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Nonprofiteer
← WASHINGTON DRAMA SOCIETY INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by WASHINGTON DRAMA SOCIETY INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$63,868,263
Total expenses
$26,422,281
Contributions and grants received
$6,736,825
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$10,284,618
Investment income
$6,344,099
Other revenue
$40,502,721
Total assets, end of year
$124,782,837
Total liabilities, end of year
$5,643,531
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$119,139,306
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$21,963,773
Management and general expenses
$2,584,708
Fundraising expenses
$1,873,800
Program service expenses (Part III)
$21,963,773

Program services were 83.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $464,410

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $633,422

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $5,638,993

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $361,242

  • 2a · Program service revenue: TICKET SALES

    total $6,544,401 · related or exempt $6,544,401

  • 2b · Program service revenue: ENHANCEMENT

    total $1,955,678 · related or exempt $1,955,678

  • 2c · Program service revenue: FACILITY OPERATIONS

    total $791,325 · related or exempt $791,325

  • 2d · Program service revenue: OTHER PROGRAM REVENUE

    total $727,203 · related or exempt $720,881 · unrelated business $6,322

  • 2e · Program service revenue: CAMP ARENA

    total $192,365 · related or exempt $192,365

  • 2f · All other program service revenue

    total $73,646 · related or exempt $73,646

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $267,423 · excluded $267,423

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $11,582 · excluded $11,582

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $506,696

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $506,696

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $506,696 · excluded $506,696

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $15,960,257 · other assets $6,007

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $9,889,588 · other assets $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $6,070,669 · other assets $6,007

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $6,076,676 · excluded $6,076,676

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $33,450

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $464,410

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $355,453

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$322,003 · excluded -$322,003

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $132,292

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $94,297

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $37,995 · related or exempt $37,995

  • 11a · Other revenue: DEBT FORGIVENESS

    total $40,268,451 · excluded $40,268,451

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $40,268,451

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,314,313 · program services $612,654 · management and general $510,240 · fundraising $191,419

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $8,721,896 · program services $6,829,451 · management and general $956,434 · fundraising $936,011

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $329,688 · program services $329,688

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $896,054 · program services $677,090 · management and general $118,662 · fundraising $100,302

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $788,327 · program services $588,102 · management and general $111,258 · fundraising $88,967

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $24,204 · program services $17,154 · management and general $3,613 · fundraising $3,437

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $170,882 · program services $53,916 · management and general $61,416 · fundraising $55,550

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $50,300 · program services $16,599 · management and general $16,599 · fundraising $17,102

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $77,157 · management and general $77,157

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,706,199 · program services $1,465,125 · management and general $139,885 · fundraising $101,189

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,495,313 · program services $1,495,313

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $833,964 · program services $668,370 · management and general $124,094 · fundraising $41,500

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $421,867 · program services $325,832 · management and general $61,737 · fundraising $34,298

  • 15 · Royalties

    total $398,561 · program services $398,561

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $1,808,181 · program services $1,700,626 · management and general $89,915 · fundraising $17,640

  • 17 · Travel

    total $475,072 · program services $451,543 · management and general $22,524 · fundraising $1,005

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $10,657 · management and general $10,657

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $3,081,723 · program services $2,896,820 · management and general $154,086 · fundraising $30,817

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $223,998 · program services $210,558 · management and general $11,200 · fundraising $2,240

  • 24a · Other expenses: PRODUCTION -COSTS

    total $1,714,382 · program services $1,714,382

  • 24b · Other expenses: FINANCING

    total $935,703 · program services $879,561 · management and general $46,785 · fundraising $9,357

  • 24c · Other expenses: FACILITY OPERATIONS

    total $683,304 · program services $615,493 · management and general $67,811

  • 24d · Other expenses: FUNDRAISING EXPENSES

    total $260,536 · program services $16,935 · management and general $635 · fundraising $242,966

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $2,591,929 · end of year $484,532

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $7,096,138

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $5,987,105 · end of year $4,312,805

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $689,543 · end of year $481,745

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $9,818 · end of year $14,971

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $849,566 · end of year $748,323

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $148,630,794

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $44,528,090

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $106,948,166 · end of year $104,102,704

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $1,637,795

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $23,242,045 · end of year $4,902,682

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $5,273,619 · end of year $1,001,142

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $903,609 · end of year $1,463,045

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $3,751,776 · end of year $3,153,907

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $54,598,245

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $341,361 · end of year $1,026,579

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $60,838,523 · end of year $93,894,429

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $25,158,268 · end of year $25,244,877

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

ENCOURAGEMENT OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE ARTS, PARTICULARLY IN DRAMA; PROVIDING INSTRUCTION AND EXPERIENCE IN, AND THE FACILITIES FOR, EXPERIMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPOSITION AND PRESENTATION OF DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS; AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE OF THE FOREGOING BY EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION.

Activities or mission (Part I)

ARENA STAGE IS A CENTER FOR THE PRODUCTION, PRESENTATION, DEVELOPMENT & STUDY OF THE AMERICAN THEATER.

  • THE 2023-2024 SEASON WAS ARENA STAGE'S 74TH YEAR IN OPERATION. ARENA STAGE IS THE VOICE OF AMERICAN THEATER RESIDENT IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL. WE PRODUCE ALL THAT IS PASSIONATE, EXUBERANT, PROFOUND, ENTERTAINING, DEEP AND DANGEROUS IN THE AMERICAN SPIRIT. THIS WAS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR HANA S. SHARIF'S FIRST SEASON WITH ARENA STAGE. ARENA PRODUCED AND PRESENTED SEVEN SHOWS WHILE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS. THE SEASON INCLUDED: CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND (KREEGER THEATER) BY LAUREN YEE, FEATURING SONGS BY DENGUE FEVER, DIRECTED BY CHAY YEW, A SIGNATURE THEATRE PRODUCTION, IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALLEY THEATRE, BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE, AND ACT THEATRE/5TH AVENUE; POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE (FICHANDLER STAGE), BY SELINA FILLINGER, DIRECTED BY MARGOT BORDELON; SWEPT AWAY (KREEGER THEATER), BOOK BY JOHN LOGAN, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY THE AVETT BROTHERS, DIRECTED BY MICHAEL MAYER; STEP AFRIKA! MAGICAL MUSICAL HOLIDAY STEP SHOW (FICHANDLER STAGE); TEMPESTUOUS ELEMENTS (FICHANDLER STAGE, WORLD PREMIERE) BY KIA CORTHRON, DIRECTED BY PSALMAYENE 24; UNKNOWN SOLDIER (KREEGER THEATER) BOOK BY DANIEL GOLDSTEIN, MUSIC BY MICHAEL FRIEDMAN, LYRICS BY MICHAEL FRIEDMAN AND DANIEL GOLDSTEIN, DIRECTED BY TRIP CULLMAN; THE MIGRATION: REFLECTIONS ON JACOB LAWRENCE (KREEGER THEATER) BY STEP AFRIKA!WE CONTINUED SUPPORTING OUR NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS AND CREATORS WITH CAMP ARENA STAGE AND THE ALLEN LEE HUGHES FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. CAMP ARENA STAGE HAD 262 CAMPERS, AND 8 SEASON-LONG FELLOWSHIPS WERE COMPLETED.THE DC TICKET PARTNERSHIP OFFERS DEEPLY DISCOUNTED TICKETS TO DC PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. THIS SEASON WE PARTNERED WITH 29 TEACHERS AT 24 SCHOOLS REPRESENTING ALL DC WARDS. ARENA STAGE TEACHING ARTISTS LEAD PRE- AND POST-SHOW WORKSHOPS AND EXTENSIVE STUDY GUIDES ARE PREPARED FOR THE STUDENTS.ARENA CONTINUED VOICES OF NOW (VON), AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, DEVISED THEATER PROGRAM WHERE ENSEMBLES OF MIDDLE-SCHOOL, HIGH-SCHOOL, AND ADULT ARTISTS WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL PLAYS. THIS SEASON THERE WERE NINE VOICES OF NOW ENSEMBLES WORKING IN THE PROGRAM: FIVE SCHOOLS IN DC AND FAIRFAX COUNTY, AND FOUR COMMUNITY-BASED ENSEMBLES INCLUDING A DECADES-LONG PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WENDT CENTER FOR LOSS AND HEALING.

    Expenses $21,963,773 · Revenue $10,316,291

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Edgar Dobie

    PRESIDENT/EXEC. PRODUCER

    Total calculated
    $423,225
    From this org
    $414,046
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,179
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $412,046
    Bonus
    $2,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,179
    Filer's total
    $423,225
  • Hana Sharif

    ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $171,066
    From this org
    $168,786
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,280
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $168,786
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $2,280
    Filer's total
    $171,066
  • Catherine Guttman-McCabe

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10
  • Decker Anstrom

    IMMED. PAST CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    8
  • Judith N Batty

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4
  • Michele G Berman

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeffrey M Busch

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Kristen Donoghue

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Rick Froehlich

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Nicholas Goad

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Sue Henry

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Alethia Jackson

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Richard A Newman

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • David E Shiffrin

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michele P Toth

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Shawna Watley

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3
  • Jan Adams

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Andrew R Ammerman

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Linda Baumann

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Deborah E Bowles

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Susan Carter

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Celandra Deane-Bess

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Joseph Digangi

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Jeri Epstein

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Richard Feinstein

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • David Fisher

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Stephenie Foster

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Dr Donald Wallace Jones

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Ricki Kanter

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Elissa Leonard

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3
  • John Lynham

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • B Thomas Mansbach

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • David B H Martin

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jill McGovern

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Robert Pincus

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Ilene Rosenthal

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Tiffeny Sanchez

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Mignon Smith

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Sheila Stampfli

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3
  • Michael S Steele

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3
  • Whitney Hubbard

    YOUNG PATRONS TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.1
  • Lee G Rubenstein

    LIFE TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3
  • Beth Newburger Schwartz

    LIFE TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joseph Berardelli

    TREASURER/CFO

    Total calculated
    $181,343
    From this org
    $172,141
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,202
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $167,141
    Bonus
    $5,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,202
    Filer's total
    $181,343
  • Alison Irvin

    LEADERSHIP OFFICE MANAGER / SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $100,601
    From this org
    $100,229
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $372
    Hours/week
    40
  • Shonali Burke

    CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $193,977
    From this org
    $193,515
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $462
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $183,515
    Bonus
    $10,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $462
    Filer's total
    $193,977
  • Ryan Merkel

    CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $181,347
    From this org
    $172,045
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,302
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $162,045
    Bonus
    $10,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,302
    Filer's total
    $181,347
  • Maria Lee Lewis

    INTERIM DIRECTOR, HR

    Total calculated
    $131,879
    From this org
    $122,577
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,302
    Hours/week
    40
  • John K Monnett

    CONTROLLER/INTERIM DIRECTOR, FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $130,852
    From this org
    $121,560
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,292
    Hours/week
    40
  • Robert Hand

    DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

    Total calculated
    $120,690
    From this org
    $111,414
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,276
    Hours/week
    40
  • Molly Smith

    FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - TO 6/2023

    Total calculated
    $312,573
    From this org
    $312,405
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $168
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,851
    Bonus
    $136,554
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $168
    Filer's total
    $312,573

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 7
THE ORGANIZATION OCCASIONALLY PAYS NON-FIXED, DISCRETIONARY BONUSES TO EMPLOYEES.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
6 May 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202501279349301715

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