Virginia Stage Company
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE MAKE MEMORIES TOGETHER, BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF SHARING A STORY.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $3.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- -2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 43%
- Employees
- 146
- Volunteers
- 236
- Highest pay
- $117,216, producing artistic directo
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
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2526 of 26 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 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 (2)
- $2.8 million spent. VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY ("VSC") IS SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA'S LEADING REGIONAL NON-PROFIT THEATRE, SERVING AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 58,000+ ANNUALLY IN NON-PANDEMIC TIMES, BOTH AT THE WELLS THEATRE AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. VSC'S MISSION IS TO ENRICH, EDUCATE, AND ENTERTAIN THE REGION BY CREATING AND PRODUCING THEATRICAL ART OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. VSC CONNECTS THE HAMPTON ROADS COMMUNITY THROUGH INITIATIVES THAT ENRICH LIVES AND ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES FOR THE FUTURE. VSC HAS HELPED LEAD THE CHARGE IN PRODUCING THE HIGHEST QUALITY PRODUCTIONS IN OUR REGION. OVER THE COURSE OF OUR 45-YEAR HISTORY, VSC HAS PRODUCED OVER 4,700 PERFORMANCES OF CLOSE TO 240 PLAYS, INCLUDING 28 WORLD PREMIERES AND 15 PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING PLAYS. IN FULFILLMENT OF VSC'S MISSIONS, PLAYS ARE SELECTED TO APPEAL TO ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES, AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS TO EXPAND VSC'S DIVERSE AUDIENCE
- $175,130 spent. OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING STRIVES TO REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVCE AND ADVOCATE FOR ARTS INTEGRATION AND EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE LITERACY, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE NEXT GENERATION. FOR OVER 23 YEARS, VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY'S ("VSC") EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A LOVE OF GREAT LITERATURE AND THE PERFORMING ARTS IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS ALIKE. VSC STRIVES TO DEEPEN THE COMMUNITY'S EXPOSURE TO TEACHING ARTISTS, PLAYWRIGHTS, DESIGNERS, AND PERFORMERS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, VSC HAS IMPACTED OVER ONE MILLION STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE GREATER HAMPTON ROADS COMMUNITY.
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 July 1968.
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.
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.