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Good Theater Inc

EIN 14-1846766 · Cape Eliz, ME

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATIONS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PRESENTING THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS INTENDED TO FOSTER APPRECIATION OF THE THEATER AND PERFORMING ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

Income
$914,339
Spending
$384,908
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
15.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
39
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$48,077, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 58% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 131% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $254,972 spent. GOOD THEATER PRESENTED TWO OF ITS LARGEST PRODUCTIONS IN THE EARLY PART OF 2024. ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS WAS THE MAINE PREMIERE OF THIS AWARD-WINNING COMEDY FROM RICHARD BEAN. THE SHOW STARRED DUSTIN TUCKER, A LOCAL MAINE ACTOR WHO WAS FEATURED IN TWO FILMS THAT WERE BOTH NOMINATED FOR ACADEMY AWARDS AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS STARRING IN OUR PRODUCTION. THIS SHOW WAS A BIG HIT WITH AUDIENCES AND SOLD OUT MOST OF ITS FOUR-WEEK RUN. THE NEXT PRODUCTION WAS A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, A MUSICAL. THIS SHOW WAS PRESENTED IN OUR THIRD SEASON, AND IT WAS THE ONE SHOW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BRIAN P. ALLEN, WANTED TO REPEAT. AS THIS WAS THE LAST SHOW IN OUR SPACE,, AND THE 100TH SHOW THAT ALLEN HAD DIRECTED FOR THE COMPANY, IT FELT LIKE THE PERFECT PRODUCTION TO CLOSE OUT THIS CHAPTER OF GOOD THEATERS TENURE. A MAN OF NO IMPORTLANCE IS ABOUT A THEATER TROUPE PUTTING ON A SHOW AND LOSING THEIR VENUE WHICH MIRRORED EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO GOOD THEATER. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE IS TOUCHING AND UP LIFTING. OUR PRODUCTION WAS UNIQUE IN THAT THE ACTORS ALSO PLAYED INSTRUMENTS IN BAND. ACTORS MOVED SEAMLESSLY FROM PLAYING CHARACTERS TO PLAYING INSTRUMENTS. IT WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND VERY SATISFYING. THE SHOW SOLD EXTREMELY WELL SELLING OUT MOST PERFORMANCES. KNOWING THIS SHOW WOULD BE THE LAST IN OUR CURRENT HOME, WE WERE UNSURE OF THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY. DURING THE RUN OF A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, AN ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD ABOUT THE COMPANY LOSING ITS HOME. DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE, A BUSINESS IN PORTLAND, SAW THE ARTICLE AND CONTACTED US TO COME TOUR THE SPACE. DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE OWNS THE FORMER MCCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. THE ONE AREA ON THE CAMPUS THAT HADNT FOUND A NEW USE WAS THE AUDITORIUM. GOOD THEATER MET WITH DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE AND WERE INVITED TO BECOME THE THEATER IN RESIDENCE AT THIS SPACE. GOOD THEATER CONSIDERED IT, AND AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RENOVATIONS TOWARD BEING BASED IN THIS NEW LOCATION. THE COMPANY BEGAN FUNDRAISING IN JULY AND SPENT THE REST OF THE YEAR RAISING MONEY FOR THE RENOVATIONS. AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GUSTA JOHNSON, WAS HIRED AND BEGAN WORK ON JULY 29, 2024. PLANS FOR THE SPACE WERE COMPLETED AND WORK BEGAN EARLY IN 2025. A SEASON WAS SELECTED FOR 2025-2026. A GALA OPENING WAS PLANNED FOR APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2025, AND A SUMMER SEASON WAS PLANNED FOR JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST 2025. GOOD THEATER PRESENTED TWO OF ITS LARGEST PRODUCTIONS IN THE EARLY PART OF 2024. ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS WAS THE MAINE PREMIERE OF THIS AWARD-WINNING COMEDY FROM RICHARD BEAN. THE SHOW STARRED DUSTIN TUCKER, A LOCAL MAINE ACTOR WHO WAS FEATURED IN TWO FILMS THAT WERE BOTH NOMINATED FOR ACADEMY AWARDS AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS STARRING IN OUR PRODUCTION. THIS SHOW WAS A BIG HIT WITH AUDIENCES AND SOLD OUT MOST OF ITS FOUR-WEEK RUN. THE NEXT PRODUCTION WAS A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, A MUSICAL. THIS SHOW WAS PRESENTED IN OUR THIRD SEASON, AND IT WAS THE ONE SHOW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BRIAN P. ALLEN, WANTED TO REPEAT. AS THIS WAS THE LAST SHOW IN OUR SPACE,, AND THE 100TH SHOW THAT ALLEN HAD DIRECTED FOR THE COMPANY, IT FELT LIKE THE PERFECT PRODUCTION TO CLOSE OUT THIS CHAPTER OF GOOD THEATERS TENURE. A MAN OF NO IMPORTLANCE IS ABOUT A THEATER TROUPE PUTTING ON A SHOW AND LOSING THEIR VENUE WHICH MIRRORED EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO GOOD THEATER. A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE IS TOUCHING AND UP LIFTING. OUR PRODUCTION WAS UNIQUE IN THAT THE ACTORS ALSO PLAYED INSTRUMENTS IN BAND. ACTORS MOVED SEAMLESSLY FROM PLAYING CHARACTERS TO PLAYING INSTRUMENTS. IT WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND VERY SATISFYING. THE SHOW SOLD EXTREMELY WELL SELLING OUT MOST PERFORMANCES. KNOWING THIS SHOW WOULD BE THE LAST IN OUR CURRENT HOME, WE WERE UNSURE OF THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY. DURING THE RUN OF A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, AN ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD ABOUT THE COMPANY LOSING ITS HOME. DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE, A BUSINESS IN PORTLAND, SAW THE ARTICLE AND CONTACTED US TO COME TOUR THE SPACE. DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE OWNS THE FORMER MCCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. THE ONE AREA ON THE CAMPUS THAT HADNT FOUND A NEW USE WAS THE AUDITORIUM. GOOD THEATER MET WITH DEVELOPERS COLLABORATIVE AND WERE INVITED TO BECOME THE THEATER IN RESIDENCE AT THIS SPACE. GOOD THEATER CONSIDERED IT, AND AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RENOVATIONS TOWARD BEING BASED IN THIS NEW LOCATION. THE COMPANY BEGAN FUNDRAISING IN JULY AND SPENT THE REST OF THE YEAR RAISING MONEY FOR THE RENOVATIONS. AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GUSTA JOHNSON, WAS HIRED AND BEGAN WORK ON JULY 29, 2024. PLANS FOR THE SPACE WERE COMPLETED AND WORK BEGAN EARLY IN 2025. A SEASON WAS SELECTED FOR 2025-2026. A GALA OPENING WAS PLANNED FOR APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2025, AND A SUMMER SEASON WAS PLANNED FOR JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST 2025.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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 November 6, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2003.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 November 4, 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.