Limelight Theatre Inc

What Limelight Theatre Inc does

Limelight Theatre Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre founded in 1992 in St. Augustine, Florida, operating as the city's only year-round community theatre. The organization runs two performance spaces — a 127-seat McDonald Main Stage and a 90-seat Matuza Black Box — and produces approximately nine mainstage productions annually, supplemented by special events, youth productions, and immersive experiences such as "A Treasury of Voices" at the historic Peña-Peck House.

The theatre generates revenue across six streams: ticket sales (~$35 general admission, $30 senior/military, $15 youth), season subscriptions (with EARLYBIRD discount), donations (including seat engravings at $350+ and multiple planned-giving vehicles), corporate sponsorships (across six tiers), education program fees, and venue/parking rentals (including a 75-space lot during the Nights of Lights festival). It serves a primary audience of adults aged 35-75 in middle-to-upper-income households, youth and families in education programs, local corporate sponsors, and cultural tourists visiting St. Augustine.

Operations are powered by 200+ volunteers and a small professional management team. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through a physical box office, an online ticketing platform (limelight.ludus.com), and an ambassador network of hotels and restaurants (DoubleTree, Casa Monica, Raintree, Smokin' D's BBQ). The theatre holds no patents, deploys no proprietary technology platform, and reports no disclosed revenue; it is governed independently with funding from ticket income, donations, sponsorships, and grants from Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Council on Arts and Culture, St. Johns Cultural Council, St. Johns County TDC, Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, and South Arts/NEA.

Name

Limelight Theatre Inc

Legal name

Limelight Theatre Inc

Website

https://limelight-theatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Limelight Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theatre in St. Augustine, Florida, operating two stages (217 seats total) that produces nine annual productions, youth education programs, and immersive experiences for local patrons and cultural tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), VIP Hospitality & Client Entertainment (Boxes, Suites, Hosted Experiences) (MPAGAHAG)

Keywords

• Community theatre productions
• Live performing arts
• Youth theatre education
• Musical theatre performances
• Theatrical venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets, subscriptions, and group sales across mainstage productions, black box shows, youth productions, and special events.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, families, and businesses supporting the nonprofit theatre's mission, including one-time gifts, monthly giving, IRA charitable rollovers, donor-advised funds, and stock gifts.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate and individual sponsorships at various levels (Season Sponsor, Show Sponsor, Program Sponsor, Event Sponsor, Education Sponsor) providing brand visibility in exchange for financial support.
4. Education Program Fees: Tuition-based programs including summer intensives like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (ages 12-18) and after-school programs.
5. Venue Rental and Special Events: Parking revenue during Nights of Lights festival ($20/car), venue rentals, and special event hosting including corporate events and fundraisers.
6. Merchandise and Seat Engravings: Seat engraving donations ($350+) and potential concession/merchandise sales during performances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Limelight Theatre operates as a nonprofit community theatre producing approximately 9 live theatrical productions per year across two performance spaces — the 127-seat McDonald Main Stage and the 90-seat Matuza Black Box. Its offerings span musicals, plays, comedy shows, special events, and commissioned living-history experiences, alongside a youth theatre education program featuring classes, summer intensives, and youth productions. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, season subscriptions, donations, corporate sponsorships, education tuition, and venue/parking rentals.

Product overview

Limelight Theatre is a nonprofit community theatre offering a diverse portfolio of live theatrical experiences centered around two performance venues: the 127-seat McDonald Main Stage for large-scale productions and the 90-seat Matuza Black Box for intimate performances. The theatre produces approximately 9 mainstage productions annually including musicals and plays, supplemented by special events, comedy shows, and film screenings. Youth education programs form a significant component, providing training, productions, and scholarships for young performers. Additional offerings include season subscriptions, venue rentals, corporate and individual sponsorship packages, and comprehensive donation/fundraising programs with multiple giving vehicles. The theatre also provides accessibility services including ASL interpretation and assisted listening devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mainstage Productions (McDonald Main Stage)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly sold-out run for Annie holiday production
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peña-Peck House / The Woman's Exchange of St. AugustinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned to create 'A Treasury of Voices' - an immersive living history experience at the historic Peña-Peck House. Limelight conceived, developed, and fully produces all creative elements including research, script development, casting, costuming, and artistic direction. First-of-its-kind theatrical experience for St. Augustine.
• Smokin' D's BBQminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner serving as production sponsor for Annie and ambassador for theatre package experiences.
• DoubleTree by Hilton St. Augustine Historic DistrictminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel ambassador partner offering discounted rates and package experiences for theatre patrons visiting from out of town.
• Casa Monica Resort & SpaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel ambassador partner for theatrical experience packages in St. Augustine.
• Raintree RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant ambassador partner for date night theatre experiences, offering dining packages paired with show tickets.
• Vagus PRminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPress contact and public relations partner handling media inquiries and press kit management.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Riverside Theatre: Regional theatre in Stuart, FL operating multiple stages including a mainstage and black-box, plus extensive education/outreach. Directly comparable in venue scale, Florida regional market, and education/community programming mix.
• Capital Repertory Theatre: LORT-member regional theatre in Albany, NY producing a mainstage season plus education and outreach programming. Comparable as a subscription-based regional theatre with institutional funding and youth education components.
• Players' Ring Theatre: Small community theatre in Portsmouth, NH producing a year-round season with subscription, education, and volunteer-driven operations. Comparable as a small-scale, volunteer-powered community theatre with subscription model and diversified revenue streams.
• Palm Beach Dramaworks: Professional regional theatre in West Palm Beach, FL operating a single mainstage venue with subscription and education programming. Comparable as a Florida regional theatre producing plays and musicals for subscription patrons with institutional funding.
• San Jose Stage Company: Regional professional theatre in San Jose, CA operating a single mainstage venue with subscription programming and education outreach. Comparable as a subscription-based regional theatre producing musicals and plays at a similar venue scale.
• TheatreSquared: Regional LORT theatre in Fayetteville, AR operating a mainstage and black-box venue with subscription, education, and new-work development programs. Comparable as a mid-size multi-venue regional theatre with subscription, education, and community programming.
• Orlando Shakes: Orlando-based Shakespeare and theatre company producing a mainstage season plus education and youth programming. Comparable as a Florida community/regional theatre with subscription ticketing, youth education, and grant-funded operations.
• Asolo Repertory Theatre: LORT-member regional theatre in Sarasota, FL producing a mainstage season plus education programs. Comparable as a Florida-based professional regional theatre with subscription model, education programming, and institutional grant funding.
• Florida Studio Theatre: Florida-based regional theatre operating multiple stages (Gompertz, Cabaret, Bowne's Lab) with subscription, education, and touring programming. Comparable as a multi-stage, year-round Florida regional theatre with similar mix of musicals, plays, and education programs.
• Hippodrome State Theatre: State theatre of Florida based in Gainesville producing a mainstage season, education programs, and community programming. Comparable as a Florida nonprofit regional theatre with state arts council support and education programming.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/limelight.theatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/limelightstaug?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/limelighttheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Limelight Theatre Inc