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ACADEMY OF SACRED DRAMA LTD

Croton Falls, NY · EIN 821758160 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A68 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Micro (<$100K) · sacreddrama.org
revenue
$92K
expenses
$73K
net assets
$45K
employees
mission · from form 990

promoting public appreciation of sacred dramatic music

profile · synthesized from sources

The Academy of Sacred Drama is a nonprofit organization based in Croton Falls, New York, dedicated to reviving and performing sacred dramatic music from the Baroque era. It produces musical performances of oratorios and cantatas drawn from Biblical stories and the lives of saints, with a focus on translating and reworking forgotten manuscripts for contemporary audiences. The organization also published the Sacred Drama Journal and engages in educational outreach around the cultural and spiritual themes of sacred drama.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Baroque Oratorio Performances
Produces and performs full-length Italian Baroque oratorios, including works by Alessandro Scarlatti, with translated libretti and period instrumentation.
Cantata Concerts
Performs sacred cantatas in concert settings, drawing from the Baroque repertoire and featuring vocal soloists and period instrumental ensembles.
Sacred Drama Journal
Published a print and digital journal featuring translations of oratorio libretti, sacred dramatic poetry, and scholarly articles on the cultural and theological context of sacred drama; now archived on Substack.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Classical and Chamber Music Performances 1 activity
    • Performance and artistic leadership
      The founder and artistic leader conducts rehearsals, performs as a baroque violinist, and speaks at performances, providing ongoing artistic direction and musical performance for the Academy of Sacred Drama.
  • Professional Opera and Operetta Production 1 activity
    • Production of Baroque sacred dramatic music performances
      Produces and stages dramatic musical performances based on Baroque oratorios and cantatas, including works such as Alessandro Scarlatti's "Il martirio di Santa Teodosia," featuring professional singers and period instrumental ensembles of Baroque strings and harpsichord. The organization revives neglected Latin and Italian oratorios from the Baroque period, many of Broadway length, and presents them with staging and movement direction rooted in sacred drama traditions.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Publication of scholarly research on sacred drama
      Published the Sacred Drama Journal in print and digital formats, featuring translations of oratorio libretti, sacred dramatic poetry, and scholarly articles on the cultural, historical, philosophical, and theological dimensions of sacred drama.
    • Staging and movement direction for sacred musical performances
      Provides staging and movement direction for performances, including conducting movement workshops for singers based on the essential concepts of mime, to enhance the dramatic expression of sacred oratorios and cantatas.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$92K
Contributions & grants$76K83%
Program service revenue$10K11%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$73K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$17K
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$45K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$45K
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Nicholas Adam Cockerham associate artistic director 4 $8K
Jeremy Rhizor artistic director 20 $7K
board members · 2
  • Ann Plogsterth — director
  • Byoung Yang — director
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • Church St. Paul the Apostle Partner — Hosts movement ministry directed by Tony Lopresti, affiliated with the Academy of Sacred Drama.
  • Florentine Camerata Partner — Referenced as a historical precursor whose development of recitative influenced the musical form that the Academy revives.
  • Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra Partner — Jeremy Rhizor served as guest concertmaster, indicating a professional performance relationship.
  • Lyra Baroque Orchestra Partner — Jeremy Rhizor served as guest concertmaster, indicating a professional performance relationship.
  • Mark DeGarmo Dance Partner — Board Chair of Mark DeGarmo Dance
  • Prep for Prep Partner — Member of the Associates Council for Prep for Prep, a NYC-based diversity leadership development organization
  • St. James Church Partner — Hosts the performance at its Village Hall in North Salem, NY.
  • Substack Partner — Hosts the archived Sacred Drama Journal.
  • The American Classical Orchestra Partner — Jeremy Rhizor served as guest concertmaster, indicating a professional performance relationship.
  • The Fellowship Initiative Partner — NYC New York Market Champion for The Fellowship Initiative, a program focused on improving educational outcomes for young men of color
  • The Juilliard School Partner — Academy founder Jeremy Rhizor trained in the Historical Performance program at The Juilliard School.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Manuscript Revival and Adaptation for Public Piety
    methodology: manuscript-revival-and-adaptation
    By centering the creative process on the recovery, translation, and musical adaptation of forgotten manuscripts, the organization makes sacred drama accessible to modern audiences, because transforming obscure texts into touring productions bridges historical spirituality with contemporary cultural engagement.
  • Music as Embodied Prayer in Performance
    methodology: music-as-prayer
    By grounding sacred dramatic performance in the theological and experiential relationship between music and prayer, the organization transforms artistic expression into spiritual practice, because music structured as prayer deepens both performer and audience engagement with mystical traditions.
  • Sacred Drama as Spiritual and Musical Renewal
    methodology: religious_and_musical_renewal
    By reviving forgotten sacred dramatic works through performance and adaptation, the organization fosters religious engagement and musical renewal, because reconnecting with lost spiritual art forms reinvigorates contemporary piety and cultural practice.