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Atlanta Shakespeare Company

EIN 58-1404045 · Atlanta, GA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PRODUCTION OF LIVE THEATER PERFORMANCES AND EDUCATION

Income
$2.0 million
Spending
$2.1 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 55%
Employees
125
Volunteers
640
Highest pay
$93,274, president/art director

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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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 62% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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)
  1. $1.7 million spent. Atlanta Shakespeare company (ASC) is in production 51 weeks out of the year, presenting a different play every month, for a total of 268 mainstage performances and 59 offsite performances. We presented seven plays by Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Hamlet, Love's Labor's Lost, Twelfth Night, and The Comedy of Errors. We also presented A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) by The Reduced Shakespeare Company and The African Company Presents Richard III by Carlyle Brown. We presented two co-productions: Claire Martin's Pride and Prejudice with Belle Esprit and Benedetto Robinson's Dracula, the Failings of Man with Havoc Movement Company. We also presented eight special events including a staged reading of A Room in the Castle by Lauren Gunderson and hosted performances by Belle Esprit Theatre Collective and Destination Theatre. Total attendance was 52,391, of which 21,573 were students. Our audience came from 94 counties in Georgia, 49 states (plus DC) and 13 foreign countries. As our Education Artists also perform on our mainstage, and our student matinees are the same as our evening shows, it is not possible to separate costs for the Main Stage from the Education Programming. All Program costs and program service revenues are included on line 4a.
  2. Our Educational programming includes our Shakespeare:60 series, and our Shakespeare Junior shows as well as in-class Playshops, school-day Residencies, Summer camps for rising 2nd to rising 8th grade, and in-house homeschool "Shakesploration" Days. Our 60-minute digital productions include R&J:60, Macbeth:60 and Othello. We offer digital study guides for every core curriculum play and provide professional learning workshops for teachers. During 2024-2025, we offered student matinee performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Benedetto Robinson's Dracula, the Failings of Man, Hamlet, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and Claire F. Martin's Pride and Prejudice. We employed five Interns/assistant teachers in our summer camp and teen summer programming. The Apprentice Company, our professional training program, employed eight Apprentices, typically young artists who are within five years of undergraduate training. This program runs from September to April, and the Apprentices take classes in Acting, Shakespearean Text, Stage Combat, Voice for the stage, and other essential professional Theater Skills. They perform professionally on the Main Stage, understudy certain roles, and the program culminates with an evening of Shakespeare scenes, music and stage combat, performed for friends, family, Tavern staff and the public. As our Education Artists also perform on our mainstage, and our student matinees are the same as our evening shows, it is not possible to separate costs for the Main Stage from the Education Programming. All Program costs and program service revenues are included on line 4a.

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

  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 October 13, 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 June 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 October 1980.

    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 October 21, 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.