irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $20KEDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS RELATED TO CLASSIC STORIES.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Bull Sessions
Free post-performance discussions with scholars and artists to deepen audience engagement with the plays and themes.
Classical Acting Intensives
Training programs led by veteran theater professionals to develop actors’ skills in classical theater performance.
Off-Broadway Productions
Full-scale theatrical productions of classic plays, such as "How Shakespeare Saved My Life," presented at venues including The Public Theater.
Revelation Readings
Staged readings of rarely performed canonical works, including plays from the Hispanic Golden Age, presented in partnership with academic and cultural institutions.
Shakespeare in Schools
Educational outreach program bringing professional actors and teaching artists into NYC public school classrooms to engage students with Shakespeare’s language and plays.
Short New Play Festival
Annual festival commissioning and producing new works inspired by classical theater traditions, providing opportunities for diverse contemporary voices.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 2 activities
- Host Revelation Readings seriesProduces the Obie Award-winning Revelation Readings series, featuring script-in-hand staged readings of rarely-performed canonical plays by authors such as Lope de Vega and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, performed by professional actors and directors to revitalize interest in classical theater.
- Produce Off-Broadway theatrical productionsProduces Off-Broadway theatrical productions, including limited engagements and world premieres of classic and newly translated plays, such as "How Shakespeare Saved My Life" and "The Beast of Hungary," with documented runs at venues like The Public Theater in New York City.
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New Play Development Programs 2 activities
- Publish collections of new playsProduces and publishes a 5-volume collection of plays from the first decade of the Short New Play Festival, distributed by Stage Rights, to document and disseminate new works inspired by classical themes.
- Support new play development and diverse voicesCommissions new plays and hosts an annual Short New Play Festival that generates and presents over 100 short plays each year, fostering diverse voices in reimagining classic theater traditions through professional performances and publishing.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Deliver educational programming in schools and artist trainingProvides educational programming on Shakespeare’s language and plays in New York City schools, along with outreach initiatives such as Shakespeare in Schools, Bull Sessions, and Classical Acting Intensives, to engage students and emerging artists.
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Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
- Host annual gala and Matador AwardsHosts an annual gala event featuring food, entertainment, and the presentation of the Matador Awards for Achievement in Classical Theater.
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Membership Program Administration 1 activity
- Offer membership and donor recognition programsOperates a membership program offering priority seating and discounted tickets, and runs the Heroes Circle donor recognition program for contributors giving $1,000 or more.
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Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
- Produce digital theatrical presentationsOffers digital presentations of theatrical productions and readings, expanding access to global audiences beyond live performances.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.75M
Contributions & grants$1.13M65%
Program service revenue$602K34%
Investment income$17K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$2.16M
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$1.04M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$573K
Cash$435K
Investments$17K
Liabilities$93K
Net assets$481K
Liquid reserves2.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +21.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSE BERGER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $118K |
board members · 15
- AYANNA THOMPSON — TRUSTEE
- BENJAMIN PLUM — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTOPHER EARL — TRUSTEE
- DEBRA FRIED — TRUSTEE
- HOWARD OWENS — PRESIDENT
- JAMES KILLERLANE — TRUSTEE
- JOHN YAVROYAN — TREASURER
- JUDITH ESTERQUEST — TRUSTEE
- KATHY HOOD — TRUSTEE
- MATTHEW RAUCH — TRUSTEE
- NOAH MILLMAN — TRUSTEE
- PETER RIGBY — TRUSTEE
- RAPHAEL NASH THOMPSON — TRUSTEE
- RICK SORDELET — TRUSTEE
- WENDY SMITH — TRUSTEE
relationships · 20
Who they work with
- AIG Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Ano Nuevo Partner — Hosts LA ESCENA 2020, a festival in which Red Bull Theater participated with a reading on Ana Caro.
- Berkeley Repertory Theater Partner — Co-produced the Off-Broadway production of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life" with Red Bull Theater.
- Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain Government — Provides support for the Hispanic Golden Age Classics series.
- Diversifying the Classics | UCLA Partner — Collaborates on the production and translation of Hispanic Golden Age plays.
- Folger Theatre Partner — Co-produced the Off-Broadway production of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life" with Red Bull Theater.
- GE Foundation Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Gap Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Goldman Sachs Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Grantham Coleman Partner — Collaborates with actor Grantham Coleman in a public discussion or performance event.
- IBM Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Lenape Peoples Government — Honors the Lenape Peoples as the traditional, ancestral, and unceded stewards of the land on which the theater operates.
- Linktree Partner — Uses Linktree as a platform to connect audiences with its social media channels.
- Morgan Stanley Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Obie Awards Network — Recipient of Obie Award recognition for the Revelation Readings series.
- Pfizer Partner — Corporate partner whose matching gift program has supported Red Bull Theater
- Repertorio Español Partner — Collaborates on the presentation of Hispanic Golden Age plays.
- Stage Rights Partner — Publishing partner that released a 5-volume collection of plays from the Short New Play Festival.
- The Noël Coward Foundation Partner — Honored at the 2025 Running of the Red Bulls gala.
- The Public Theater Partner — Co-presented the Off-Broadway production of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life."
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.
- Classical Theater as a Transformative Experiencemethodology: classical_theater_for_personal_transformationBy using Shakespearean text and classical theater formats as tools for personal and artistic transformation, we foster healing and self-reclamation—especially among marginalized voices—because engagement with heightened language and universal themes enables deep psychological and emotional resonance.
- Contemporary Revitalization of Classical Theatermethodology: contemporary_revitalization_of_classicsBy reinterpreting classical works—especially Shakespearean and rare plays—with a bold, modern sensibility and high-energy productions, we engage contemporary audiences because familiarity and emotional immediacy make classic language and themes more accessible and impactful.
- Dialogic Engagement Between Classical and New Worksmethodology: classics_in_conversation_with_new_worksBy producing new plays that converse with classical texts, we expand the relevance of traditional theater because juxtaposing old and new fosters deeper understanding, challenges inherited interpretations, and invites contemporary audiences into active cultural dialogue.