named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Engagement Initiative
Manages outreach and inclusion efforts, including open auditions, post-project debriefs, and alumni artist support, led by the Community Engagement Manager.
Ensemble Theater Productions
Produces collaborative, actor-led performances of Shakespearean and contemporary works, including recent productions of 'Cymbeline,' 'Into the Woods,' and 'Measure for Measure.'
Fiasco Conservatory & Training Program
Offers training for actors and theater artists with a focus on ensemble practices, inclusive pedagogy, and justice-centered curriculum development.
Transparency & Accountability Program
Implements annual transparency reports, code of conduct development, and bi-annual progress evaluations to track equity goals and organizational health.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Professional Theatrical Production 2 activities
- Co-produces theatrical works with partner organizationsCollaborates with institutions such as The Public Theater, WP Theater, and Roundabout Theatre Company to co-produce and present theatrical works, including *The Verge* and *The Stand In*, combining artistic resources and expanding reach.
- Produces ensemble-based theatrical performancesCreates and stages fully produced public theater productions, including works by Shakespeare and musicals such as *Into the Woods*, at venues across New York City and regional theaters nationwide. Recent productions include *Pericles*, *Cymbeline*, *Twelfth Night*, and *The Comedy of Errors*.
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New Play Development Programs 2 activities
- Commissions and develops new plays through national partnershipsEngages in new play development through commissions from institutions like the Old Globe and residencies at Sundance Theatre Lab, the Orchard Project, SPACE at Ryder Farm, and the Shakespeare Society.
- Develops new theatrical works through workshops and readingsAdvances new plays through developmental programs such as Without A Net and Open Your Ears, which include public readings, performance series, and assessments with audience feedback. Examples include the development of *Pericles* and readings of *Really Really Really* and *The Peony Lantern*.
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Delivers accessible and inclusive performance practicesImplements accessibility initiatives such as sensory-friendly performances, ASL interpretation, open/closed captioning, sliding-scale pricing, onsite childcare, and eldercare reimbursement, particularly through programs like PLAY|GROUND and during productions like *Pericles*.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Provides tuition-free and subsidized theater training programsOffers high-level, no-cost theater training to early-career actors through the Free Training Initiative, Master Classes, workshops, and a full-time Conservatory program in Manhattan, with financial aid covering 50% of tuition for participants.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducts artist residencies and master classes nationallyHolds institutional residencies at locations including Roundabout Theater Company and NYU’s Gallatin School, and has led master classes and training programs at universities such as Brown, Duke, Marquette, LSU, and TFANA.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$766K
Contributions & grants$692K90%
Program service revenue$74K10%
Investment income$5K1%
Other revenue$-5K
expenses
Total expenses$419K
Program expenses59%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$189K
Grants paid out$180
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$694K
Cash$622K
Investments$0
Liabilities$38K
Net assets$656K
Liquid reserves17.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +73.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSIE D AUSTRIAN | CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 30 | $32K |
| BENJAMIN STEINFELD | TREASURER/CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 30 | $32K |
| NOAH D BRODY | PRESIDENT/CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 30 | $29K |
board members · 8
- ALICE SCOVELL — BOARD MEMBER (LEFT JULY 2024)
- DEREK MCLANE — BOARD MEMBER
- HOPE SARAH GOLDSTEIN — SECRETARY
- JOANNA COLE — BOARD MEMBER
- MARCOS SANTIAGO — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT BARRY FLEMING — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT L MACDONALD — CHAIRMAN
- VANESSA WISE — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 60
Who they work with
- Actors Theatre of Louisville Partner — Board member Robert Barry Fleming is the Executive Artistic Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
- Actors Theatre of Louisville Partner — Co-produced or collaborated on Fiasco Theater productions including _The Comedy of Errors_ and _Pericles_.
- Actors Theatre of Louisville Partner — Hosted Fiasco Theater’s production of *Measure for Measure*.
- Adelphi University Partner — Hosts Fiasco Theater artist Ashley Renee Thaxton-Stevenson as a theater faculty member.
- Arena Stage Partner — Board member Robert Barry Fleming formerly served as Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage.
- BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange Partner — Hosts Fiasco Theater artist Ashley Renee Thaxton-Stevenson on its faculty.
- Boise Contemporary Theater Partner — Michael Perlman, Fiasco Theater Artistic Associate, has directed at this organization.
- Broadway Babysitters Partner — Partner organization providing free childcare services during Fiasco Theater's matinee performances.
- Brown University Partner — Board members Vanessa Wise and Marcos Santiago are alumni of Brown University; Joanna Cole also attended Brown.
- Brown University Partner — Host for master classes
- CCS Fundraising Partner — Board member Marcos Santiago previously worked at CCS Fundraising as Senior Vice President.
- City College of New York Partner — Hosts Fiasco Theater artist Kristin Fulton as a theater department faculty member.
- Classic Stage Company Partner — Co-produced *Twelfth Night* with Fiasco Theater.
- Classic Stage Company Partner — Co-produced or collaborated on Fiasco Theater's production of _Pericles_.
- Cleveland Play House Partner — Board member Robert Barry Fleming formerly served as Associate Artistic Director at Cleveland Play House.
- Cleveland Playhouse Partner — Michael Perlman, Fiasco Theater Artistic Associate, has directed at this organization.
- Columbia University Partner — Hosts Fiasco Theater artist Liz Hayes as Head of Voice & Speech in the MFA Acting Program.
- Creede Repertory Theater Partner — Michael Perlman, Fiasco Theater Artistic Associate, has directed at this organization.
- Deaf West Partner — Collaborative partner (linked via website)
- Devin E. Haqq Partner — Collaborated on a public reading of The Peony Lantern through the Open Your Ears series.
- Duke University Partner — Former residency partner
- Folger Theatre Partner — Collaborated with Fiasco Theater artists on productions and workshops.
- Groundwater Arts Partner — Collaborated with Fiasco Theater to conduct an anonymous survey and support the development of equity commitments and values.
- Groundwater Arts Partner — Collaborative partner (linked via website)
- Groundwater Arts Partner — Partner organization leading Fiasco Theater’s antiracist transformation process through facilitation focused on community accountability and decolonization.
- Harvard Kennedy School Partner — Board member Marcos Santiago holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
- Heidrick & Struggles Partner — Board member Marcos Santiago began his career at Heidrick & Struggles in New York City.
- Kelley Curran Partner — Alumna of the Free Training Initiative who has participated in Fiasco’s training programs.
- LSU Partner — Former residency partner
- Marquette University Partner — Former residency partner
+ 30 more
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.
- Ensemble-Driven Artistic Ownershipmethodology: ensemble_collaborationBy using a non-hierarchical, ensemble-based model with shared leadership and collaborative decision-making, FIASCO THEATER LTD fosters inclusive artistic creation and challenges traditional theatrical power structures, which they believe leads to more resonant and innovative work because collective ownership deepens creative investment and accountability.
- Equity-Integrated Organizational Developmentmethodology: equity_centered_developmentBy embedding equity into organizational systems—through living wages, caregiver support, antiracist transformation, and accountable onboarding practices—the theater reduces systemic exclusion and models humane working conditions, which strengthens retention, diversity, and artistic integrity because equitable structures enable broader participation and trust.
- Joy-Centered, Humane Theater Practicemethodology: joy_based_rehearsalBy centering joy, safety, and well-being in rehearsal and training—rejecting the myth that artistic excellence requires suffering—the company increases actor agency and sustainability, producing more artistically brave and relationally responsive work because emotional safety enables creative risk-taking.