Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PLEASE SEE SCHEDULE O FOR THE COMPLETE MISSION STATEMENT.BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE CREATES AMBITIOUS THEATRE THAT ENTERTAINS AND CHALLENGES ITS AUDIENCES, PROVOKES CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND INSPIRES PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD IN NEW AND SURPRISING WAYS. KNOWN FOR ITS CORE VALUES OF STORYTELLING, RIGOR, INNOVATION, EQUITY, DISCOVERY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, BERKELEY REP DRAWS THEATRE ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL SEVEN-PLAY SEASON AND UP TO FOUR ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EVENT PRESENTATIONS THAT INVITE AUDIENCES TO ENJOY AN ECLECTIC RANGE OF THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES FEATURING DIVERSE ARTISTIC VOICES, THEMES, AND PERSPECTIVES.
- Income
- $21.2 million
- Spending
- $23.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -13.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 53%
- Employees
- 561
- Volunteers
- 800
- Highest pay
- $381,872, artistic director
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
Weak: 24 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 52% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 51% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 31 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 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 (4)
- $17.2 million spent. MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS: BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE OPENED ITS 2024/25 SEASON WITH THE WEST COAST PREMIERE OF THE ELECTRIFYING LIVE-LOOPED MUSICAL "MEXODUS" FROM MULTITALENTED CREATORS BRIAN QUIJADA AND NYGEL D. ROBINSON, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED OFF-BROADWAY, FOLLOWED BY THE WEST COAST PREMIERES OF MARY ZIMMERMAN'S "THE MATCHBOX MAGIC FLUTE AND JOCELYN BIOH'S "JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING." IN FEBRUARY 2025, WE DEBUTED THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH," A VISUALLY STUNNING ADAPTATION BY KEITH BUNIN OF ALI BENJAMIN'S NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL, ALONGSIDE CONOR MCPHERSON'S ACCLAIMED ADAPTATION OF ANTON CHEKOV CLASSIC "UNCLE VANYA" FEATURING HUGH BONNEVILLE IN THE TITLE ROLE. "UNCLE VANYA" WAS A HUGE HIT WITH BERKELEY REP'S AUDIENCES, BREAKING THE HOUSE RECORD FOR (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THE PEET'S THEATRE. IN APRIL, WE FOLLOWED UP WITH ANOTHER PLAY THAT RESONATED DEEPLY WITH AUDIENCES, WELCOMING TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT'S "HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES" BY MOISES KAUFMAN AND AMANDA GRONICH ONTO OUR RODA THEATRE STAGE. TO CLOSE OUT THE SEASON, WE PRODUCED THE WORLD PREMIERE OF "THE AVES," A NEW PLAY BY JIEHAE PARK. ALONGSIDE THESE PRODUCTIONS, BERKELEY REP PRESENTED SPECIAL LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS OF COMEDIAN W. KAMAU BELL WITH HIS NEW SHOW "WHO'S WITH ME AND DRAG SUPERSTAR SASHA VELOUR WITH HER SHOW "THE BIG REVEAL LIVE SHOW." OVER THE 352 INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES, BERKELEY REP WELCOMED 8,382 SUBSCRIBERS (A 4% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS SEASON) AND A TOTAL OF 123,991 AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
- $1.3 million spent. BERKELEY REP SCHOOL OF THEATRE: MARKING 40 YEARS OF ARTS EDUCATION AT BERKELEY REP, IN 2024/25, OUR SCHOOL OF THEATRE SERVED OVER 13,000 YOUTH AND LIFE-LONG LEARNERS THROUGH SCHOOL OF THEATRE PROGRAMMING. A THROUGHLINE ACROSS OUR WORK THIS YEAR WAS A FOCUS ON DEEPENING CONNECTIONS WITH AND BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, GROWING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCHOOL PARTNERS, CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH STORYTELLING, AND BUILDING POINTS OF CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR TEEN LEADERS AND MAINSTAGE AUDIENCE. THROUGH IN-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES, THE SCHOOL REACHED OVER 1,500 STUDENTS ACROSS 41 BAY AREA SCHOOLS, PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING SEVERAL TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. OUR STUDENT MATINEES WELCOMED OVER 1,400 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ATTEND (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) OUR MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, AUGMENTED WITH PRE-SHOW WORKSHOPS AND POST-SHOW CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ARTISTS. WE HOSTED OUR THIRD ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL, IN WHICH 115 STUDENTS FROM FOUR AREA HIGH SCHOOLS RECEIVED PRE-PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, AS WELL AS DEVISED AND SHOWCASED ONE-ACT PERFORMANCES TO NEARLY 250 AUDIENCE MEMBERS. OUR TEEN COUNCIL PROGRAMS ENGAGED NEARLY 600 PARTICIPANTS, RANGING FROM OUR TEEN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL'S POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK TO THE SHEPHERDING OF THE WORK OF THE FOUR TEENAGE PLAYWRIGHTS IN OUR YOUNG WRITERS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE, CULMINATING IN A PUBLIC READING BY PROFESSIONAL ACTORS. OUR NEXT GENERATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED 13 EARLY-CAREER THEATER PROFESSIONALS WITH IMMERSIVE, HANDS-ON TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP OVER AN 11-MONTH PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM. AND, NEARLY 1,500 STUDENTS OF ALL AGES--YOUTH, TEEN, AND ADULT--EXPLORED HANDS-ON CREATIVE PRACTICE IN OVER 130 UNIQUE CLASSES AND SUMMER CAMPS OFFERED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
- $1.1 million spent. THE GROUND FLOOR: BERKELEY REP'S CENTER FOR THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW WORK HAS GROWN INTO A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM AND LEADING THEATRICAL INCUBATOR THAT HAS SERVED OVER 1,000 ARTISTS AND BEEN PART OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL JOURNEY OF HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE APPEARED ON STAGES AT BERKELEY REP, ON BROADWAY, AND AROUND THE WORLD. SELECTED FROM NEARLY 800 APPLICANT PROJECTS, BERKELEY REP'S 2025 GROUND FLOOR SUMMER RESIDENCY LAB BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 120 LOCAL AND NATIONAL ARTISTS OVER FOUR WEEKS TO DEVELOP 24 PROJECTS IN A FLEXIBLE, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. ONE SUCH WORK WAS "MOTHER OF EXILES," WHICH WILL HAVE ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT BERKELEY REP IN THE 2025/26 SEASON. NEARLY 600 AUDIENCE MEMBERS ENGAGED WITH WORK-IN-PROGRESS SHOWINGS DURING THE SUMMER RESIDENCY LAB. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THROUGH THE GROUND FLOOR, BERKELEY REP ALSO PRODUCED A PRE-BROADWAY WORKSHOP OF THE MUSICAL "GALILEO," WHICH PREMIERED AT BERKELEY REP IN THE 2023/24 SEASON, ALLOWING THE CREATIVE TEAM TO FURTHER REFINE THE PIECE. DUE TO THE ROBUST ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT OFFERED THROUGH THE GROUND FLOOR, FIVE PRODUCTIONS DEVELOPED AND/OR PREMIERED BY BERKELEY REP HAVE GONE ON TO BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY RUNS THIS YEAR, WITH OVER 100,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS ATTENDING A BERKELEY REP PRODUCTION ON BROADWAY IN THE 2024/25 SEASON ("SWEPT AWAY AND "CULT OF LOVE").
- $286,660 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS: BERKELEY REP'S IN DIALOGUE PROGRAM PARTNERED WITH 28 CREATIVES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN 2024/25. THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, WE ENGAGED 2,500 AUDIENCE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS. OUR SIX COMMUNITY CELEBRATION NIGHTS DURING THE 2024/25 SEASON FILLED OUR SPACES WITH MUSIC, FOOD, COMMUNITY, AND JOY. THESE FREE, PUBLIC EVENTS INCLUDED PRE-SHOW PERFORMANCES FEATURING LOCAL ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS WITH REFRESHMENTS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES; POST-SHOW CONVERSATIONS; AND DISCOUNTED TICKETS. WE PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ENGAGE IN PRE- AND POST-SHOW DIALOGUES THAT CONNECTED THE THEMES EXPLORED IN OUR ONSTAGE PRODUCTIONS TO REAL-LIFE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUED RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONGOING PARTNERS TO OFFER STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS AND TO MAKE OUR SPACES AVAILABLE AS REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE VENUES.
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
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 August 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 May 1969.
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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