Actors' Theatre of Columbus
Actors' Theatre of Columbus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that produces free professional outdoor classical theatre at Schiller Park Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, serving general community audiences and youth through summer education programming funded by donations, memberships, sponsorships, and advertising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Actors' Theatre of Columbus does
Actors' Theatre of Columbus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that produces free professional outdoor theatre at Schiller Park Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, performing four productions per summer season on a Pay What You Will admission model with optional premium reserved seating. Its 2026 season features The Taming of the Shrew, Peter and the Starcatcher, Othello, and And Then There Were None, drawing more than 10,500 live attendees and 18,000 digital audience reach. Operations are funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: individual donations, a five-tier membership program ($50-$1,000+) with monthly sustaining options, corporate sponsorships ranging from Next Act ($250) to Season Presenter ($10,000), digital playbill advertising ($300-$500 per placement or $1,700 full season), and paid education programming.
The organization supplements its performance season with the Globe School, a year-round theatre education program offering summer camps and classes at $250 per student across grades 1-12 and adults, covering acting, improv, musical theatre, and technical theatre skills. It is governed by a 7-member Board of Trustees (President Jeff R. Lamb, Treasurer Treasure Pattison, Secretary Kekoa Kaluhiokalani, and four additional members) and led by Artistic Director Beth Josephsen alongside functional directors for Communications (Sarah Wilson), Development (Jenn Boyle), Education (Ashton Brammer), and Production (Ashley Zarzabal). The technology stack is intentionally minimal: a website at theactorstheatre.org, Ludus for ticketing and camp registration, and Airtable for advertising and sponsorship intake forms, with no proprietary AI, data, or platform infrastructure.
The business is anchored by a multi-decade community partnership network including the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Ohio Arts Council, The Columbus Foundation, Reinberger Foundation, Columbus Recreation & Parks, Friends of Schiller Park, and the German Village Society, alongside commercial sponsors such as WCBE 90.5 FM, Winans, Barcelona, and SE Lions. The cost per audience member is disclosed at $29.54, providing a transparent unit-economics anchor against which donations, memberships, and sponsorships can be benchmarked.
Actors' Theatre of Columbus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Actors' Theatre of Columbus
- Legal name
- Actors' Theatre of Columbus
- Website
- https://theactorstheatre.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Actors' Theatre of Columbus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that produces free professional outdoor classical theatre at Schiller Park Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, serving general community audiences and youth through summer education programming funded by donations, memberships, sponsorships, and advertising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Actors' Theatre of Columbus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Theatre / Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE)
Keywords
Where Actors' Theatre of Columbus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Actors' Theatre of Columbus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Program: Annual membership tiers ranging from Groundling ($50-99) to Producer ($1000+), with monthly sustaining options available. Benefits include reserved seating, VIP celebrations, ATC t-shirts, and First Fridays access.
- Donations: Tax-deductible 501(c)(3) donations from individuals. Pay What You Will model with $29.54 per audience member cost, accepting donations at performances or online.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Season sponsorships at multiple levels from Next Act ($250) to Season Presenter ($10,000). Benefits include brand visibility, public recognition, and VIP experiences.
- Digital Playbill Advertising: Full page ($500) or half page ($300) ads in digital playbills across all 4 shows. Full season package available for $1,700.
- Education Programs (Globe School): Summer theatre camps at $250 per student for various age groups (grades 1-5, 6-8, 9-12, adults). Multi-camp discounts available (2 camps for $50 off each).
- Premium Reserved Seating: Optional premium/reserved seat tickets available for purchase, allowing early arrival and guaranteed seating on show nights.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Groundling: $50-99/year or $7/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ensemble: $100-249/year or $15/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Principal: $250-499/year or $30/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Director: $500-999/year or $65/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Producer: $1000+/year or $100/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Season Presenter: $10,000 (All partnerships claimed) |
| Subscription | Annual | Director Sponsor: $5,000 (All partnerships claimed) |
| Subscription | Annual | Lights Up Sponsor: $3,000 |
| Subscription | Annual | Center Stage Sponsor: $500 |
| Subscription | Annual | Next Act Sponsor: $250 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Page Playbill Ad: $500 per show |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half Page Playbill Ad: $300 per show |
| Subscription | Annual | Full Season Ad Package: $1,700 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Globe School Camps: $250 per student |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Actors' Theatre of Columbus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Actors' Theatre of Columbus produces free outdoor classical and contemporary theatre productions at Schiller Park Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, operating on a 'Pay What You Will' admission model. The organization runs a four-production summer season (May–September) and, through its Globe School, provides year-round theatre education including summer camps, classes, and workshops for students in grades 1-12 and adults. Funding is derived from donations, memberships, corporate sponsorships, digital playbill advertising, and education program tuition.
Product overview
Actors' Theatre of Columbus is a non-profit outdoor theatre organization offering a single unified service: free professional theatre productions at Schiller Park Amphitheatre. The 2026 season features four productions (The Taming of the Shrew, Peter and the Starcatcher, Othello, and And Then There Were None), supplemented by the Globe School education program providing year-round theatre training. Revenue programs include membership tiers, corporate sponsorships, and digital playbill advertising. The organization operates on a 'Pay What You Will' admission model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Globe School at Actors' Theatre: Summer theatre education program offering camps and classes for children and adults, teaching acting, improv, musical theatre, and technical theatre skills.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,500 live attendees per season
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Actors' Theatre of Columbus
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Actors' Theatre of Columbus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Actors' Theatre of Columbus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Columbus Recreation & ParkscoreVenue partnership providing Schiller Park Amphitheatre location for outdoor performances.
- Friends of Schiller ParkcorePark preservation organization supporting maintenance and improvements to the performance venue.
- German Village SocietyminorDirector Sponsor providing financial support with community connection benefits.
- BarcelonaminorDirector Sponsor - local business providing financial sponsorship.
- WinansminorDirector Sponsor - local business providing financial sponsorship.
- SE LionsminorCenter Stage Sponsor providing community organization sponsorship.
- WCBE 90.5 FMminorMedia Sponsor providing radio broadcast and promotional support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Actors' Theatre of Columbus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Players Theatre: Spring Green, WI outdoor classical theatre producing a summer repertory season of Shakespeare and other classics — a near-direct comparable to ATC in outdoor classical programming and seasonal footprint.
- Playhouse on the Square (Memphis): Mid-sized regional repertory theatre producing a multi-show season including classical works and offering youth education programming — comparable to ATC across repertory model, education arm, and nonprofit sponsorship-driven revenue mix.
- Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Regional repertory company producing a classical-heavy season (Shakespeare alongside other works) in Ashland, OR — the closest analog to ATC as a multi-show repertory theatre built around Shakespeare and classical works.
- Summer Theatre of New Canaan: Small Northeast nonprofit producing free or low-cost outdoor summer theatre — closely comparable to ATC as a community-focused, outdoor summer repertory theatre relying on donations and sponsorships.
Regional players
- Great Lakes Theater: Cleveland-based regional repertory company producing a classical season including Shakespeare — directly comparable to ATC in classical-theatre focus and Ohio footprint, though operating an indoor venue.
- Cincinnati Shakespeare Company: Regional Shakespeare-focused company based in the Cincinnati metro — directly comparable to ATC in repertoire (Shakespeare-forward), Midwestern U.S. location, and small-staff nonprofit model.
- Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA): Columbus-based performing arts presenter and venue operator — a local-market peer to ATC in that both serve the Columbus performing arts ecosystem, though CAPA presents touring shows rather than producing its own repertory.
Broad incumbents
- Stratford Festival: Canada's largest classical repertory theatre, producing Shakespeare and other classics in a multi-venue festival — comparable to ATC in artistic mission (classical repertoire) though at much greater scale.
- The Public Theater (Free Shakespeare in the Park): New York's Public Theater runs the iconic Free Shakespeare in the Park series at Central Park's Delacorte Theater — the best-known peer operating the same free outdoor classical theatre model as ATC, with a much larger budget and national profile.
Emerging players
- Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based children's theatre and education provider — directly comparable to ATC's Globe School education arm in offering year-round performing-arts classes and camps for youth, though focused specifically on young audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Actors' Theatre of Columbus social profiles
Digital presenceActors' Theatre of Columbus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Actors' Theatre of Columbus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Actors' Theatre of Columbus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Actors' Theatre of Columbus 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 Actors' Theatre of Columbus
What does Actors' Theatre of Columbus do?
Actors' Theatre of Columbus produces free outdoor classical and contemporary theatre productions at Schiller Park Amphitheatre in Columbus, Ohio, operating on a 'Pay What You Will' admission model. The organization runs a four-production summer season (May–September) and, through its Globe School, provides year-round theatre education including summer camps, classes, and workshops for students in grades 1-12 and adults. Funding is derived from donations, memberships, corporate sponsorships, digital playbill advertising, and education program tuition.
Is Actors' Theatre of Columbus a public or private company?
Actors' Theatre of Columbus is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Actors' Theatre of Columbus founded?
Actors' Theatre of Columbus was founded in 1981. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Actors' Theatre of Columbus based?
Actors' Theatre of Columbus is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does Actors' Theatre of Columbus make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Membership Program is the primary driver. The others are donations, corporate Sponsorship, digital Playbill Advertising, education Programs (Globe School) and premium Reserved Seating.
Who are Actors' Theatre of Columbus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Players Theatre, Playhouse on the Square (Memphis), Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Summer Theatre of New Canaan. Regional players are Great Lakes Theater, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA). Broad incumbents are Stratford Festival and The Public Theater (Free Shakespeare in the Park). Imagination Stage is listed as an emerging player.
Does Actors' Theatre of Columbus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Actors' Theatre of Columbus.
What industry is Actors' Theatre of Columbus in?
Actors' Theatre of Columbus's product category is Live Theatre / Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of MPAGABAN, Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories. Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7990.