Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Garry Marshall Theatre

EIN 38-4039214 · Burbank, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GARRY MARSHALL THEATRE IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AT THE CROSSROADS OF BURBANK AND TOLUCA LAKE, ACTIVELY WORKING TO ENRICH THE GREATER LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY BY PRODUCING LIVE ARTS EXPERIENCES, CULTIVATING ARTISTS, AND INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION TO THE POWER OF LIVE STORYTELLING AND ENTERTAINMENT. OUR MISSION CONTINUES THE WORK THAT OUR FOUNDER, WRITER/DIRECTOR, GARRY MARSHALL, PUT IN MOTION AND MAINTAINED THROUGH HIS MANY-DECADE CAREER: ENTERTAINMENT THAT INSPIRES, UPLIFTS AND ALLOWS THE GENERATIONS TO GATHER IN ONE PLACE. TO THIS END, WE ARE A 501 (C) (3) NONPROFIT COMMITTED TO PROVIDING LIVE ARTS, ENHANCING ARTS EDUCATION, AND CULTIVATING COMMUNITY.

Income
$804,183
Spending
$897,625
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
7.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 33%
Employees
59
Volunteers
10

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    10 of 10

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

  • 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 August 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 (1)
  1. $592,623 spent. SEPTEMBER 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 2025 AT GARRY MARSHALL THEATRE FOSTERED DEDICATED GROWTH TO PROGRAMMING, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. OUR SMALL NONPROFIT STAFF AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTINUED TO REFINE PROTOCOLS AND PRACTICES IN OUR EFFORT TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION. THIS SEASON MARKED THE THIRD YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF THE GMT YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. THIS TIME PERIOD ALSO REMAINED TRUE TO OUR MISSION IN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTISTS AND THEIR WORK, AND A COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE PRODUCING MODEL INCLUDING INTIMATE EVENTS AND SIGNATURE ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIPS. WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MANY FORMS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND RECOVERY TO THOSE IMPACTED BY THE DEVASTATING FIRES IN JANUARY 2025.SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2024 WELCOMED "JIMPRESSIONS," STARRING JIM MESKIMEN (SON OF LEGENDARY "HAPPY DAYS" ACTOR MARION ROSS, A MOVEMENT SERIES FOR ADULTS TITLED DROP IN DANCE," YOUTH EDUCATION OFFERINGS FOR AGES 8-17 INCLUDING FIVE SESSIONS OF: TEEN TECH FOAM COSTUME CRAFT, AND PHYSICAL COMEDY STAGE & SCREEN. ACTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER NADINE ELLIS RETURNED TO GMT FOR A SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENT TEACHING THE "THRILLER" DANCE. AND WE PARTNERED WITH ACCLAIMED FILM COMPOSER JOHN DEBNEY FOR OUR NOV 13 FUNDRAISING GALA AT VERSE LA. DECEMBER OFFERED A WIDE RANGE OF ARTISTIC OFFERINGS FROM "IRISH CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA" IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ANAM IRISH CULTURE & ARTS AND THE IRISH BAND TADA TO "LA THEATRESPORTS" SHOWS WITH WAYNE BRADY AND JOEL MCHALE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IMPRO THEATRE COMPANY. GMT CLOSED OUT THE YEAR WITH A BABY SUPPLY DRIVE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SABAN COMMUNITY CLINIC, FOLLOWED BY A 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE TV SHOW "HAPPY DAYS" HOSTING A SYMPOSIUM WITH A COLLECTION OF WRITERS FROM THE SERIES AND VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE MAKING OF THE TV SHOW.JANUARY 2025 WAS A SHOCK TO ALL AS DEVASTATING FIRES LEFT OUR COMMUNITIES WITH NOTHING AND THE ARDUOUS TASK OF STARTING OVER. GMT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ACTIVATE AND CONVERT OUR VENUE INTO A COLLECTION SITE, INSPIRING THOUSANDS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPLY THOUSANDS OF NECESSARY ITEMS TO THOSE IN NEED AS WE FILLED OUR VENUE TO THE BRIM AND SENT TRUCKLOADS OF GOODS TO THE PROPER CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION. THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATION WAS REMARKABLE TO SAY THE LEAST.GMT'S YOUTH EDUCATION SAW A NEARLY DOUBLING IN ENROLLMENT IN ITS ANNUAL SPRING MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM "BROADWAY BOUND" BUILDING CHARACTERS AND "BROADWAY BOUND: POP VOCAL MUSICALS." BOTH PROGRAMS SERVED AGES 8-17 AND WELCOMED STUDENTS WITH FULL SCHOLARSHIPS. GMT'S TEEN TECH INTRODUCED "STAGE MAKEUP DESIGN" LED BY INDUSTRY MAKE-UP ARTIST ROBYN REBBE. FEBRUARY SHOWCASED A DEVELOPMENT OF STEPHEN KEARIN'S "MEMOIRY LANE AND KAYLA JANSSEN'S 8 WEEK COURSE "MOVEMENT FOR SCREEN." MARCH WELCOMED EDI PATTERSON AND DAN O'CONNOR IN AN ADULT IMPROV WORKSHOP AND AN LA THEATRESPORTS SHOW STARRING PATTERSON AND LA'S FINEST IN THE IMPROV WORLD. GMT ALSO PRESENTED A FIRE RELIEF BENEFIT CONCERT STARRING PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOSEPH LEO BWARIE AND A 14-PIECE BAND. APRIL CONTINUED THE MUSIC WITH KELLY BRANDEBURG'S "MY FAVORITE BARBRA" CONCERT EVENT CELEBRATING BARBRA STREISAND, IN ADDITION TO TEEN TECH: STAGE LIGHTING & EFFECTS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWED YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF LIGHTING AND EFFECTS IN A HANDS-ON SERIES. A FREE COMMUNITY EVENT FOR YOUTH WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL BUSINESS "THE ENCHANTED FLORIST" ALLOWING YOUNG ONES FROM AGE 3 AND UP TO WORK WITH BLOOMS TO CREATE LIVING ART. MAY SAW THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH IMPRO THEATRE COMPANY "JANE AUSTEN UNSCRIPTED: TEA AT PEMBERLEY." THIS POPULAR IMMERSIVE EVENT IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING AND TRANSFORMS GMT'S OUTDOOR COURTYARD INTO THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE FOR A TEA PARTY AND FULL-Y IMPROVISED PLAY IN THE STYLE OF JANE AUSTEN. THE SHOW COMBINES THE EFFORT OF NUMEROUS LOCAL VENDORS, ARTISTS, ACTORS, AND MUSICIANS.SUMMER IS DEVOTED TO THEATRE PROCESS-BASED CAMPS. SIX FULL WEEKS OF VARIOUS ALL-DAY CAMPS INCLUDING YOUTH ARTS CAMP, MUSICAL THEATRE MOVEMENT CAMP, TEEN TECH CAMP, MUSICAL THEATRE REVUE CAMP, AND PUPPET MAKING CAMP. NEARLY 100 CAMPERS FILLED THE VENUE. AS WITH ALL THE YOUTH PROGRAMMING AT GMT, THE FOCUS IS THE PROCESS AND NOT THE OUTCOME. YOUNG PERFORMERS AND TECHNICIANS TRULY HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE ART FORM ON STAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES. THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCOVERY AND IMPLEMENTATION IN THE LIVE ARTS IS WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO INSTILL VALUE INTO THE ARTS AND PLACE IT IN THE NEXT GENERATION.ORGANIZATIONALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO WELCOME A NEW EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGER, PROMOTE AND EXPAND THE ROLES OF OUR FULL TIME GENERAL MANAGER AS WELL AS OUR DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND TECHNICAL OPERATIONS. IN THIS TIME WE ALSO INCREASED OUR COMMUNITY PRESENCE WITH THE ADDITION OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR. EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN REACHING THE COMMUNITY AND RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL FAMILIES AND ARTS ENTHUSIASTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 August 2025.

    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 2017.

    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.