The Groundlings Theatre & School

What The Groundlings Theatre & School does

The Groundlings Theatre & School is a community-based theatre and drama school based in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, operated by The Groundlings Theatre Trust, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered as a UK charity (No. 1186929) that took over operations in April 2020. It runs a year-round programme of visiting shows, in-house productions, and an annual pantomime, alongside a drama school offering Musical Theatre for ages 7–16, Youth Drama for ages 13–18, and Singing for the Young at Heart. The organisation serves local theatre audiences, drama school students and their families, community participants, and venue hirers in the Portsmouth area.

From October 2025 the organisation operates from Boathouse 5 in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a Grade II listed building originally constructed in 1807 that was refurbished by Portsmouth Historic Quarter into a 63-seat studio theatre and a flexible main hall with step-free access. The venue was relocated after the Trust lost a contested purchase of its previous premises to property developers in September 2023. Drama school alumni have progressed to professional work with the RSC and in the West End, and the theatre has been selected for the National Theatre's Connections 2026 youth programme.

Revenue is generated through five streams: ticket sales via the third-party Ticketsolve platform (transaction-based, with family and discount options), recurring drama school tuition (monthly billing via email enrollment), venue hire at Boathouse 5 for local creatives (transaction-based), Gift Aid-eligible charitable donations, and bar sales before and during performances. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on word-of-mouth, social media, newsletter, and a volunteer-led outreach programme. There is no proprietary technology platform; the technology stack consists of standard ticketing (Ticketsolve), a Squarespace website, and conventional bar/POS systems.

Name

The Groundlings Theatre & School

Legal name

The Groundlings Theatre Trust

Website

https://groundlings.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Groundlings Theatre & School is a Portsmouth-based community theatre and drama school, run by registered charity The Groundlings Theatre Trust, that stages live performances and provides performing arts training for ages 7 and up at its Boathouse 5 venue in the Historic Dockyard.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre and Performing Arts Education

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Charter Arts & Performing Arts Schools (EDAJACAH)

Keywords

• Community theatre productions
• Drama school classes
• Musical theatre training
• Youth drama programmes
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from admission to theatre performances including visiting shows, in-house productions, and annual pantomime. Tickets sold online via Ticketsolve platform.
2. Drama School Fees: Fees for drama school classes including Musical Theatre (7-16 years), Youth Drama (13-18 years), and Singing for the Young at Heart. Classes booked via email inquiry.
3. Space/Venue Hire: Revenue from hiring out performance space, rehearsals, exhibitions, and events at Boathouse 5 for local creatives and performers.
4. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters. The theatre is operated by registered charity The Groundlings Theatre Trust (No. 1186929). UK taxpayers can gift aid donations.
5. Bar Sales: Bar revenue from sale of alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, tea, coffee, snacks, and ice cream before performances and during intervals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Groundlings Theatre & School operates a community theatre and drama school in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard at Boathouse 5. It stages a yearly programme of visiting shows, in-house productions, and an annual pantomime, and runs performing arts classes (Musical Theatre for ages 7-16, Youth Drama for ages 13-18, and Singing) taught by professional actors and directors. Supporting services include venue hire, a volunteer programme, and an on-site bar.

Product overview

The Groundlings Theatre & School operates as a single unified offering combining a community theatre venue and a drama school. The core products are the Groundlings Theatre Venue (offering professional and amateur productions including an annual pantomime) and the Groundlings Drama School (providing Musical Theatre classes for ages 7-16, Youth Drama for ages 13-18, and Singing). The venue facilities include a 63-seat studio theatre and a flexible main hall for larger performances and community events. Supporting services include venue hire for local creatives, volunteer programmes spanning front of house to technical roles, and bar services. The organisation transitioned to Boathouse 5 in the Historic Dockyard in October 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Theatre Performances and Productions Annual programme of visiting shows, in-house productions, and an annual pantomime (e.g., Cinderella, HONK! JR.) staged at the Boathouse 5 venue, featuring both professional and amateur talent. For local community audiences and visitors in Portsmouth.
• Musical Theatre Classes Saturday classes at Groundlings Drama School for ages 7-16, covering dance, singing, and acting over 3 hours, working towards an end-of-year production such as HONK! JR.
• Youth Drama Programme Weekly drama programme at Groundlings Drama School for ages 13-18, exploring different performance styles, acting techniques, and behind-the-scenes skills.
• Singing for the Young at Heart Singing classes at Groundlings Drama School aimed at older adult learners (described as 'Young at Heart'), taught by professional singing teachers.
• Venue Hire at Boathouse 5 Rental of the 63-seat studio theatre and flexible main hall at Boathouse 5 in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for performances, rehearsals, exhibitions, and events. Targeted at local creatives, performers, and organisations.
• Theatre Bar and Concessions On-site bar serving alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, tea, coffee, snacks, and ice cream, open minimum 45 minutes before performances and during intervals. Available to theatre audiences and visitors.
• Volunteer Programme Volunteer opportunities at Groundlings Theatre covering front of house, office administration, technical (lighting, sound, stage), set production, costume management, and marketing. Available to community members who wish to support the charity's operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Past drama school students have gone on to become professional actors working with the RSC and in the West End
• +1 more outcomes

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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• National TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Groundlings Theatre has secured a spot in the National Theatre's Connections programme in 2026, which is a national youth theatre programme.
• Portsmouth Historic QuartercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Portsmouth Historic Quarter manages the buildings, spaces, and heritage craft at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. They have made significant investment in Boathouse 5, transforming it into an intimate 63-seat theatre and flexible event space. Their charitable mission is to conserve, restore, and repurpose historic buildings under their care, making them accessible for future generations. Entry to the Historic Dockyard is free.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• New Theatre Royal Portsmouth: Grade II listed Victorian theatre in Portsmouth offering a programme of drama, comedy, music and pantomime, plus outreach and participation work — directly overlapping Groundlings on venue type, programming mix and Portsmouth catchment.
• Tobacco Factory Theatres: Bristol-based community theatre operating from a heritage building, producing in-house work, hosting visiting shows and running participatory/learning programmes — a structural analogue to Groundlings' theatre-plus-engagement model.
• The Watermill Theatre: A small rural UK theatre and producing house that combines a year-round programme of in-house productions, pantomime and an integrated young people's programme — closely matching Groundlings' community theatre + education hybrid model.
• Battersea Arts Centre: South London community arts centre in a Grade II* listed building running a year-round programme of in-house and visiting productions plus a substantial participation and learning programme — closely comparable scope, audience and volunteer-led operating model.
• Greenwich Theatre: Small-scale London fringe theatre producing in-house shows, hosting touring work and running youth theatre classes; comparable in size, programming mix (including pantomime) and educational offering to Groundlings.
• Theatre Royal Portsmouth: Portsmouth's principal producing and receiving theatre, directly comparable to Groundlings as a community-accessible theatre in the same city offering pantomime, drama education and a mix of visiting and in-house productions.
• Headgate Theatre: A small Essex community theatre running a programme of in-house and visiting productions and participatory drama workshops — a like-for-like peer on scale, heritage venue setting and mixed theatre/education model.

Broad incumbents

• National Theatre (Connections programme): The UK's flagship publicly funded theatre and operator of the Connections youth programme in which Groundlings participates in 2026 — comparable as a large-scale performing arts institution with extensive education and outreach, but operating at national rather than community scale.
• Sylvia Young Theatre School: Established full-time London performing arts school for school-age students with a strong track record of placing alumni in West End and professional productions — comparable to Groundlings' drama school as a feeder into professional UK theatre.
• Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC): Major UK producing theatre that runs extensive education and youth programmes and is explicitly cited as a destination employer for Groundlings drama school alumni — adjacent incumbent with overlapping training pathway and youth theatre activity.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 The Groundlings Theatre & School