Theater Breaking Through Barriers Corp
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB) is NYCs only Off-Broadway theater organization dedicated to advancing artists and developing audiences of people with disabilities, and altering the misperceptions surrounding disability by proving, once and for all, that disability does not affect the quality or integrity of our art or artists. We believe that through artistic excellence and the development of role models, we can claim at last for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society.
- Income
- $462,469
- Spending
- $395,137
- Spent on programs
- 52%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $76,442, director/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1552% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $154,988 spent. Although TBTB opted to forego a full MainStage production during our 2024/2025 season so we could focus on building our administrative infrastructure with the hiring of a full-time Development Manager, Sad Powell, we were extremely pleased to present two public events, which showcased the talents of our artists, while providing free entertainment to our audiences. In March 2025, TBTB partnered with The Signature Theater during their world premiere of Samuel D. Hunters latest play, GRANGEVILLE by presenting a Monday evening play reading series featuring four of Mr. Hunters other plays: A GREAT WILDERNESS, CLARKSTON, THE HARVEST, AND THE HEALING. The series was titled, HUNTER IN FOUR and was presented at Signatures Ford Foundation Studio. All readings were free to the public and featured over 27 artists, 70% of whom were performers with disabilities. All readings were open captioned and featured a question and answer talk-back, which followed each performance. From April 28 through May 4th, TBTB presented our 3rd Hybrid Playmakers Intensive, HPI3: DRAMAPHEMERA, which featured 12 original short plays, all written by and for our artists and performed live for both online and in-person audiences. Our Playmakers Intensive program is unique in that it allows us to gather a group of writers, directors, and actors, randomly pair them together into groups, and charge each group to create an original play. Six of the plays, written to be performed online via ZOOM, were presented (1 play each evening with 2 live performances) from April 28 through May 3rd. On May 4th, the final six plays were presented live before a studio audience of 75 people at Clinton Cameo Studios, 307 W. 43rd Street, NYC. These plays were also recorded and shown online to our virtual audiences from June 16 - 21. All performances featured live stream and open captioning as well as post-show discussions and audio description, when necessary. In both projects, all artists received financial compensation for their time and talents.
- $51,663 spent. Advocacy: Throughout the 2024/25 season, TBTB continued to represent the disabled community by participating in both online and in-person meetings, round tables and symposia with various city and community arts and activist organizations, including with NYCs Mayors Office for People with Disabilities. During the summer of 2025, TBTB attended the Kennedy Centers National LEAD Conference, in Cleveland. The conference focuses on leadership in the arts and disability and features keynote speakers, seminars, round table discussions and presentations to help art makers create accessible programming. During this conference, TBTB Artistic Director, Nicholas Viselli, was approached by LEAD Conference Chair, Betty Siegal, to serve as a presenter at the 2026 LEAD Conference, to be held this summer in Philadelphia. Because TBTB actively implements accessibility directly into the core of our work, we are recognized as a leader in the field as we push to make accessibility a universal design consideration for all. As the call for equity, diversity, and inclusion continues to grow, TBTB remains a pioneer, leading by example and demonstrating that the integration of disabled and non-disabled artists off all races, genders, and sexual orientations from every corner of our community leads to a more level playing field, collective unity, and richer, more impactful art for artists and audiences alike.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.