Son of Semele

What Son of Semele does

Son of Semele is a privately held Los Angeles theatre company founded in 2001 that produces contemporary plays and experimental performances exploring progressive social and political themes. It operates as an itinerant company since 2021 after closing its Silver Lake black box venue, staging work primarily at The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank and through co-productions with other LA theatre organizations. Its programming comprises mainstage productions (such as the 2024 world premiere of Crevasse by Tom Jacobson and The First Thousand), three annual new-works festivals (Company Creation, Solo Creation, and Quick Creation), the city-wide 'Reflections on Art and Democracy' festival launched in 2024, a feature film project (The Hour of All Things), and dance instruction classes.

The company has produced over 60 productions and supported more than 200 theatre companies and independent artists through its festival programs. Its core distribution is regional, with ticketing routed through the OvationTix online platform and ticket pricing ranging from $25 to $40 depending on seating tier and discount category (student, senior, union, group). Marketing relies on its website, Instagram, email newsletter, and consistent earned media coverage from outlets including the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Stage Raw, Stage Scene LA, and Stage and Cinema.

The company is led by Director and Producer Matthew McCray, supported by a small core creative team (1-10 employees total), with no disclosed external funding, institutional investment, or parent-company ownership. It has received 3 Ovation Awards (9 nominations), 5 LA Weekly Theatre Awards (11 nominations), 4 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, a SAGE Award, NAACP nominations, and a 2012 Pulitzer Prize nomination for a production created through its Company Creation Festival, reflecting strong critical recognition at the regional level.

Name

Son of Semele

Legal name

Son of Semele

Website

https://sonofsemele.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Son of Semele is a privately held Los Angeles theatre company founded in 2001 that produces contemporary plays, new-works festivals, and a city-wide civic arts festival, serving regional audiences and independent artists through itinerant co-productions at partner venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre Productions

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• New works festivals
• Contemporary play development
• Performing arts festivals
• Dance instruction classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for live theatre performances. Ticket pricing ranges from $25-$40 depending on show, date, and discount category.
2. Co-productions: Joint productions with partner theatre companies such as The Victory Theatre Center, splitting costs and revenues.
3. New Works Festivals: Annual festivals (Company Creation Festival, Solo Creation Festival, Quick Creation Festival) that support independent artists, generating community engagement and potential revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Son of Semele is a Los Angeles-based theatre company that produces contemporary theatrical performances, new works festivals for emerging artists, a city-wide Reflections on Art and Democracy festival, dance instruction classes, and feature film projects. The company operates as an itinerant producer, staging works at partner venues across the LA area including The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank.

Product overview

Son of Semele is a Los Angeles-based theatre company founded in 2001 that produces contemporary theatre exploring progressive ideas. The company operates as an itinerant theatre with no fixed venue, collaborating with partner organizations. Their portfolio includes mainstage theatrical productions (such as 'Crevasse' and 'The First Thousand'), an annual feature film project ('The Hour of All Things'), the city-wide 'Reflections on Art and Democracy' festival, three new works festivals for emerging artists, and dance instruction programs. The company has produced over 60 productions and supported more than 200 theatre companies through their festival programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crevasse World premiere play by Tom Jacobson about the true story of Leni Riefenstahl's 1938 Hollywood visit and her meeting with Walt Disney, exploring themes of betrayal, Nazi propaganda, and cinema. Co-produced with The Victory Theatre Center and staged for Los Angeles audiences.
• The First Thousand (Special Military Operation) Documentary-verbatim play compiling interviews with citizens of Ukraine, Russia, and America exploring democracy versus autocracy in the modern age, staged for Los Angeles audiences.
• New Works Festivals Three annual festivals (Company Creation Festival, Solo Creation Festival, and Quick Creation Festival) that provide developmental and presentation opportunities for emerging and established theatre companies and independent artists, supporting over 200 theatre makers since founding.
• Reflections on Art and Democracy Festival City-wide festival of plays, salons, lectures, and concerts in Los Angeles aimed at raising awareness about fascism, antisemitism, and the power of art to promote democracy, running March through November annually in partnership with multiple LA performing arts organizations.
• The Hour of All Things (Feature Film) Feature film written by Caridad Svich, produced in collaboration with multiple directors and a diverse ensemble of eight actors portraying a single character, exploring themes of identity and communal experience.
• Dance Classes Dance instruction programs offering Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Contemporary classes taught by experienced instructors in modern, spacious facilities.

Named customers6 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.

• The Victory Theatre CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing co-production partnership with The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank. The two companies jointly produced the world premiere of Crevasse by Tom Jacobson. The Victory Theatre Center serves as the primary performance venue for Son of Semele productions.
• Open Fist Theatre CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner in the Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025 celebration. Open Fist Theatre Company is dedicated to expanding social awareness through art and seeks diverse voices to advance social change.
• Skirball Cultural CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner hosting events for Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025. The Skirball is guided by Jewish tradition of welcoming the stranger and inspired by American democratic ideals.
• Skylight Theatre CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025. Skylight Theatre Company seeks, champions, develops and produces new works and introduces plays new to Los Angeles.
• The Road Theatre CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025. The Road Theatre Company presents plays not previously available to the LA public with socially and politically relevant voices.
• theatre dybbukmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025. Theatre dybbuk creates provocative performances exploring Jewish thought to illuminate universal human experience.
• ArtCenter College of DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Reflections festival hosting educational webinar on Education as Radical Political Act.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Echo Theater Company: LA-based theatre producing new works and developing emerging playwrights. Comparable as a small-scale, artistically ambitious LA company focused on new play development.
• Sacred Fools Theater Company: LA-based theatre company producing eclectic contemporary and experimental works. Comparable in mission, scale, and Los Angeles small-theatre ecosystem positioning to Son of Semele.
• Antaeus Theatre Company: LA-based classically focused ensemble theatre producing new and revived works with resident artist model. Comparable as a long-established LA ensemble theatre with overlapping artist community and audience demographics.
• The Victory Theatre Center: Intimate Burbank theatre and primary co-production partner of Son of Semele. Operates a similar small-scale, artist-driven model producing contemporary and classical works in an intimate setting; closest operational peer given ongoing co-production relationship.
• Rogue Machine Theatre: LA-based independent theatre company producing new and contemporary works, often in itinerant/partner-venue arrangements. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and operational model to Son of Semele's itinerant structure.
• The Road Theatre Company: LA-based theatre company producing plays not previously available to the LA public with socially and politically relevant voices. Festival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025 and directly comparable in mission and audience overlap.
• Open Fist Theatre Company: Los Angeles-based non-profit theatre company dedicated to socially conscious and provocative new works. Direct collaborator with Son of Semele on the Reflections on Art and Democracy festival, with highly overlapping audience, mission, and co-production model.
• Fountain Theatre: LA-based award-winning intimate theatre producing bold new works with social justice themes. Comparable in scale, mission focus, and producing model to Son of Semele's progressive/contemporary orientation.
• theatre dybbuk: LA-based theatre company creating provocative, artistically ambitious work exploring Jewish thought and universal human experience. Festival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025 with highly overlapping artistic sensibility and audience.
• Skylight Theatre Company: LA-based theatre company focused on developing and producing new works and plays new to Los Angeles. Festival partner in Reflections on Art and Democracy 2025, operating a similar intimate, new-works-focused model with comparable target audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sonofsemele
• Xx.com/sonofsemele
• Facebookfacebook.com/sonofsemele
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/son-of-semele-ensemble-inc

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 Son of Semele