Actors' Theatre of Columbus

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.

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

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

• Outdoor classical theatre
• Theatre education programs
• Community performing arts
• Summer theatre camps
• Nonprofit live theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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).
6. Premium Reserved Seating: Optional premium/reserved seat tickets available for purchase, allowing early arrival and guaranteed seating on show nights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Columbus Recreation & ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partnership providing Schiller Park Amphitheatre location for outdoor performances.
• Friends of Schiller ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPark preservation organization supporting maintenance and improvements to the performance venue.
• German Village SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDirector Sponsor providing financial support with community connection benefits.
• BarcelonaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDirector Sponsor - local business providing financial sponsorship.
• WinansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDirector Sponsor - local business providing financial sponsorship.
• SE LionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCenter Stage Sponsor providing community organization sponsorship.
• WCBE 90.5 FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia Sponsor providing radio broadcast and promotional support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/actorstheatreco
• Facebookfacebook.com/ActorsTheatreOfColumbus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/actors-theatre-of-columbus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Actors' Theatre of Columbus