What SPOOKY ACTION THEATER - COLLABORATORS does

Spooky Action Theater is a 75-seat black box nonprofit theater company founded in 2004 by Richard Henrich, headquartered inside the Universalist National Memorial Church at 1810 16th St NW in Washington, DC. The organization produces scripted plays, world premieres, co-productions with partner theater companies, cabaret events, and concerts, while also running education programs offering professional pathways for historically marginalized youth. The theater is positioned as one of only a few immigrant-led theaters in the DMV (DC-Maryland-Virginia) area and emphasizes diverse global voices, inclusive casting, and socially impactful programming.

Under Artistic Director Elizabeth Dinkova — a Bulgarian immigrant and Yale MFA-trained director hired in March 2023 after a national search — the theater has expanded its co-production model with organizations such as Avant Bard Theatre, Solas Nua, Theatre Prometheus, Keegan Theatre, and LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Technical infrastructure is modest: a Shopify-powered e-commerce store for ticketing and merchandise, Givebutter and Zeffy for donations and select ticketing, and conventional lighting/projection equipment used to stage productions. The 75-seat venue supports flexible seating and staging configurations, and a DC Commission on Arts and Humanities Capital Projects Grant is funding accessibility upgrades.

The theater generates revenue through ticket sales (pricing tiers ranging from pay-what-you-want at $5 to premium table seating at $100, with student and senior discounts), recurring donations via Givebutter, education programs, and merchandise/cabaret events. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer online, supplemented by co-production venue partnerships that extend runs to other DC-area and (via LaMaMa) New York venues. The customer base comprises individual theater-goers, donors, foundation supporters, and episodic event renters, with marketing driven by an email newsletter, organic social media, earned press in DC publications, and community partnerships.

Name

SPOOKY ACTION THEATER - COLLABORATORS

Legal name

Spooky Action Theater

Website

https://spookyaction.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spooky Action Theater is a 75-seat nonprofit black box theater in Washington, DC, founded in 2004 and led since 2023 by Yale-trained Bulgarian director Elizabeth Dinkova. It produces immigrant-led, globally diverse productions, co-productions with peer theaters, and youth education programs, funded by ticket sales, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Performing arts venue
• Theatrical performances
• Stage productions
• Community theater programs

Headquarters

HQ city

S Central Washington Co

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from sale of tickets to theatrical productions and events. Tickets are sold at various price points including general admission, senior, student, and pay-what-you-can options. Some productions offer premium table seating with complimentary drinks.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The theater receives donations from supporters, evidenced by their 2026-2027 Season donation page on Givebutter. The End of Year Party event also serves as a fundraiser with ticket prices partially tax-deductible.
3. Education Programs: Education programs offering pathways to the profession for historically marginalized youth, supporting community engagement and future audience development.
4. Merchandise and Cabaret Events: The theater sells merchandise and hosts special cabaret events with food and beverage service, including intimate concerts and performances with table seating options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Spooky Action Theater is a nonprofit live performance venue that produces and stages theatrical productions in a 75-seat black box theater located inside the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, DC. The company mounts a seasonal slate of plays, cabarets, world premieres, adaptations, and special events, and offers community and education programs supporting historically marginalized youth pathways into the theater profession.

Product overview

Spooky Action Theater operates as a single-venue performing arts organization offering theatrical productions, live performances, and special events. The 75-seat black box theater presents a diverse portfolio of plays, cabarets, and concerts, including world premieres, adaptations, and co-productions with other theater companies. The theater sells tickets through its Shopify-powered online store for productions such as 'The Dragon,' 'HAKAWATIS: WOMEN OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS,' 'Father Lear,' 'The Undercity,' 'Tambo and Bones,' 'Stew,' 'The Roaring Girl,' 'The H Twins,' and various cabaret events. The venue is located at 1810 16th Street NW in Washington, DC, inside the Universalist National Memorial Church. Productions include content warnings for various themes and offer accessibility accommodations including captioned performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Dragon

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 Helen Hayes Awards for Professor Woland's Black Magic Rock Show, including Outstanding Production
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Theatre PrometheuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Theatre Prometheus is presenting 'The Roaring Girl' at Spooky Action Theater, a gender-inclusive adaptation of the Jacobean comedy. The production is co-directed by Sarah Marie Wilson and Sophia Menconi through the Pitch Your Passion mentorship program.
• Pinky Swear ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Pinky Swear Productions presented 'The H Twins' by Hope Campbell Gundlah at Spooky Action Theater. The production utilized expanded lighting and projection elements.
• Universalist National Memorial ChurchcoreOthers · 1 August 2023Signed an unprecedented 7-year lease (August 2023) with the Universalist National Memorial Church to ensure the theater's longevity in DC. The theater is housed in the church's renovated downstairs auditorium.
• Solas NuacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolas Nua presented 'HAKAWATIS: WOMEN OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' in association with Spooky Action Theater (September-October 2026). Also partnered for 'You'll See...' production with Keegan Theatre.
• LaMaMa Experimental Theatre ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld premiere of 'The Undercity' by Gaby FeBland in association with LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club (June 2027). LaMaMa is a renowned experimental theater venue in New York.
• Avant Bard TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership for 'Father Lear' world premiere. Performances split between Spooky Action Theatre (April 8-18, 2027) and Avant Bard Theatre at Gunston Arts Center in Arlington, VA (April 22-May 8, 2027).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Washington, DC-based theater known for producing bold, innovative new works and premieres. Comparable as a DC theater presenting contemporary and experimental work, though Woolly Mammoth operates at significantly larger scale and is much better funded.
• Round House Theatre: Maryland/DC-area professional theater producing a mix of new works, classics, and musicals. Comparable as a DMV-area theater sharing audience demographic, though operating at substantially larger scale and with bigger budgets.
• Studio Theatre: Established DC theater presenting contemporary plays, classics, and new works in multiple performance spaces. Comparable as a DC theater focusing on innovative programming and artist development, with overlapping audience base in the DMV area.

Direct peers

• Avant Bard Theatre: Arlington, VA-based small theater company producing adventurous new works and reimagined classics. Directly comparable as a DMV peer of similar scale, also co-produces with Spooky Action on productions like Father Lear.
• Keegan Theatre: DC-based small professional theater producing plays and musicals in an intimate setting. Comparable as a similar-scale DMV peer producing a mix of contemporary and classic work, and a partner on co-productions like You'll See.
• Constellation Theatre Company: DC-based small theater company producing adventurous and emotionally charged works. Comparable as a similar-scale DMV theater emphasizing bold artistic programming, immigrant and diverse perspectives, and a mission-driven artistic profile.
• Solas Nua: DC-based nonprofit producing contemporary Irish theater. Comparable as a small DC cultural organization presenting international perspectives, and a frequent co-production partner with Spooky Action.
• GALA Hispanic Theatre: DC-area culturally-focused theater producing works in Spanish and English celebrating Latino and Hispanic heritage. Comparable as a mission-driven DC theater centering immigrant and underrepresented cultural voices in its programming.
• Theater J: DC's flagship Jewish theater producing bold contemporary work exploring Jewish, social, and political themes. Comparable as a culturally-rooted DMV theater with similar thematic emphasis and an audience that overlaps with Spooky Action's.
• LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club: Renowned New York experimental theater venue supporting avant-garde work and international artists. Comparable as an experimental-focused theater that has partnered with Spooky Action for world premieres (The Undercity).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spooky-action-theater

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 SPOOKY ACTION THEATER - COLLABORATORS