The Secret Theatre
The Secret Theatre is a private community arts center in Long Island City, Queens, operating a 90-seat venue, a performing arts academy for ages 6-18, and 15 artist studios under the Secret Arts umbrella brand, serving families, small theatre companies, and local artists through classes, camps, and venue rentals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLong Island City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Secret Theatre does
The Secret Theatre is a private performing arts organization founded in 2005 by Richard Mazda and headquartered at 10-10 44th Avenue in Long Island City, Queens, New York. It operates under the Secret Arts umbrella brand, which consolidates three divisions: The Secret Theatre (a 90-seat performance venue with professional lighting and sound), The Secret Academy (performing arts education founded in 2012 serving students ages 6-18), and Vital Art Studios (15 custom-built artist studios and gallery space established in 2011).
The organization generates revenue across five streams: semester-long performing arts classes (acting, musical theatre, tap, vocal training, K-pop dance, improvisation, choir), summer and specialty camps priced at $575 per week, venue and studio rentals to outside theatre companies, dance groups, and event organizers, branded merchandise priced $8-$35, and an active $150,000 capital campaign via GoFundMe to complete the Secret Arts Center buildout. Class registration is handled through the HiSawyer scheduling platform, and merchandise is sold through an integrated e-commerce storefront on the Squarespace website.
The Secret Theatre serves three primary customer segments: families with children and teens seeking performing arts training and audition preparation for arts high schools such as LaGuardia, small theatre and dance companies seeking affordable performance and rehearsal space in Queens, and local visual artists seeking studio and gallery space. The business model is direct-to-consumer, relying on the website, word-of-mouth, community referrals, and partnerships with local schools for customer acquisition, with no external investors or parent company identified.
The Secret Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Secret Theatre
- Legal name
- The Secret Theatre
- Website
- https://secrettheatre.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Secret Theatre is a private community arts center in Long Island City, Queens, operating a 90-seat venue, a performing arts academy for ages 6-18, and 15 artist studios under the Secret Arts umbrella brand, serving families, small theatre companies, and local artists through classes, camps, and venue rentals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Secret Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Education & Venue
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories (MPAGABAN), Community & Amateur Theatre (MPAGABAD)
Keywords
Where The Secret Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Long Island City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Secret Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Performing Arts Classes: Semester-long performing arts classes for children and adults covering acting, musical theatre, tap dance, vocal training, K-pop dance, improvisation, and choir. Classes are structured by skill level (Junior, Intermediate, Senior) and meet weekly throughout the semester, culminating in showcase performances.
- Summer and Specialty Camps: Week-long summer camps (ages 6-12) priced at $575 per week, running Monday-Friday 10am-5pm with themed theatre programs. Turbo Arts Camps for teens (ages 12-18+) offer multidisciplinary intensives. One-day specialty camps and workshops are also offered.
- Venue Rentals: Rental of the 90-seat theatre space and studios to outside theatre companies, dance groups, film productions, and event organizers. Includes professional lighting, sound, and flexible seating. Studios are available for acting rehearsals, workshops, dance, photography, voice-overs, and private lessons.
- Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling branded apparel, accessories, and supplies including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, journals, mugs, water bottles, wrapping paper, and canvas bags. Prices range from $8 to $35.
- Donations and Fundraising: Capital campaign and GoFundMe donations to support the buildout of the Secret Arts Center. The organization is actively fundraising $150,000 across three phases: Artist Studios ($50,000), Children's Academy ($50,000), and Community Theatre ($50,000).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Summer Camp (Ages 6-12): $575 per week |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Turbo Arts Camp (Ages 12-18+): $575 per week |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Triple Threat Trial Day: $50 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Venue Rental: Quote-based |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise: $8-$35 per item |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Secret Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Secret Theatre, operating under the Secret Arts umbrella, produces and hosts live theatrical productions in a 90-seat venue, delivers performing arts training (acting, musical theatre, tap, vocal, K-pop dance, improv, choir) to students ages 6-18 through The Secret Academy, runs seasonal summer and specialty camps, rents its theatre and three studios to outside companies, and provides artist studio and gallery space through Vital Art Studios. It also sells branded merchandise and runs a $150,000 capital campaign to complete the Secret Arts Center buildout.
Product overview
The Secret Theatre operates as an integrated arts center comprising three main divisions under the Secret Arts umbrella: The Secret Theatre (the original performance venue established in 2005), The Secret Academy (performing arts education founded in 2012), and Vital Art Studios (artist studios and gallery space since 2011). The organization offers live theatrical productions and events, structured performing arts classes for ages 6-18, seasonal camps, venue rentals, and branded merchandise through its online store. The venue seats 90 and hosts both student showcases and professional productions, while the academy provides training in drama, musical theatre, voice, music, dance, and tap. A current capital campaign aims to complete a three-phase buildout of the Secret Arts Center in Long Island City, Queens.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Secret Academy Performing Arts Classes Semester-long weekly performing arts classes for children, teens, and adults covering acting, musical theatre, tap dance, vocal training, K-pop dance, improvisation, choir, and physical theatre. Structured by skill level (Junior, Intermediate, Senior) and registered through the HiSawyer scheduling platform.
- Summer Camps and Turbo Arts Camps Week-long themed theatre summer camps for ages 6-12 priced at $575 per week, running Monday-Friday 10am-5pm with arts and crafts and a Friday showcase. Turbo Arts Camps for teens (12-18+) offer multidisciplinary intensives covering Broadway choreography, tap, jazz, hip-hop, K-pop, singing, acting, improv, and Shakespeare. One-day specialty camps (e.g., Triple Threat Trial Day at $50) also offered. Sibling and multi-week discounts available.
- Venue Rentals Rental of the 90-seat theatre (professional lighting and sound, flexible seating) and three studios (Studio A 44'x12', Studio B 28'x12', Studio C 12'x12') to theatre companies, dance groups, film productions, and event organizers. Quote-based pricing.
- Shows and Events Live theatrical productions and events including student showcases, professional productions, dance recitals, and guest company presentations (e.g., Newsies Jr., Princess Particular, Headwall Theatre Company's The Comeuppance).
- Secret Merch Shop Online store selling branded apparel, accessories, and supplies featuring Secret Theatre, Secret Academy, and Vital Art Studios branding. Products include t-shirts (from $12), hoodies (from $35), beanies ($20), journals ($10-$18), mugs ($8), water bottles ($18), caps ($18-$25), wrapping paper (from $8), lunch bags ($12), and bodysuits ($20).
- Vital Art Studios Affordable artist studio and gallery space in Queens for local painters and creatives. Features fifteen custom-built artist studios with natural light from eight-foot-high windows, plus planned amenities including a kiln, wood shop, and dedicated costume and prop shop.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students have been accepted to leading arts schools including LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, PPAS, Professional Children's School, and Talent Unlimited
Companies that use The Secret Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Secret Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Secret Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Secret Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Queens Theatre: Queens-based performing arts presenter in Flushing Meadows Corona Park offering diverse programming, education initiatives, and venue hire. Directly comparable as a Queens-anchored theatre with programming plus education and community engagement focus.
- Dixon Place: Lower East Side NYC nonprofit theatre and performance incubator presenting experimental work and supporting early-career artists. Comparable small-venue presenting model with similar indie-company rental and artist-development orientation.
- Stella Adler Studio of Acting: NYC acting conservatory offering training for youth and adults with conservatory programs and showcase productions. Comparable performing-arts academy with similar audition-preparation and youth-to-professional pipeline positioning.
- Ars Nova: NYC theatre producer dedicated to developing and presenting new work by emerging playwrights, composers, and directors. Comparable as a small-to-mid-size producing venue with an education/outreach component and indie-company partnerships.
- The Flea Theater: Downtown NYC small-capacity theatre producing experimental work and running the Bats resident company with affiliated training programs. Closely comparable small-venue community theatre with artist development and youth/emerging-talent programming.
- La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: Long-running NYC community theatre and incubator for emerging artists with an in-house education program and small flexible performance spaces. Directly comparable to Secret Arts as a community-driven venue producing original work alongside training programs for young and emerging artists.
- Atlantic Theater Company: Off-Broadway NYC theatre company operating its own venue alongside the Atlantic Acting School, a respected conservatory-style training program. Highly comparable integrated theatre-plus-acting-school model serving similar adult and youth performer segments.
- The Tank: NYC nonprofit presenting emerging artists across multiple small performance spaces in Manhattan. Comparable as a venue-rental and producing platform for indie theatre and dance companies targeting the same small-company rental market.
- The Brick Theater: Brooklyn indie theatre presenting experimental and emerging-artist programming in a small flexible venue with rental-based revenue. Comparable small-venue presenting model targeting the same indie-theatre and emerging-artist rental market in NYC.
Broad incumbents
- The New Victory Theater: NYC's leading performing arts venue dedicated to kids and families on 42nd Street, presenting professional productions and extensive arts-education programming. Broader incumbent with overlapping youth-arts-education mission and professional production programming.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Secret Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceThe Secret Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Secret Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Secret Theatre subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
The Secret Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Secret Theatre 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 The Secret Theatre
What does The Secret Theatre do?
The Secret Theatre, operating under the Secret Arts umbrella, produces and hosts live theatrical productions in a 90-seat venue, delivers performing arts training (acting, musical theatre, tap, vocal, K-pop dance, improv, choir) to students ages 6-18 through The Secret Academy, runs seasonal summer and specialty camps, rents its theatre and three studios to outside companies, and provides artist studio and gallery space through Vital Art Studios. It also sells branded merchandise and runs a $150,000 capital campaign to complete the Secret Arts Center buildout.
Is The Secret Theatre a public or private company?
The Secret Theatre is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Secret Theatre founded?
The Secret Theatre was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Secret Theatre based?
The Secret Theatre is headquartered in Long Island City, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Secret Theatre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Performing Arts Classes are the primary driver. The others are summer and Specialty Camps, venue Rentals, merchandise Sales and donations and Fundraising.
Who are The Secret Theatre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Queens Theatre, Dixon Place, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Ars Nova, The Flea Theater, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Atlantic Theater Company, The Tank and The Brick Theater. The New Victory Theater is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Secret Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Secret Theatre.
What industry is The Secret Theatre in?
The Secret Theatre's product category is Performing Arts Education & Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking), with a secondary code of EDAMAAAG, Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 8200.