PICKWICK PLAYERS Competitors

STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY is a Chicago-based international performing arts institution committed to ensemble collaboration and artistic risk through its work with its permanent ensemble, guest artists, partner institutions and the community. Steppenwolf has redefined the landscape of acting and performance by spawning a generation of America's most gifted artists. Founded in 1976 as an ensemble of nine actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an internationally renowned company of forty-two artists whose talents include acting, directing, playwriting, filmmaking, and textual adaptation. No other American theater ensemble has survived as long and thrived as much as the Steppenwolf company of artists.

The mission of TheaterWorksUSA is to create exceptional, transformative theatrical experiences that are accessible to young and family audiences in diverse communities throughout New York City and North America. For 57 years we have been a trailblazer in the not-for-profit theater industry. Our repertoire of 139 literature- and history-based plays and musicals has played a leading role in the rise of theater for young audiences as an art form beyond simple fairytales and hand puppets. 96.5 million children, educators, and families have joined us at the theater to enjoy titles ranging from classics like Charlotte’s Web, Curious George, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, to contemporary favorites like Pete the Cat, Rosie Revere, Engineer, and The Lightning Thief. TheaterWorksUSA’s programming addresses the uneven accessibility of art for young people. We achieve this geographically, by bringing our productions to 483 cities throughout the nation; thematically, by creating shows that are engaging and relevant for our young audiences; and financially, by keeping ticket prices affordable and distributing up to 30,000 free tickets every year. We make a concerted effort to make our services accessible in New York City where, despite the wealth of artistic opportunities present, many of the city’s residents are cut off from the vibrant artistic life of the city due to prohibitively high ticket prices. In addition to the value our programming provides to the young people we serve, we are also a top job creator in the nonprofit theater industry. We employ nearly 300 New York City-based performers, writers, and designers every year. We have helped usher emerging artists into the Actors' Equity Association throughout our history, enabling them to access other high quality jobs in the theater industry outside of our organization. TheaterWorksUSA alumni have gone on to illustrious, and even award-winning, careers in the arts and beyond.

Imagination Stage is the largest and most respected multi-disciplinary theatre arts organization for young people in the Mid-Atlantic region. We offer a year-round season of professional shows (adult actors performing for families and classes), after-school programs and summer camps for ages 1-18, and arts-integration professional development training for teachers, students, schools, and families. All of our programs are informed by our core belief in making the arts inclusive and accessible to all children, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or financial status.