Teen Comedy Intensive is co-developed with iO instructors and culminates in a showcase at iO Theater — and as a comparable comedy/improv training ecosystem in the same city.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MudlarkTheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mudlark-theater-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Mudlark Theater