Presidio Theatre

What Presidio Theatre does

Presidio Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue located within the Presidio of San Francisco national park at 99 Moraga Avenue. Originally built in 1939 by the U.S. Army with Works Progress Administration funding, the venue operated as an entertainment hub for military personnel and families until the Army's 1994 departure, then sat vacant for over 20 years before a 2017–2019 renovation — funded by the Margaret E. Haas Fund and delivered in partnership with the Presidio Trust — doubled its usable space and added two new wings. The theatre reopened to the public in September 2019 as a community performing arts center and presents a diverse calendar spanning theatre, dance, film, music, comedy, and speaker events.

The organization operates a portfolio of three event spaces — a 612-seat main auditorium with full lobby, concessions, and box office; an intimate 50-seat Black Box Studio used for cabaret and experimental productions; and an outdoor plaza with standing capacity of 500 supported by in-ground tent anchors — plus comprehensive back-of-house facilities including dressing rooms, green room, catering kitchen, loading dock, and rehearsal studio. The technology stack is light and entirely commodity: Spektrix for ticketing, Square for donation processing, MailChimp for email, and Google Tag Manager for analytics; there is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, and no API. Signature programming includes the annual "Panto in the Presidio" holiday sub-brand and co-presented content with San Francisco Performances, Music@Menlo, and Stanford Live.

Revenue is generated through four streams: ticket sales (face values $15–$198 across youth programming, dance, music, and premium engagements, with a 10% service and restoration fee waived for members); venue rentals for corporate and private events handled via the events team; an annual membership program with waived fees and priority access; and concessions (snacks, soft drinks, beer, and wine). Distribution combines direct channels (website box office, phone, in-person) with third-party ticketing platforms including City Box Office, TodayTix, and Eventbrite. The customer base spans individual ticket buyers, performing arts companies and touring artists, corporate and private event planners, and community groups served through the Community Seats Program, which distributes tickets to students, educators, veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers.

Name

Presidio Theatre

Legal name

Presidio Theatre

Website

https://presidiotheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Presidio Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue in San Francisco's Presidio, operating a 612-seat auditorium, 50-seat Black Box Studio, and 500-capacity outdoor plaza to present theatre, dance, film, music, comedy, and speaker events for Bay Area audiences, touring artists, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

Keywords

• Live performance venue
• Performing arts center
• Venue rental services
• Theatrical productions
• Community arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The primary revenue stream comes from selling tickets to live performances. The theatre charges a 10% service and restoration fee on top of ticket face value, waived for members. Tickets range from $15-$20 for youth programming to $49-$88 for premium performances like Paul Taylor Dance Company.
2. Venue Rentals: The theatre offers its facilities for rent including the 612-seat auditorium, outdoor plaza (standing capacity up to 500), black box/rehearsal studio, and various backstage spaces. Rental inquiries are handled via [email protected].
3. Donations and Memberships: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Presidio Theatre accepts donations and offers membership programs. Members receive benefits such as waived service fees on tickets. The Community Seats Program helps expand access to live performance for underserved populations.
4. Concessions: The venue offers snacks, soft drinks, beer, and wine. Beverages are allowed in the auditorium while food is only permitted in the lobby areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Presidio Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts venue in San Francisco's Presidio that operates a 612-seat historic main auditorium, a 50-seat black box studio, and a 500-person outdoor plaza. The venue produces and presents live performances spanning theatre, dance, film, music, comedy, and speakers, and additionally rents its spaces to corporate and community event organizers.

Product overview

Presidio Theatre is a live performing arts venue that operates as a unified portfolio of event spaces and programs rather than a software platform. The core offerings include the 612-seat Main Auditorium for professional dance, theater, music, film, comedy, and speaker performances; the intimate 50-seat Black Box Studio for cabaret and experimental productions; the Outdoor Plaza for outdoor events with capacity up to 500; and comprehensive back-of-house facilities for visiting productions. The theater supplements its venue operations with a Membership Program offering fee waivers and priority access, and a Community Seats Program that provides tickets to underserved populations. The venue is also available for private rental for events ranging from holiday parties to conferences. The annual Panto in the Presidio holiday tradition represents a signature programming sub-brand featuring family-friendly pantomime productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Auditorium Performances A 612-seat historic main auditorium presenting live theatre, dance, film, music, comedy, and speaker events for general audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Black Box Studio

Quantifiable outcome

• Community Seats Program provides tickets to students, educators, veterans, first responders, and nonprofit employees

Named customers5 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Presidio TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresidio Trust is a partner in the Presidio Theatre's operations and restoration. The theatre is located on Presidio Trust land and partners on programming and community access initiatives. The renovation (2017-2019) was made possible in partnership with the Presidio Trust.
• Golden Gate National Parks ConservancysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting Presidio Theatre operations and preservation efforts within the Golden Gate National Parks.
• San Francisco PerformancescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner for Paul Taylor Dance Company. San Francisco Performances curates specific Taylor dances and avant-garde collaborations for Presidio Theatre audiences, including works by Robert Rauschenberg and Alex Katz.
• Music@MenlosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresentation partner for Gilles Vonsattel Piano Recital, part of special engagements in the Bay Area featuring Beethoven's complete piano sonata cycle.
• Stanford LivesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting partner with Music@Menlo for the Vonsattel recital series.
• W HotelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for 'After the Thin Man' screening event as part of the 'Giving Screen' series.
• SpektrixsupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party ticketing vendor solution that processes and manages ticket sales for Presidio Theatre.
• SquaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing platform used for donation processing at Presidio Theatre.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Yoshi's Oakland: Bay Area music venue presenting jazz and world music with restaurant and rental components. Comparable multi-stream revenue model in live performance space.
• Lesher Center for the Arts: Walnut Creek performing arts center presenting theater, music, and dance across multiple venues. Comparable nonprofit presenter model with multi-space operations.
• The California Theatre (San Jose): Historic San Jose theater presenting music, comedy, and touring productions. Comparable historic-venue positioning and broad programming diversity.
• Fox Theatre Redwood City: Historic 1929 Bay Area theater presenting music, comedy, and film. Comparable historic-venue positioning with mixed ticketed and rental revenue model.
• Mountain Winery: Historic Saratoga, CA venue combining performing arts with private events in a scenic setting. Comparable in heritage-venue positioning and event rental revenue diversification.

Direct peers

• Nourse Theater (SFJAZZ): San Francisco mid-sized performing arts venue (~800 seats) presenting curated music, theater, and dance. Direct peer in scale, programming diversity, and presenter model serving Bay Area audiences.
• Herbst Theatre: San Francisco historic performing arts venue in the War Memorial complex presenting curated music, dance, and spoken-word programming. Closely comparable in programming mix and presenter model.
• Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: Iconic San Francisco historic venue hosting theater, comedy, and music in a landmark setting. Comparable architectural heritage positioning and curated presenter programming model.
• Cowell Theater at Fort Mason: Bay Area performing arts venue within the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture. Comparable scale and similar scenic park-adjacent setting, presenting diverse performing arts programming.

Broad incumbents

• Freud Playhouse (UCLA): Mid-sized university-affiliated theater presenting touring performing arts. Comparable mid-capacity presenter model, though with institutional rather than independent nonprofit backing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PresidioTheatreSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/presidio-theatre

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 Presidio Theatre