American Shakespeare Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE CENTER ADVANCES UNDERSTANDING, IMAGINATION, AND COMMUNITY BY ILLUMINATING SHAKESPEARE THROUGH PERFORMANCE, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION IN THE BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE AND BEYOND.
- Income
- $3.8 million
- Spending
- $3.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- -4.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 73%
- Employees
- 82
- Volunteers
- 110
- Highest pay
- $72,864, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 14% 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
2 of 20It owes 83% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 2519 of 19 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 September 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)
- $2.8 million spent. ARTISTIC INNOVATIONASC PRODUCES CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS IN ROTATING REPERTORY, USING ORIGINAL STAGING PRACTICES INCLUDING SHARED LIGHT AND DIRECT AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT TO CREATE ACCESSIBLE AND HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCES. PRODUCTIONS TAKE PLACE IN THE BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE, THE WORLD'S FIRST RE-CREATION OF SHAKESPEARE'S INDOOR THEATRE. DURING THE YEAR, ASC PRESENTED 305 PERFORMANCES AND EXPANDED ARTIST DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND DIRECTING OPPORTUNITIES. ASC ALSO PILOTED A NEW CHILDREN'S ADAPTATION OF THE WINTER'S TALE TITLED SORRY, MOST SORRY, WHICH WELCOMED MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS THREE, INTO THE PLAYHOUSE. ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O.ASC EXPANDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS THROUGH MENTORSHIP, UNDERSTUDY TRAINING, AND THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, WHICH PROVIDED DIRECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERAN ARTISTS AND EARLY CAREER DIRECTORS. ASC PILOTED A NEW CHILDREN'S ADAPTATION OF THE WINTER'S TALE TITLED SORRY, MOST, SORRY. THIS PERFORMANCE INTRODUCED YOUNG AUDIENCES TO SHAKESPEARE THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE STORYTELLING AND INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE AND WELCOMED MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES INTO THE PLAYHOUSE. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ALSO BROADENED ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS THAT FEATURED ADOPTABLE RESCUE DOGS IN PERFORMANCES OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
- $278,962 spent. EMPOWERING EDUCATIONASC PROVIDES EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES THROUGH STUDENT MATINEES, WORKSHOPS, SUMMER THEATRE CAMPS, DRAMA CLUBS, AND COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR, ASC WELCOMED MORE THAN 7,600 STUDENTS TO MATINEE PERFORMANCES. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS WERE EXPERIENCING LIVE THEATRE FOR THE FIRST TIME. ASC AWARDED MORE THAN $15,000 IN CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS. NEW OFFERINGS INCLUDED THE ASC DRAMA CLUB, THE ASC BOOK CLUB, AND THE NO KIDDING ADULT LEARNING PROGRAM. ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES INCREASED ACCESS FOR STUDENTS FROM THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O.ASC THEATRE CAMP STUDENTS COMPLETED PERFORMANCE-BASED STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORY PLAYS HENRY VI PARTS I THROUGH III AND RICHARD III. STUDENTS DEVELOPED COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH ENSEMBLE WORK. PARTICIPANTS IN THE NO KIDDING ADULT PROGRAM EXPLORED CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES THROUGH SCENE STUDY. THESE PROGRAMS EXTEND ASC'S COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING FOR PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES.
- $23,356 spent. BUILDING COMMUNITY AND FOSTERING ACCESSIBILITYASC EXPANDED ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, FLEXIBLE PRICING, AND INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO LIVE PERFORMANCE. THE LIBRARY CULTURE PASS PROVIDED 177 RESIDENTS WITH FREE ADMISSION. ASC OFFERED PAY WHAT YOU WILL EVENTS, VETERANS DISCOUNTS, AND ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES. ASC ALSO INTRODUCED AN ASL INTERPRETER TRAINING INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDED REHEARSAL ACCESS AND PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR DEVELOPING INTERPRETERS. THE ORGANIZATION WELCOMED MORE THAN 19,700 FIRST-TIME VISITORS DURING THE YEAR AND STRENGTHENED REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT. ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O.ASC SERVED MORE THAN 7,600 STUDENTS THROUGH STUDENT MATINEE PROGRAMMING AND OFFERED COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR LOCAL FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS. THE ASL INTERPRETER TRAINING INITIATIVE PROVIDED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING INTERPRETERS WITHIN THE REHEARSAL PROCESS. EXPANDED COMMUNITY ACCESS INITIATIVES INCLUDED ASL INTERPRETED PRODUCTIONS, INTERGENERATIONAL WORKSHOPS, ADOPTABLE DOG EVENTS, AND THE LIBRARY CULTURE PASS. THESE EFFORTS SUPPORTED ASC'S GOAL OF REDUCING SOCIAL, FINANCIAL, AND GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN LIVE PERFORMANCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 October 13, 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 September 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 November 1990.
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 October 21, 2026.
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