The State Theatre In State College, Pa

What The State Theatre In State College, Pa does

The State Theatre in State College, PA is a community-owned performing arts center operated by State Theatre, Inc., a 501(c)(3) Public Charity (EIN 68-0490220, NTEE A61) founded in 2001 and based at 130 West College Avenue in State College, Pennsylvania. The organization runs two performance spaces — the main Friedman Auditorium and a smaller, more intimate room called The Attic — and serves Centre County, PA as its primary market. Programming is multi-format and live-event driven: national and regional touring concerts (rock, country, indie, blues, Americana — e.g., Steve Earle, The Brothers Comatose, St. Paul & The Broken Bones), The Met: Live in HD opera broadcasts, a curated classic and specialty film slate (Amplified – Music on Film, New York on the Edge, Read It, Watch It), comedy/improv, and community/local events.

The revenue model is a hybrid earned-income plus contributed-income nonprofit stack. Earned revenue comes from ticket sales (adult admission from ~$12.68, student tickets at $10.58, Met Opera at $21.60, movies in the $10.58-$12.64 band), private venue rentals (weddings, corporate events, benefits), and gift certificate sales. Recurring/subscription revenue comes from the four-tier Opera Buffs membership ($100 Operetta, $250 Operatif, $500 Opera Comique, $1,000 Grand Opera). Contributed revenue is sourced from tax-deductible donations, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts state arts funding, and National Endowment for the Arts pass-through funding. The technology stack is intentionally lightweight: a WordPress marketing website at thestatetheatre.org, a separate vivenu-powered ticketing storefront at tickets.thestatetheatre.org handling ticket, membership, donation, and gift certificate transactions, and a small marketing footprint consisting of a website, email/newsletter, and Facebook/X organic social sharing. Customer acquisition is event-driven via programming announcements, co-promotion with regional radio (WXPN) and corporate sponsors (regional real estate firms such as Poole Anderson and Yocum Real Estate Centre), and direct walk-up/e-commerce through the box office and online ticketing.

Name

The State Theatre In State College, Pa

Legal name

STATE THEATRE, INC.

Website

https://thestatetheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The State Theatre in State College, PA is a community-owned 501(c)(3) performing arts center that operates two venues — the Friedman Auditorium and The Attic — and serves Centre County with concerts, opera broadcasts, classic film screenings, comedy, local events, and private rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Center

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Live event venue
• Performing arts center
• Movie screenings
• Opera broadcasts
• Community theatre

Headquarters

HQ city

State College

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to live music events, movies, opera screenings, comedy shows, and other performances at the theatre.
2. Membership Programs: Opera Buffs membership tiers ($100-$1,000) offering benefits including program recognition, free tickets, discounted wine, and exclusive access to opera events.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Receives state arts funding through Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts.
4. Private Event Rentals: The theatre facility is available for private rental opportunities including weddings, benefit events, and private gatherings.
5. Gift Certificates: Sale of gift certificates for ticket purchases and concessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The State Theatre is a community-owned performing arts center in State College, PA that operates two performance spaces (The Friedman Auditorium and The Attic) to host live music concerts, first-run and classic film screenings, Met Opera Live in HD broadcasts, comedy, and local community events. It sells tickets, gift certificates, and private venue rentals, and sustains operations through an Opera Buffs tiered membership program and charitable donations as a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Product overview

The State Theatre is a community-owned performing arts center serving Centre County, Pennsylvania. The venue operates primarily as a live event host with two performance spaces: the main Friedman Auditorium and The Attic (an intimate secondary space). Its programming spans four core pillars: (1) live music concerts featuring national and local artists across genres including rock, country, indie, blues, and Americana; (2) movies including first-run, classic, and documentary films; (3) opera through The Met: Live in HD broadcasts; and (4) local community events. The theatre also offers private venue rentals for events and maintains a membership program (Opera Buffs) with tiered benefits. The venue uses an external ticketing platform (vivenu) for online ticket sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Friedman Auditorium: Main auditorium venue within The State Theatre hosting major concerts and events.
• The Attic

Products and services

• Live Concerts and Performances

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• WXPNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhiladelphia radio station WXPN partners with The State Theatre for promotional support of select events, such as the Steve Earle concert. WXPN is a public radio station that provides artist co-promotion and media exposure.
• Poole AndersonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional real estate company sponsoring The Brothers Comatose concert at The State Theatre as part of their community engagement initiatives.
• Yocum Real Estate CentreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal real estate company providing event sponsorship for concerts at The State Theatre, supporting live music in the community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Sinclair: Music venue and restaurant in Cambridge, MA, presenting indie, rock, and Americana touring acts in an intimate seated/standing-room format. Comparable as a mixed-format mixed-genre music venue of similar scale.
• The Birchmere: Legendary music venue in Alexandria, VA, presenting Americana, roots, bluegrass, and country touring acts in a seated listening-room format. Highly comparable for programming overlap (roots/Americana focus) and seated-theatre economics.
• The Paramount Theatre: Performing arts venue in Charlottesville, VA, presenting touring music, comedy, and film programming in a restored historic theatre. Comparable as a mid-sized community theatre with multi-format programming and similar audience profile.
• World Cafe Live: Philadelphia-based music venue presenting live music (Americana, indie, roots) in a restaurant-and-music hybrid format. Comparable as a Pennsylvania-adjacent venue with similar genre mix and dinner-plus-show economics.
• The Colonial Theatre: Nonprofit community performing arts center in Phoenixville, PA, presenting live music, films, and cultural programming in a restored historic venue. Highly comparable as a Pennsylvania-based community theatre of similar size and mission, hosting both national touring acts and local programming.
• The Capitol Theatre: Restored historic performing arts venue in Port Chester, NY, presenting national touring music acts and films. Comparable as a community-rooted performing arts center with similar programming mix of live music and cinema in a smaller market.
• Rams Head On Stage: Intimate seated music venue in Annapolis, MD, presenting national touring singer-songwriters, Americana, and roots acts with dinner service. Comparable as a single-room seated venue mixing live music with ancillary F&B revenue.
• The Kent Stage: Intimate performing arts venue in Kent, Ohio, presenting national touring Americana, rock, country, and tribute acts in a small-town college-market setting. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized mixed-format venue serving a regional audience with a comparable programming mix.

Broad incumbents

• The Wilbur Theatre: Larger historic performing arts venue in Boston's Theatre District presenting national comedy, music, and variety touring acts. Comparable as a multi-format performing arts venue with broader programming scope and a larger urban footprint.

Regional players

• American Repertory Theater: Tony-winning professional nonprofit theatre company affiliated with Harvard University, producing contemporary theatre and musicals in Cambridge, MA. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) performing arts organization with similar nonprofit funding model and university-adjacent audience, though focused on dramatic theatre rather than mixed-format programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fthestatetheatre.org%2F
• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthestatetheatre.org%2F
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-state-theatre-in-state-college-pa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 State Theatre In State College, Pa