Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater founded in 1971 that develops and produces new American plays, trains students through its NYU Tisch-affiliated Theater School, and rents rehearsal space to 1,100+ arts organizations annually in New York City.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Playwrights Horizons does
Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater organization founded in 1971 in New York City, dedicated to developing and producing new American theater. The organization operates two mainstage venues — the Peter Jay Sharp Theater and the Judith O. Rubin Theater at its midtown Manhattan location (416 West 42nd Street) — producing approximately six new works per season. The 2026/27 season features nine productions spanning contemporary drama, musicals, and dance-theater, including co-productions and commissions funded by the Steinberg Charitable Trust and the Peter Shaffer Charitable Foundation.
The organization runs three primary business lines: theatrical production and new play development, education through the Playwrights Horizons Theater School (a four-year BFA program operated as a studio within NYU Tisch School of the Arts, training approximately 200 students annually), and space rental through Playwrights Downtown Studios at 440 Lafayette Street, which houses 12 rehearsal studios and performance spaces serving over 1,100 arts organizations, theater artists, and companies each year. Additional offerings include a Theatrical Fellowship Program providing paid training across stage management, artistic/literary, marketing, and development departments, a High School Summer Theater Intensive community engagement program, comprehensive accessibility services (GalaPro app-based captioning, assistive listening, ASL, audio description, relaxed performances), and a digital library featuring the Almanac literary magazine, Soundstage video content, and Master Classes.
Revenue derives from multiple streams: ticket sales and season packages (Flex Passes, Patron Memberships, Gen PH for under-35 patrons, Access Passport, Student Memberships), charitable contributions including a monthly sustainer program and annual gala, space rental ($40-$85/hour standard rates; $10/hour subsidized rates via NYSCA support), and theater school tuition delivered through the NYU Tisch partnership. The organization is supported by a network of institutional funders including the New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Jerome L. Greene Foundation, Venturous Theater Fund, and various charitable trusts. Leadership comprises Artistic Director Adam Greenfield and Managing Director Casey York, the latter having risen through the organization's own Fellowship Program from a 2010/11 Marketing Fellow appointment.
Playwrights Horizons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Playwrights Horizons
- Legal name
- Playwrights Horizons
- Website
- https://playwrightshorizons.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater founded in 1971 that develops and produces new American plays, trains students through its NYU Tisch-affiliated Theater School, and rents rehearsal space to 1,100+ arts organizations annually in New York City.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Playwrights Horizons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Off-Broadway Theater
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
Keywords
Where Playwrights Horizons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Playwrights Horizons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Individual tickets sold for productions at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater and Judith O. Rubin Theater
- Season Packages and Memberships: Flex Passes (4-, 6-, 8-, or 12-ticket options), Patron Memberships, Gen PH young membership program
- Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions including monthly sustainer program, charitable bequests, matching gifts, and gala events
- Space Rental: Rental income from rehearsal studios and performance spaces at downtown (440 Lafayette) and midtown (416 West 42nd) locations
- Theater School Tuition: NYU Tisch School of the Arts undergraduate program fees for the Playwrights Horizons Theater School
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Flex Pass options ranging from 4 to 12 tickets |
| Freemium | Annual | Young Membership (under 35) |
| Freemium | Annual | Student Membership |
| Freemium | Annual | CUNY Student Membership |
| Freemium | Annual | Access Passport |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rush Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rehearsal Studio Rental (Standard) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Subsidized Rehearsal Space |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Playwrights Horizons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater company that develops and produces new American plays and musicals at two midtown Manhattan mainstage venues, presenting approximately six productions per season. It also operates a four-year BFA Theater School in partnership with NYU Tisch, runs the Theatrical Fellowship Program and New Works Lab for play development, and rents rehearsal and performance space through Playwrights Downtown Studios in NoHo.
Product overview
Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater company operating two main performance venues (Peter Jay Sharp Theater and Judith O. Rubin Theater) at its midtown Manhattan location, producing approximately six new works per season. The organization operates the Playwrights Horizons Theater School, a four-year BFA program in partnership with NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and offers Theatrical Fellowship Program providing training across stage management, artistic/literary, marketing, and development departments. Core offerings include season subscriptions and packages (Flex Passes, memberships), new works development through New Works Lab and script/director submissions, and rehearsal/performance space rental through Playwrights Downtown Studios at 440 Lafayette Street. Additional programs include accessibility services, community engagement initiatives, digital content (Almanac, Soundstage, Master Classes), and the annual Spring Gala fundraising event. The 2026/27 season features nine new productions spanning diverse genres including dance-theater, musicals, and contemporary plays.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Season Subscriptions and Packages
- New Works Development Program
- Playwrights Horizons Theater School (BFA Program)
- Playwrights Downtown Studios (Space Rental)
- Theatrical Fellowship Program
- High School Summer Theater Intensive
- 2026/27 Mainstage Season Productions
- Midtown Theater Venue Rental
Quantifiable outcome
- Many program alumni have become active directors, writers, composers, and administrators in the country
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Playwrights Horizons
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Playwrights Horizons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature2 records
Playwrights Horizons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NYU Tisch School of the ArtscorePlaywrights Horizons Theater School operates as a studio within NYU's undergraduate Department of Drama, offering a four-year multi-disciplinary training program. This partnership integrates academic training with professional theater production, providing students opportunities to engage with new play development and professional artists.
- P73coreCo-production partner for 'Wold Meteor' by Kate Attwell, with songs by Sunder Ganglani and directed by Dustin Wills.
- Working TheaterminorPartnership collaboration on 'Wold Meteor' production, expanding reach and resources for the new play.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Playwrights Horizons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Signature Theatre: New York nonprofit that commissions and produces work in residencies with playwrights, operating multiple theater spaces. Comparable in its writer-centric development model and subscription-based audience.
- New York Theatre Workshop: Off-Broadway nonprofit known for developing and premiering new American plays and musicals. Highly comparable as a peer Off-Broadway company focused on new work and writer-centered development.
- Second Stage Theater: Off-Broadway nonprofit dedicated to producing living American playwrights, with both off-Broadway and Broadway-presence venues. Closely comparable to PH's new-play development mission and audience model.
- Manhattan Theatre Club: New York off-Broadway nonprofit theater producing new plays and classics across multiple stages. Directly comparable to Playwrights Horizons in mission, scale, subscription model, and emphasis on new American work.
- Vineyard Theatre: Off-Broadway nonprofit developing and producing new plays and musicals, with a track record of transferring work to Broadway. Comparable scale and new-play focus.
- Atlantic Theater Company: Off-Broadway nonprofit producing new plays alongside a training program (Atlantic Acting School). Directly comparable given PH's combined production-plus-school model.
Broad incumbents
- The Public Theater: Major NYC nonprofit presenting new work, Shakespeare, and musicals, with a large downtown complex. Comparable in mission and new-play focus, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader programming.
- Roundabout Theatre Company: Larger, established NYC nonprofit operating multiple Broadway and off-Broadway venues with a broader programming slate. Overlaps with PH on new play development and subscriptions, but at a much larger scale.
Regional players
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company: Chicago-based nonprofit known for developing new American plays and ensemble-driven work with strong alumni track record. Comparable mission and alumni-driven model, but operates in a different geography.
Emerging players
- Soho Rep: Smaller downtown NYC nonprofit producing bold new work with a single theater space. Comparable in writer-centered mission and new-play focus, but at a smaller scale than PH.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Playwrights Horizons social profiles
Digital presencePlaywrights Horizons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Playwrights Horizons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Playwrights Horizons subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Playwrights Horizons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Playwrights Horizons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Playwrights Horizons
What does Playwrights Horizons do?
Playwrights Horizons is a nonprofit off-Broadway theater company that develops and produces new American plays and musicals at two midtown Manhattan mainstage venues, presenting approximately six productions per season. It also operates a four-year BFA Theater School in partnership with NYU Tisch, runs the Theatrical Fellowship Program and New Works Lab for play development, and rents rehearsal and performance space through Playwrights Downtown Studios in NoHo.
Is Playwrights Horizons a public or private company?
Playwrights Horizons is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Playwrights Horizons founded?
Playwrights Horizons was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Playwrights Horizons based?
Playwrights Horizons is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Playwrights Horizons make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are season Packages and Memberships, donations and Fundraising, space Rental and theater School Tuition.
Who are Playwrights Horizons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Signature Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, Second Stage Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Vineyard Theatre and Atlantic Theater Company. Broad incumbents are The Public Theater and Roundabout Theatre Company. Steppenwolf Theatre Company is listed as a regional player. Soho Rep is listed as an emerging player.
Does Playwrights Horizons have an API?
No public API is recorded for Playwrights Horizons.
What industry is Playwrights Horizons in?
Playwrights Horizons's product category is Off-Broadway Theater. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama), with a secondary code of MPAGABAN, Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories. Its NAICS code is 711110.