Ross Petty Productions

What Ross Petty Productions does

Ross Petty Productions Inc. is a privately held Toronto-based family entertainment company founded in 1996 that produces annual holiday pantomime musicals at the historic Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres. The core product is a fractured-fairy-tale musical staged over approximately 40 performances each December through early January, featuring audience participation, contemporary pop songs, and recurring Canadian theatre talent. The company has produced over 27 distinct titles, including Robin Hood, Cinderella, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, and A Christmas Carol, and broadcasts TV specials on Canadian networks (CBC, CTV, Family Channel).

The business model combines three revenue streams: ticket sales from live performances, corporate sponsorship packages valued at over $1,000,000 per three-month October-December campaign, and ancillary broadcast and virtual streaming rights. Named enterprise sponsors include Lowe's Canada, CIBC (three consecutive years as presenting sponsor), and Sleep Country Canada. Distribution is regional (Ontario-focused) with past national TV reach and pandemic-era virtual streaming. The company has 11-50 employees and is controlled by founder Ross Petty, with no external institutional or venture capital backing disclosed.

Operationally, the company entered a 2024 strategic partnership with Canadian Stage, Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre, following Ross Petty's 2022 retirement from producing. Ross Petty now holds the title of Executive Producer Emeritus. The 2024 Wizard of Oz production played to sell-out houses, and forward bookings include a 2025 Robin Hood and a 2026-2027 Cinderella production, signaling continued multi-year operating viability.

Name

Ross Petty Productions

Legal name

Ross Petty Productions Inc.

Website

https://rosspetty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ross Petty Productions produces annual family holiday pantomime musicals at Toronto's Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, serving Ontario families and corporate sponsors through live performances, TV specials, and integrated brand partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre and Family Entertainment

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Holiday, Seasonal & Christmas Markets (MPAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Family holiday musicals
• Theatrical pantomime productions
• Live theatre entertainment
• Corporate sponsorship marketing
• TV broadcast specials

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from live theatre performances at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres. Shows run December through early January with approximately 40 performances per production, playing to sell-out houses.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Multi-channel marketing and promotion campaign spanning October-December, valued at over $1,000,000. Includes in-show commercials played during 40 live performances, brand presence on paid advertising (radio, billboards, subway door cards, newspapers, posters, online), and program ad placements.
3. Virtual Show Access: Online streaming of pantomime productions during COVID-19 pandemic. 'Pick Your Own Path' interactive versions offered. Links available for 72-hour viewing periods.
4. TV Broadcast Rights: Television specials broadcast on major Canadian networks including CTV (1997, 1998), CBC (2007, 2018), and Family Channel (2018).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ross Petty Productions creates and produces annual family holiday pantomime musicals featuring fractured fairy tales, audience participation, contemporary pop songs, and comedic elements, performed live at Toronto's historic Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres. The company also produces broadcast TV specials, virtual streaming versions, a commemorative book, and corporate sponsorship/brand integration packages for Canadian corporations.

Product overview

Ross Petty Productions operates as a single-product live theatre company offering annual family holiday pantomime productions at Toronto's historic Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres. The core offering consists of original musical adaptations of fractured fairy tales featuring audience participation, contemporary pop songs, and comedic elements. The portfolio includes supplementary products: TV Specials (broadcast adaptations on CBC, CTV, Family Channel), Virtual Panto Shows (streaming versions with interactive features), a commemorative 25+ Years of Family Musicals book, and Sponsor/Brand Integration packages for corporate marketing partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family Holiday Musicals (Pantomimes) Annual family-oriented holiday pantomime productions featuring fractured fairy tales performed at Toronto's Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, featuring audience participation, contemporary pop songs, and comedic elements. Approximately 40 live performances per production from December through early January.
• TV Specials Broadcast television adaptations of select pantomime productions aired on major Canadian networks including CBC, CTV, and Family Channel.
• Virtual Panto Shows Online streaming versions of pantomime productions, including interactive 'Pick Your Own Path' viewing options, offered during pandemic years with 72-hour viewing windows.
• 25+ Years of Family Musicals Book Commemorative hardcover book documenting 25+ years of Ross Petty pantomime productions, featuring hundreds of color photos, cast/crew recollections, and a who's who of Canadian showbiz.
• Corporate Sponsor/Brand Integration Package Multi-channel marketing partnership opportunity offering in-show commercial appearances during approximately 40 live performances, brand presence on advertising materials (radio, billboards, subway door cards, newspapers, posters, online), three-month campaign, and client hosting opportunities. Valued at over $1,000,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sell-out productions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

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

• Canadian StagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre company partnered with Ross Petty Productions to continue the holiday panto tradition after Petty's retirement. Canadian Stage Artistic Director Brendan Healy and Executive Director Monica Esteves initiated the partnership to breathe new life into the Pantos. First production under the partnership was 'The Wizard of Oz' in December 2024 at the Elgin Winter Garden Theatre Centre. Ross Petty serves as Executive Producer Emeritus.
• Lowe's CanadamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresented multiple Ross Petty Productions holiday family musicals. Alan Huggins, President stated: 'These family-friendly musicals have provided a positive alignment for the LOWE'S brand with our target consumer.'
• CIBCmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for three consecutive years of holiday family musicals. Victor Dodig, President and CEO: 'CIBC was proud to have been your Presenting Sponsor for the past three years and we continue to look forward to hosting our clients at your holiday shows.'
• Sleep Country CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor with in-show commercial featuring the show's onstage actors filmed at sponsor's place of business. Christine Magee, Co-Founder and Chair: 'We were delighted with the Video Commercial you created, which was a fun-loving spot that captured the essence of the Sleep County brand.'
• CTVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision broadcast partner for multiple specials including Robin Hood (1997), Jack and the Beanstalk (1998), and earlier productions.
• CBCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision broadcast partner for A Christmas Carol (2007) and The Wizard of Oz (2018) specials.
• Family ChannelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision broadcast partner for The Wizard of Oz (2018) special.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Montreal-based global live entertainment giant producing theatrical shows. Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered live entertainment company with family audiences, premium ticketing, and corporate sponsorship at scale.
• Live Nation Canada: Global live entertainment conglomerate operating in Canada. Comparable as a large-scale live event producer and venue operator with corporate sponsorship integration, though operating at significantly larger scale across concert and theatrical verticals.
• Disney Theatrical Group: Producer of Broadway and touring family musicals based on Disney IP (Lion King, Aladdin, etc.). Comparable as a producer of family-oriented fractured fairy tale / classic story musicals with corporate sponsorship, TV broadcast, and merchandise integration.

Direct peers

• Soulpepper Theatre Company: Toronto-based not-for-profit theatre company producing a season of plays and musicals. Comparable as a year-round Toronto performing arts company with subscription ticketing, corporate sponsorship, and family programming overlap.
• The Second City: Toronto-based comedy theatre company producing live improv and scripted shows with a strong family holiday programming tradition. Comparable as a Toronto-headquartered live entertainment company with corporate event hosting and family audience targeting.
• Drayton Entertainment: Ontario-based not-for-profit theatre operator running multiple venues across Ontario including family musical productions. Closely comparable as a regional Ontario producer of family-friendly musical theatre with pantomime-style programming and corporate sponsorship models.
• Canadian Stage: Canada's largest not-for-profit theatre company and Ross Petty's 2024 partner for the panto revival. Directly comparable as a Toronto-based performing arts company producing live theatre for general audiences, with overlapping venue access at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres.
• Mirvish Productions: Toronto-based live theatre producer operating the Princess of Wales Theatre, Royal Alexandra Theatre, and other major venues. Directly comparable as a Toronto-headquartered commercial producer of theatrical productions targeting family and broad audiences, with similar sponsorship and ticketing infrastructure.

Regional players

• Shaw Festival: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario-based repertory theatre producing musicals and plays in a seasonal model. Comparable as a Canadian regional theatre with subscription ticketing, corporate sponsorship, and family-friendly programming.
• Stratford Festival: Canada's largest classical repertory theatre festival based in Stratford, Ontario. Comparable as a major Canadian producing organization staging musical theatre with corporate sponsorship and a multi-month annual season targeting family audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rosspettypro
• Facebookfacebook.com/RossPettyProductions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ross-petty-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ross Petty Productions