Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Great Barrington Public Theater Inc

EIN 20-8256546 · Great Barrington, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong97 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION CREATES THEATRE EXPERIENCES THAT ENGAGE AUDIENCES BY ENTERTAINING AS WELL AS CHALLENGING THEM WITH DYNAMIC AND PROVOCATIVE PRODUCTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION CREATES A PLATFORM FOR NEW VOICES AND DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES THAT DRIVES ITS WORK: PRODUCTIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

Income
$488,819
Spending
$511,131
Spent on programs
61%
Reserves
3.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
20
Volunteers
40
Highest pay
$41,250, development director

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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    61% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 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

Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

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

  • 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. $311,743 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OIN 2024, GREAT BARRINGTON PUBLIC THEATER (GBPT) PRESENTED ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASON TO DATE, EXPANDING ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES IN ALIGNMENT WITH ITS MISSION TO PRODUCE NEW PLAYS, SUPPORT AND DEVELOP LOCAL THEATER ARTISTS, AND OFFER AFFORDABLE PROGRAMMING TO THE PUBLIC. DURING THE 2024 SUMMER SEASON, GBPT PRODUCED FOUR THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, INCLUDING THREE PREMIERES AT ITS HOME VENUE, THE DANIEL ARTS CENTER AT BARD COLLEGE AT SIMONS ROCK, AND ONE CO-PRODUCTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY IN LENOX, MASSACHUSETTS. DOG PEOPLE, A NEW COMEDY BY LEIGH STRIMBECK, DIRECTED BY JUDY BRAHA, FEATURED LOCAL ACTORS CHRIS TUCCI AND SHEILA BANDYOPADHYAY. THIS WAS THE FIRST FULL PRODUCTION TO EMERGE FROM BERKSHIRE VOICES, GBPTS NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE PRODUCTION WAS PRESENTED TO SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES AND RECEIVED CRITICAL ACCLAIM.SURVIVAL OF THE UNFIT, WRITTEN BY OREN SAFDIE AND DIRECTED BY MATTHEW PENN, WAS PRESENTED ON THE MCCONNELL MAINSTAGE AT THE DANIEL ARTS CENTER. THE CAST INCLUDED CAROLYN HENNESY, DANIEL GERROLL, VINNY RANDAZZO, AND SARAH KEYES. THE PRODUCTION ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST TICKET SALES IN GBPTS HISTORY AND RECEIVED HIGHLY FAVORABLE REVIEWS.NIGHT AT THE SPEAKEASY, CONCEIVED AND DIRECTED BY WENDY WELCH AND STARRING JANELLE FARIAS SANDO, WAS AN ORIGINAL CABARET-STYLE PERFORMANCE FEATURING 1920S-ERA JAZZ AND MUSICAL SELECTIONS. AUDIENCES WERE SEATED ONSTAGE AT CABARET TABLES, CREATING AN IMMERSIVE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE.FLIGHT OF THE MONARCH, WRITTEN BY JIM FRANGIONE AND DIRECTED BY JUDY BRAHA, WAS PRESENTED IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY AT THE ELAYNE P. BERNSTEIN THEATRE IN LENOX, MA. THE PLAY FEATURED ALLYN BURROWS AND CORINNA MAY AND RECEIVED STRONG CRITICAL AND AUDIENCE RESPONSE, WITH MULTIPLE SOLD-OUT PERFORMANCES. THE BERKSHIRE VOICES PROGRAM CONTINUED TO SUPPORT REGIONAL PLAYWRIGHTS THROUGH WORKSHOPS, READINGS, AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROGRAM BRINGS TOGETHER WRITERS, DIRECTORS, AND ACTORS TO COLLABORATE ON NEW WORKS AND PROVIDES A PATHWAY FROM SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT TO FULL PRODUCTION, AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE 2024 STAGING OF DOG PEOPLE. GBPTS 2024 SEASON BEGAN WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS SECOND ANNUAL BENEFIT, HELD ON JUNE 7, 2024, AT BARD COLLEGE AT SIMONS ROCK. THE EVENT FEATURED LIVE MUSIC, FOOD, AND BEVERAGES, FOLLOWED BY A SPECIAL MUSICAL PERFORMANCE BY JANELLE FARIAS SANDO IN THE DANIEL ARTS CENTERS MCCONNELL THEATER. THE EVENING ALSO MARKED THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONS BLACK BEAR AWARDS, RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE THEATER AND ARTS COMMUNITY. HONOREES INCLUDED FRED AND SALLY HARRIS, FOUNDERS OF SAINT JAMES PLACE, FOR THEIR ONGOING GENEROSITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS IN THE SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES, AND MICHAEL BRADY, FOR HIS LONGSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN GBPTS BERKSHIRE VOICES PLAYWRIGHT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THE BENEFIT ACHIEVED RECORD ATTENDANCE AND WAS THE ORGANIZATIONS MOST SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING EVENT TO DATE.

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 October 13, 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 September 2008.

    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 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.