Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Sierra Madre Playhouse

EIN 95-6058309 · Sierra Madre, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ENRICH OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH PRODUCING EXTRAORDINARY LIVE PERFORMANCES AT ACCESSIBLE PRICES AND PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC THEATER FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$939,530
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
1.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
51
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$100,388, artistic and executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 119% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 25

    10 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
  1. $106,371 spent. NUTCRACKER - IN DECEMBER 2024, SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE PRESENTED THE BELOVED BOB BAKER'S NUTCRACKER, A MARIONETTE ADAPTATION OF THE HOLIDAY CLASSIC CREATED BY THE ACCLAIMED BOB BAKER MARIONETTE THEATER. THIS VIBRANT, ALL-AGES PRODUCTION BLENDED PUPPETRY, MUSIC, AND FESTIVE STORYTELLING TO DELIGHT MULTI-GENERATIONAL AUDIENCES. WITH MULTIPLE SOLD-OUT PERFORMANCES, THE PROGRAM OFFERED FAMILIES A WHIMSICAL AND ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINT INTO THE PERFORMING ARTS. THE COLLABORATION MARKED THE SECOND YEAR OF THIS ANNUAL TRADITION, HELPING TO ESTABLISH SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE AS A CULTURAL HUB FOR HIGH-QUALITY, FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING.
  2. $98,450 spent. PASAJE - IN FALL 2024, SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE PRODUCED PASAJE, AN ORIGINAL BILINGUAL PLAY DEVELOPED OVER A DECADE BY A COLLECTIVE OF YOUNG LATINÉ ARTISTS. THE PRODUCTION EXPLORED THEMES OF IDENTITY, MIGRATION, AND BELONGING THROUGH LIVE MUSIC, MOVEMENT, AND STORYTELLING, BLENDING PROFESSIONAL ARTISTRY WITH COMMUNITY-ROOTED VOICES. FEATURING A PREDOMINANTLY LATINÉ CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM, PASAJE WAS A LANDMARK FOR THE PLAYHOUSE'S COMMITMENT TO CULTURAL EQUITY AND NEW WORK DEVELOPMENT. THE PRODUCTION SOLD OUT ITS FINAL WEEKEND AND DREW ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FROM BOTH LOYAL PATRONS AND FIRST-TIME ATTENDEES.
  3. $32,297 spent. L5Y - IN SPRING 2024, SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE STAGED JASON ROBERT BROWN'S ACCLAIMED MUSICAL THE LAST FIVE YEARS, DIRECTED BY OPERA AND THEATER INNOVATOR JOSH SHAW. THE PRODUCTION FEATURED A BOLD, EMOTIONALLY INTIMATE STAGING THAT TRACED THE RISE AND FALL OF A RELATIONSHIP THROUGH INTERWOVEN, NONLINEAR NARRATIVES. WITH LIVE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT AND STANDOUT PERFORMANCES, THE SHOW ATTRACTED BOTH MUSICAL THEATER ENTHUSIASTS AND NEW AUDIENCES TO THE PLAYHOUSE. THIS FRESH TAKE ON A MODERN CLASSIC UNDERSCORED THE PLAYHOUSE'S COMMITMENT TO ARTISTICALLY AMBITIOUS, EMOTIONALLY RESONANT STORYTELLING.
  4. $373,775 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE ALL OTHER GENERAL PROGRAM EXPENSES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 May 1957.

    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.