South Bend Civic Theatre Inc

What South Bend Civic Theatre Inc does

South Bend Civic Theatre Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre founded in 1957 by two University of Notre Dame graduates, headquartered at 403 N. Main Street in downtown South Bend, Indiana, in a landmark historic domed former First Church of Christ Scientist building housing Wilson Auditorium and Warner Studio Theatre. The organization produces mainstage plays and musicals across an annual season, runs a separate Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) series launched in 2009, and operates a community-focused play-reading program (Scripts and Sips). It is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors with a 15-person paid staff led by Executive Director Aaron Nichols.

The company's core products are live theatrical productions and a layered education division that includes SummerStage summer camps (K through grade 12), year-round youth classes, the Civic Youth Company ($1,000/year for grades 5-12), adult acting and musical-theatre classes ($135-$200 for a six-week series), subsidized school field-trip performances ($10/student, $5 for Title I schools), after-school workshops hosted at county libraries, cross-promotional summer camps co-hosted with the Studebaker National Museum, the History Museum and the South Bend Museum of Art, and a $1,000 undergraduate volunteer scholarship and a $1,500-stipend Production Internship. There is no proprietary technology stack; ticket sales are processed through the third-party OvationTix platform and the organization operates a standard WordPress website plus Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Revenue is generated through an entirely transactional mix: unit-priced ticket sales via OvationTix and the on-site box office, tuition for camps and classes, and a donation/sponsorship stack that historically includes 1st Source Bank, Shein Trust, University of Notre Dame, KeyBank, South Bend Venues Parks and Arts, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County (African American Community Fund), Indiana Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, John W. Anderson Foundation, AEP Foundations and Holladay Properties. The volunteer-driven model (auditions, front-of-house, set/costume construction) underwrites the production schedule, while school field trips, museum co-camps and library workshops distribute reach across the Greater Michiana region.

Name

South Bend Civic Theatre Inc

Legal name

South Bend Civic Theatre Inc

Website

https://sbct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South Bend Civic Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre in South Bend, Indiana, that produces mainstage productions, Theatre for Young Audiences performances, summer camps, year-round youth and adult classes, and subsidized school field trips, serving local families, regional schools and Greater Michiana audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre & Performing Arts Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAD

Community & Amateur Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAN

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYTHAJAFAB

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Live Entertainment & Ticketed Events (Shows, Concerts, Sports Experiences)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Community performing arts
• Theatre education programs
• Youth summer camps
• School field trip programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

South Bend

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for mainstage productions, summer stage performances, and education program performances. Tickets are sold through the Ovatix platform and at the box office.
2. Summer Camps and Classes: Tuition fees for summer camps ranging from $200-$450 per session, year-round classes for youth (grades K-12) and adults, and specialized workshops. Includes Musical Company ($1,000/year) and Acting Company programs.
3. Field Trip Revenue: Schools pay $10 per student for field trip performances ($5 for Title I schools), with $15 per chaperone. Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) productions offer reduced-cost tickets to students.
4. Donations and Sponsorships: 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. Major sponsors include 1st Source Bank, Shein Trust, Notre Dame, KeyBank, and numerous other organizations. Undergraduate volunteer scholarships funded through donations.
5. Donations and Support: Theatre accepts donations through its website and offers season sponsorships to corporate partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

South Bend Civic Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre that produces live theatrical productions on its mainstage (Wilson Auditorium and Warner Studio) and delivers year-round theatre education programs for youth and adults in the South Bend region. Its portfolio spans mainstage plays and musicals, Theatre for Young Audiences productions, SummerStage camps, youth and adult classes, school field trips subsidized by the Shein Trust, and community programs like Scripts and Sips. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, tuition, donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation/government grants.

Product overview

South Bend Civic Theatre is a nonprofit community theatre organization offering a diverse portfolio of live theatrical productions and educational programs. Its core offerings include mainstage productions in Wilson Auditorium and Warner Studio (plays and musicals across its annual season), and Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) performances launched in 2009. The education division provides structured programming including SummerStage camps, youth classes (Creative Dramatics K-2nd, Theatre Basics 3rd-5th, Civic Youth Company 5th-12th), adult classes (18+), and field trip experiences subsidized by the Shein Trust. Community engagement programs include Scripts and Sips play readings, volunteer opportunities, and a $1000 undergraduate scholarship for performing arts-bound students. Ticket sales are managed through the OvationTix platform. The organization also offers a production internship program with a $1500 stipend.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scripts and Sips: A play reading series featuring informal readings in a cafe-style setting with complimentary popcorn and drinks available for purchase.
• Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)
• SummerStage

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions Live theatrical productions staged in Wilson Auditorium and Warner Studio featuring plays and musicals across an annual season, presented for ticketed general audiences and supporters in the South Bend region.
• Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) Developmentally appropriate theatrical productions created for young audiences, offering reduced-cost field trip performances for students from across the region with the goal of cultivating curiosity and exposure to the arts.
• SummerStage Camps Full-day, two-week production camps for youth in grades 3-12 that culminate in fully produced performances, coached by experienced instructors in acting, musical theatre, improv, and more ($450/session).
• Junior SummerStage Camp Half-day summer camp for kindergarten through 2nd grade that culminates in a joint performance with SummerStage Session 1 ($220/session).
• Youth Classes Year-round curriculum for students in grades K-12 covering acting, improvisation, movement, voice, auditioning, scene study, dance, and singing, with six-week sessions priced at $175 for grades K-2.
• Civic Youth Company Annual subscription training program for grades 5-12 offering workshops, productions, and trips to professional productions, with separate Musical Company and Acting Company tracks.
• Adult Classes Theatre classes for adults 16+ at all skill levels, including Advanced Adult Performance Workshop, Jazz and Musical Theatre, and Tap Dance, designed to develop theatrical skills in a 6-week series format.
• Field Trip Program Theatre for Young Audiences field trip experiences for school groups, including performances and standards-aligned education resource packets, with pricing of $10/student ($5 for Title I schools) and $15/chaperone.
• Scripts and Sips Informal play reading series held in the Main Lobby in a cafe-style setting with complimentary popcorn and drinks available for purchase, offered as an alternative entry point to live theatre for the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 9,000 elementary and middle school students enjoyed TYA productions in 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Bend Venues, Parks and ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 sponsor; Municipal venue and arts organization partnership.
• Studebaker National MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for (Hi)Story to Stage summer camp where students explore museum exhibits and create original plays.
• History Museum (South Bend)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for (Hi)Story to Stage summer camp where students explore history and create original plays.
• South Bend Museum of ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for We The Puppets: An (Art)full Puppet Theatre Summer Camp teaching puppetry and character creation.
• St. Joseph County Public Library (SJCPL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for free after-school workshops at Tutt Branch location.
• Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for free after-school workshops at Main Branch location.
• Indiana University South Bend (IUSB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUSB instructors John Thompson contribute to free after-school workshops for character development.
• The Music VillageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSean Conlon from The Music Village contributes to after-school workshops for sound design.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• DeBartolo Performing Arts Center: University of Notre Dame's performing arts venue presenting professional touring productions. Comparable as the most direct local competitor for South Bend theatre audiences and as the founding institution of SBCT's original founders.
• South Bend Symphony Orchestra: Regional performing arts nonprofit based in South Bend also relying on ticket sales, donations, and corporate sponsorships. Comparable as a fellow nonprofit cultural institution competing for the same local donor base and audience discretionary spend.

Direct peers

• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based theatre whose mission centers on Theatre for Young Audiences productions and year-round theatre education programs. Comparable to SBCT specifically on the TYA and youth-classes vertical that distinguishes SBCT's programming mix.
• Civic Theatre of Greater LaGrange: Suburban Chicago community theatre running mainstage productions and a substantial youth education program (camps, classes, conservatory). Comparable to SBCT as a similarly-sized civic-named theatre with volunteer participation and a tuition-funded youth pipeline.
• Civic Theatre of Indianapolis: Indianapolis-based community theatre founded in 1915 that operates on the same nonprofit, volunteer-driven, education-rich model as SBCT. Comparable because both serve Indiana communities with mainstage seasons plus extensive youth education programming and tuition-based classes.

Regional players

• Pioneer Theatre Guild / Penn High School Theatre: Local high school theatre programs in the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris area producing musicals and plays with student casts. Comparable to SBCT's youth programming as the primary feeder pool for its Civic Youth Company and TYA audiences.
• Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre: Indianapolis-area dinner theatre presenting year-round musical productions with paid professional casts. Comparable as another Indiana-based live theatre competitor drawing from the same regional audience pool for evening entertainment.
• Bloomington Playwrights Project: Indiana community theatre focused on new plays plus education programming. Comparable to SBCT as another Indiana-based nonprofit theatre with a similar mix of productions and youth education offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Actors Theatre of Louisville: Larger professional regional theatre in Louisville producing mainstage seasons plus the Humana Festival. Comparable to SBCT as a Kentucky/Indiana-adjacent theatre serving similar regional audiences, though it operates at a professional rather than community scale.
• Indiana Repertory Theatre: Indianapolis-based professional regional theatre with an established youth education program (including school matinees). Comparable to SBCT as a larger Indiana theatre competing for touring audiences and the same corporate sponsorship dollars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SBCivic
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbcivic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-bend-civic-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 South Bend Civic Theatre Inc