Dobama Theatre Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
DOBAMA THEATRE, INC. IS DEDICATED TO PREMIERING IMPORTANT NEW PLAYS BY ESTABLISHED & EMERGING PLAYWRIGHTS IN PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. THROUGH THEATRICAL PRODUCTION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING, DOBAMA NURTURES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEATRE ARTISTS AND BUILDS NEW AUDIENCES FOR THE ARTS WHILE PROVOKING AN EXAMINATION OF OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 4.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 64
- Highest pay
- $65,426, artistic dir
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 59% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 June 30, 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 (3)
- $597,744 spent. DOBAMA THEATRE IS A SMALL PROFESSIONAL THEATRE UNDER THE ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA-SPT), BECOMING CLEVELAND'S THIRD FULL-TIME EQUITY THEATRE AND ITS ONLY SPT IN 2014. DOBAMA ABIDES BY THE IMPORTANT RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE AEA TO ENSURE SAFETY AND FAIR COMPENSATION FOR ACTORS AND STAGE MANAGERS. DOBAMA ALSO ABIDES BY THE CLEAN HOUSE STANDARDS IN ALL MAINSTAGE PROGRAMMING, A DOCUMENT DEVELOPED BY DOBAMA THEATRE AND KARAMU HOUSE THAT PROTECTS NON-UNION ARTISTS IN CLEVELAND THEATRES. DOBAMA PRIORITIZES THE SAFETY AND FAIR COMPENSATION OF ARTISTS TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS FOR BRAVE CREATIVE EXPLORATION AND TO RETAIN BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION TALENT IN THE REGION. NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS AN SPT ENHANCES CLEVELAND'S STATUS AS A CULTURAL DESTINATION BY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS. VIA THE LOVE & RESPECT DOCUMENT, A LIVING DOCUMENT CREATED IN 2020, DOBAMA TAKES ACTIVE ANTI-RACIST AND ANTI- BIAS MEASURES AND ENSURES ACCOUNTABILITY TO THOSE MEASURES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. IN FULFILLMENT OF THIS MISSION, DOBAMA THEATRE PRODUCES 5-7 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS EACH SEASON THAT ARE CLEVELAND, OHIO, REGIONAL, AMERICAN, OR WORLD PREMIERES OF PLAYS THAT ARE CHALLENGING IN GENRE, THEME, OR STYLE AND EXPLORE A CURRENT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE IN OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD. DOBAMA FOLLOWS THE PRINCIPLES OF EMERGENT STRATEGY AND CIRCULAR MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE LOVE & RESPECT IN PLAY SELECTION, HIRING, CASTING, ENGAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING, AND DAILY OPERATIONS. DOBAMA THEATRE IS A SMALL PROFESSIONAL THEATRE UNDER THE ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA-SPT), BECOMING CLEVELAND'S THIRD FULL-TIME EQUITY THEATRE AND ITS ONLY SPT IN 2014. DOBAMA ABIDES BY THE IMPORTANT RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE AEA TO ENSURE SAFETY AND FAIR COMPENSATION FOR ACTORS AND STAGE MANAGERS. DOBAMA ALSO ABIDES BY THE CLEAN HOUSE STANDARDS IN ALL MAINSTAGE PROGRAMMING, A DOCUMENT DEVELOPED BY DOBAMA THEATRE AND KARAMU HOUSE THAT PROTECTS NON-UNION ARTISTS IN CLEVELAND THEATRES. DOBAMA PRIORITIZES THE SAFETY AND FAIR COMPENSATION OF ARTISTS TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS FOR BRAVE CREATIVE EXPLORATION AND TO RETAIN BOTH UNION AND NON-UNION TALENT IN THE REGION. NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS AN SPT ENHANCES CLEVELAND'S STATUS AS A CULTURAL DESTINATION BY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS. VIA THE LOVE & RESPECT DOCUMENT, A LIVING DOCUMENT CREATED IN 2020, DOBAMA TAKES ACTIVE ANTI-RACIST AND ANTI- BIAS MEASURES AND ENSURES ACCOUNTABILITY TO THOSE MEASURES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. IN FULFILLMENT OF THIS MISSION, DOBAMA THEATRE PRODUCES 5-7 MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS EACH SEASON THAT ARE CLEVELAND, OHIO, REGIONAL, AMERICAN, OR WORLD PREMIERES OF PLAYS THAT ARE CHALLENGING IN GENRE, THEME, OR STYLE AND EXPLORE A CURRENT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE IN OUR CONTEMPORARY WORLD. DOBAMA FOLLOWS THE PRINCIPLES OF EMERGENT STRATEGY AND CIRCULAR MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE LOVE & RESPECT IN PLAY SELECTION, HIRING, CASTING, ENGAGEMENT, PROGRAMMING, AND DAILY OPERATIONS.
- THE PLAYWRIGHTS' GYM IS DOBAMA THEATRE'S PROFESSIONAL PLAYWRITING UNIT. THE GYM PROVIDES LOCAL PLAYWRIGHTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORKSHOP NEW WORK IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING DIRECT FEEDBACK, REHEARSAL SPACE, MARKETING, OPEN READINGS, AND OTHER PUBLIC EVENTS SUPPORTED BY DOBAMA. THE GYM'S GOAL IS TO NURTURE AND ENCOURAGE NEW WORK IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND TO CONTINUE DOBAMA'S COMMITMENT TO THE CREATION AND PREMIERE OF IMPORTANT NEW PLAYS. ADMISSION TO ALL GYM EVENTS IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC TO ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE AND AUDIENCE FEEDBACK.
- EDUCATION PROGRAMS: THE MARILYN BIANCHI KIDS PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL (MBKPF), THE DOBAMA EMERGING ACTORS PROGRAM (DEAP), AND THE INTERN PROGRAM (PART III, 4B) AS THE OLDEST YOUTH PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY, THE MBKPF EXEMPLIFIES ALL ASPECTS OF DOBAMAS MISSION: IT ENCOURAGES THE CREATION OF NEW PLAYS, CULTIVATES YOUNG AUDIENCES FOR THE ARTS, AND ASKS STUDENTS TO EXAMINE THE WORLD AROUND THEM. NORTHEAST OHIO STUDENTS IN GRADES 1-12 ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT ORIGINAL PLAYS TO DOBAMA FOR EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK. THE MBKPF CULMINATES IN AN ANNUAL, FULLY-PRODUCED FESTIVAL ON DOBAMAS STAGE OF OUTSTANDING STUDENT PLAYS AS A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF STUDENTS WORK AND CREATIVITY YEAR-ROUND. THIS IS THE CORE OF DOBAMAS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND HAS BEEN A STAPLE IN CLEVELAND FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. IN-SCHOOL LITERACY WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED AT NO COST TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE EDUCATORS WITH THE TOOLS TO INCORPORATE THE PROGRAM INTO THEIR CURRICULUM. DEAP IS AN AUDITIONED ACTING INTENSIVE HOSTED BY DOBAMA EACH SUMMER WHERE HIGH SCHOOL- AND COLLEGE-AGE STUDENTS LEARN ESSENTIAL ACTING TECHNIQUES FROM AREA PROFESSIONALS. SUMMER INTERNS RECEIVE TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF DESIGN, DIRECTING, AND STAGE MANAGEMENT. AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS PERFORM A FULLY DESIGNED, DIRECTED WORKSHOP PRODUCTION OF A HEIGHTENED-TEXT PLAY IN ORDER TO APPLY WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED. THE PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AUDITIONS AND FUTURE EMPLOYMENT IN THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE WORLD WHILE HONING COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS. TUITION IS ON A SLIDING SCALE, AND NO STUDENT IS TURNED AWAY DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS DOBAMA TO IDENTIFY EMERGING TALENTS AND CONNECT THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THEIR CRAFT IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PRIZES DIVERSITY, EXPERIMENTATION, AND EXCELLENCE. THE INTERN PROGRAM ADMITS GROUPS OF STUDENTS FOR EITHER A FULL MAINSTAGE SEASON (SEPTEMBER MAY) OR A SUMMER (MAY SEPTEMBER). INTERNS RECEIVE CLOSE MENTORSHIP FROM ADMINISTRATIVE, ARTISTIC, TECHNICAL, AND SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE A ROUNDED EDUCATION OF THE INDUSTRY. THE GOAL OF THE INTERN PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMERGING PROFESSIONALS AND TO CREATE A ROBUST COMMUNITY OF THEATRE PROFESSIONALS IN THE CLEVELAND AREA. ALL INTERNS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN OFFICIAL POSITIONS ON DOBAMA PRODUCTIONS, AND ALL INTERNS ARE PAID FOR THEIR WORK. EDUCATION PROGRAMS: THE MARILYN BIANCHI KIDS PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL (MBKPF), THE DOBAMA EMERGING ACTORS PROGRAM (DEAP), AND THE INTERN PROGRAM (PART III, 4B) AS THE OLDEST YOUTH PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL IN THE COUNTRY, THE MBKPF EXEMPLIFIES ALL ASPECTS OF DOBAMAS MISSION: IT ENCOURAGES THE CREATION OF NEW PLAYS, CULTIVATES YOUNG AUDIENCES FOR THE ARTS, AND ASKS STUDENTS TO EXAMINE THE WORLD AROUND THEM. NORTHEAST OHIO STUDENTS IN GRADES 1-12 ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT ORIGINAL PLAYS TO DOBAMA FOR EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK. THE MBKPF CULMINATES IN AN ANNUAL, FULLY-PRODUCED FESTIVAL ON DOBAMAS STAGE OF OUTSTANDING STUDENT PLAYS AS A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF STUDENTS WORK AND CREATIVITY YEAR-ROUND. THIS IS THE CORE OF DOBAMAS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND HAS BEEN A STAPLE IN CLEVELAND FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. IN-SCHOOL LITERACY WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED AT NO COST TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE EDUCATORS WITH THE TOOLS TO INCORPORATE THE PROGRAM INTO THEIR CURRICULUM. DEAP IS AN AUDITIONED ACTING INTENSIVE HOSTED BY DOBAMA EACH SUMMER WHERE HIGH SCHOOL- AND COLLEGE-AGE STUDENTS LEARN ESSENTIAL ACTING TECHNIQUES FROM AREA PROFESSIONALS. SUMMER INTERNS RECEIVE TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF DESIGN, DIRECTING, AND STAGE MANAGEMENT. AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS PERFORM A FULLY DESIGNED, DIRECTED WORKSHOP PRODUCTION OF A HEIGHTENED-TEXT PLAY IN ORDER TO APPLY WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED. THE PROGRAM PREPARES STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AUDITIONS AND FUTURE EMPLOYMENT IN THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE WORLD WHILE HONING COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS. TUITION IS ON A SLIDING SCALE, AND NO STUDENT IS TURNED AWAY DUE TO INABILITY TO PAY. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS DOBAMA TO IDENTIFY EMERGING TALENTS AND CONNECT THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE THEIR CRAFT IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PRIZES DIVERSITY, EXPERIMENTATION, AND EXCELLENCE. THE INTERN PROGRAM ADMITS GROUPS OF STUDENTS FOR EITHER A FULL MAINSTAGE SEASON (SEPTEMBER MAY) OR A SUMMER (MAY SEPTEMBER). INTERNS RECEIVE CLOSE MENTORSHIP FROM ADMINISTRATIVE, ARTISTIC, TECHNICAL, AND SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE A ROUNDED EDUCATION OF THE INDUSTRY. THE GOAL OF THE INTERN PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMERGING PROFESSIONALS AND TO CREATE A ROBUST COMMUNITY OF THEATRE PROFESSIONALS IN THE CLEVELAND AREA. ALL INTERNS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN OFFICIAL POSITIONS ON DOBAMA PRODUCTIONS, AND ALL INTERNS ARE PAID FOR THEIR WORK.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 November 6, 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 June 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 May 1964.
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 November 4, 2026.
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