What Inferno Theatre does

Inferno Theatre is a Berkeley, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company founded in 2010 by Giulio Cesare Perrone, producing physical, literary, and ensemble-driven theatrical works with an emphasis on movement, dance, live music, mask work, and video elements. Its core offerings are free-admission outdoor Shakespeare productions staged at the John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre (including modern verse translations performed in partnership with Play On Shakespeare, such as Love's Labour's Lost in 2026 and Twelfth Night in 2025), the annual Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival held since 2014 (13th edition scheduled April 25-26, 2026 at Studio 12), and educational workshops such as the Making A Mask Come Alive series. The company also runs additional seasonal productions (e.g., Dracula scheduled October 16 – November 8, 2026) and co-produces with regional partners including Ubuntu Theater Project, Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and Mosaic Silicon Valley.

The underlying production methodology is a physical-literary-spectacular theater approach grounded in ensemble practice and intensive performer training, with Perrone bringing more than 300 theater and opera productions of experience and two Pew Grants. Output is delivered through outdoor amphitheatre and indoor studio venues (headquarters at 1802 Fairview St, Berkeley; performance venues at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre, 41 Somerset Place, and Studio 12, 2525 Eighth Street), supported by Givebutter for ticketing and donations and social channels on Facebook and Instagram.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a small nonprofit arts organization: tax-deductible individual donations (via the website and Givebutter), institutional grants from the City of Berkeley Civic Arts Grant Program and the Alameda County Arts Commission, and modest ticket revenue from paid festival admissions ($25 advance, $30 at the door). The go-to-market is event-driven and community-engaged, targeting Bay Area theater enthusiasts, families seeking affordable cultural entertainment, and performing artists seeking ensemble collaboration opportunities. Marketing relies on an email newsletter, organic social content, the infernotheatre.org website, and co-production partnerships, with no paid acquisition or distribution intermediaries.

Name

Inferno Theatre

Legal name

Inferno Theatre Company

Website

https://infernotheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Inferno Theatre is a Berkeley, California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company that produces free outdoor Shakespeare productions, an annual multicultural Diasporas Festival, and educational workshops for Bay Area audiences, families, and performing artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Community Theatre & Storytelling Festivals (MPAGAEAI), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live theater productions
• Performing arts festivals
• Shakespeare in the park
• Physical theater workshops
• Nonprofit arts organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit arts organization. The company is a 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Ticket Sales and Admission: Revenue from paid festival admissions ($25 advance, $30 at door), while maintaining free or donation-based admission for many performances.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from City of Berkeley, Alameda County Arts Commission, and other arts granting organizations supporting productions and festivals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Inferno Theatre produces live theatrical performances, including Shakespeare plays staged in modern verse translations in partnership with Play On Shakespeare, as well as the annual Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival and educational mask-making workshops. Productions are staged primarily at the John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre in Berkeley and Studio 12, with most offerings free or low-cost to the Bay Area community.

Product overview

Inferno Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theater company based in Berkeley, CA, producing a portfolio of theatrical productions, an annual Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival, and educational workshops. The company's core offerings include Shakespearean productions performed in modern verse translations (partnered with Play On Shakespeare), the annual Diasporas Festival showcasing multicultural performing arts, and community workshops such as mask-making. Productions are primarily performed outdoors at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre with free admission, incorporating live music, movement, and ensemble performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival: Annual multicultural, interdisciplinary performance and arts festival showcasing artists with diverse cultural roots from the San Francisco Bay Area
• Inferno Theatre Company

Products and services

• 13th Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival: Seeking the Links Annual multicultural, interdisciplinary performance and arts festival celebrating diverse cultural roots through theater, dance, music, and performance art. The 2026 festival takes place April 25-26 at Studio 12 in Berkeley.
• Love's Labour's Lost William Shakespeare's comedy performed in Josh Wilder's modern verse translation, commissioned by Play On Shakespeare. Directed by Giulio Cesare Perrone with live music, physical theater, and ensemble performance at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre. Runs May 23 - June 14, 2026.
• Dracula Theatrical production scheduled for October 16 - November 8, 2026 season at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre.
• Making A Mask Come Alive Workshop Hands-on theater mask workshop exploring traditional and contemporary mask techniques, Commedia Dell'arte history, and body activation while working with masks. Instructors include Valentina Emeri and Giulio Cesare Perrone.
• 12th Contemporary Performance Diasporas Festival: The Diversity of US Annual festival celebrating community diversity through artistic talents of local musicians, dancers, and theater artists. Held April 26-27, 2025 at Studio 12, Berkeley.
• Twelfth Night William Shakespeare's romantic comedy performed in modern translation by Alison Carey, presented in partnership with Play On Shakespeare. Features mistaken identities, physical comedy, and live music. Performed at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre in October-November 2025.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Play On ShakespearecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for modern verse translations of Shakespeare's works. Inferno Theatre was the first company to perform Josh Wilder's modern translation of Love's Labour's Lost, commissioned by Play On Shakespeare. Partnership enables accessibility of classical texts for contemporary audiences.
• City of BerkeleycoreOthersGovernment arts funding through Civic Arts Grant Program supporting productions and the annual Diasporas Festival.
• Alameda County Arts CommissioncoreOthersCounty-level arts funding supporting productions and festival programming.
• Ubuntu Theater ProjectkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Waiting for Godot (2017) and The Conference of the Birds (2018). Collaborative approach to ensemble-based theater projects.
• Mosaic Silicon ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership initiative of Sangam Arts for presenting the 2020 Diasporas Festival online during COVID-19 pandemic.
• Actors Ensemble of BerkeleykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaborative partner for outdoor Shakespeare productions at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre, including King Lear (2015), Penthesilea (2014), and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
• Alameda ArtsminorOthersPartner organization shown in logo credits supporting productions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aurora Theatre Company: Berkeley-based professional nonprofit theater producing a mainstage season of classics and contemporary plays. Comparable as a Berkeley nonprofit producing for local audiences and competing for similar donors and grants.
• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Tony Award-winning professional theater company based in Berkeley, CA, producing a multi-show season. It is the most established theater company in Inferno Theatre's home market and competes for the same Bay Area audiences, donors, and grant funding.
• California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes): Bay Area nonprofit renowned for outdoor Shakespeare productions at the Bruns Amphitheater. Directly comparable to Inferno Theatre in genre (Shakespeare), outdoor venue model, and nonprofit/free-admission community engagement.
• Actors Ensemble of Berkeley: Berkeley community theater producing free outdoor Shakespeare at John Hinkel Park Amphitheatre — the same primary venue as Inferno Theatre. Directly competes for the same outdoor Shakespeare audience and venue slot.
• Shotgun Players: Berkeley-based nonprofit theater producing an adventurous multi-show season of classics and new work. Comparable in geographic focus, nonprofit model, and mission to make theater accessible to Bay Area communities.
• Central Works: Berkeley-based nonprofit theater producing original and adapted works. Comparable as a small Berkeley nonprofit producing ensemble-driven, often physically oriented work for local audiences.
• Ubuntu Theater Project: Oakland-based ensemble-driven nonprofit theater that has co-produced multiple works with Inferno Theatre (Waiting for Godot 2017, Conference of the Birds 2018). Comparable in scale, mission-driven ethos, and ensemble methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Marin Theatre Company: Established Bay Area regional theater producing a season of plays and new work. Inferno Theatre's founder has worked with MTC; comparable as a larger, more established Bay Area producing organization.
• The Magic Theatre: Long-established San Francisco nonprofit theater focused on new plays. Founder Giulio Cesare Perrone has worked with Magic Theatre, making it comparable as a larger Bay Area nonprofit producing for the regional audience Inferno also serves.

Regional players

• Douglas Morrisson Theatre: Hayward-based Bay Area community theater producing a multi-show season. Comparable as a small regional nonprofit producing accessible theater for Bay Area audiences; Inferno's CFO Terry Sullivan previously served as Production Manager there.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/infernotheatre/?ref=bookmarks
• Instagraminstagram.com/infernotheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Inferno Theatre