Writers Theatre Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Writers Theatre (WT) is a literary organization that operates not-for-profit theatres in Glencoe, Illinois. The Writers Theatre mission is to create intimate connections through astonishing performances and innovative programs; activating relationships between artists and community; and inviting people to gather in our spaces for transformative experiences. Central to this mission are three values: lead with the art; build a connected community; and nurture organizational culture, health, and equity.
- Income
- $9.0 million
- Spending
- $7.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 64%
- Employees
- 217
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $205,222, artistic director
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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 25 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 (3)
- $5.6 million spent. Artistic Programming:The 2024/25 Season opened with the Chicago premiere of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy, directed and choreographed by Katie Spelman (September 5 - October 3, 2024). Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan, directed by Kimberly Senior, followed, bringing its award-winning, intimate storytelling to WT (November 1, 2024 - January 13, 2025). Acclaimed writer and performer Vanessa Severo presented Frida....A Self Portrait, directed by Joanie Schultz, in a solo performance (January 23 - February 23, 2025). Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham then helmed Brian Friel's Translations (April 3 - May 4, 2025). The 24/25 Season closed with the world premiere of Dhaba on Devon Avenue by Madhuri Shekar, directed by Chay Yew (June 20 - July 27, 2025).
- $170,563 spent. Educational Programming:WT Education continued to expand program capacity in the 2024-25 school year, building on sustained post-pandemic recovery. Core programs, including the Novel Series and Student Matinees, operated at or above pre-pandemic levels, with increased classroom partnerships and new school relationships. We remain focused on expanding access for students with limited, inequitable access to arts education and live theatre experiences, particularly through partnerships with Chicago Public Schools and Communities in Schools. WT Education served over 3,000 students and community members across programs and deepened its impact through both school-based and onsite initiatives that connect the art onstage with broader community engagement. RESIDENCY PROGRAMIn the 2024/25 school year, The Novel Series served 900 Chicago Public School students across 35 classrooms in 9 schools, surpassing pre-pandemic capacity. WT Education expanded partnerships with three new schools and continued collaboration with Communities in Schools-Chicago to increase access for students in under-resourced communities, with a focus on equitable program delivery and sustained school relationships.STUDENT MATINEESIn the 2024/25 school year, WT Education hosted 929 students and teachers across 23 schools through 7 Student Matinee performances of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Every Brilliant Thing and Translations. The program included 5 new school partners and continued efforts to broaden access by engaging a more diverse range of schools while maintaining strong partnerships across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.ONSITE CREATIVE LEARNINGWT Education offered a dynamic slate of onsite creative learning opportunities for young people, families and adults. More than 250 young people and caregivers participated in programs including Wake Up Words Family Playtime, Pop-Up Day Camps, and Spring Break Camp, alongside additional engagement through family matinee workshops, adult storytelling programs, and community events connected to mainstage productions
- $41,534 spent. Literary Development Initiative:Since its founding in 1992, WT has produced more than 160 productions ranging from inventive interpretations of classic works to world premieres. In the 2024/25 season, we hosted a workshop of Edgardo or White Fire by Cary Perloff, the former Artistic Director of the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, who will direct our production of Leopoldstadt in our 2025/26 season. The Edgardo workshop, featuring actor David Strathairn, concluded with an invited reading. That same year, Hershey Felder utilized the LDI to workshop his newest composer piece, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar. A reading directed by Trevor Hay was presented for a ticketed audience before the work went on to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, where it received rave reviews, and has since returned to our theatre to open the 2025/26 season.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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