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Theatre Under the Stars
Theatre Under the Stars reported $18.8 million in revenue and $19.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.48 went to program services, $15.42 to management and general costs and $8.10 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 64.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $283,147 (Executive Director). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 77% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $20MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $19M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$32.95 $6.2M
- Government grants$1.06 $200K
- Program service revenue$63.74 $12M
- Investment income$2.25 $426K
Other revenue was negative: −$148K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.4% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.1% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.25 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 34.3% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 64.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $283,147 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.44% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.0 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 52 of 52 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe 2024 - 2025 Theatre Under The Stars Season brought more than 145,500 guests to the Hobby Center, with 145,509 tickets sold across 125 performances, reaffirming TUTS' role as Houston's home for musical theatre. The season featured an exciting mix of Broadway hits and acclaimed new productions, opening with the Tony Award-winning Dear Evan Hansen, followed by Little Shop of Horrors. The holidays were anchored by Disney's Frozen, alongside the return of the fan-favorite The Ugly Xmas Sweater Musical. The spring continued with Mean Girls, a new co-production of Waitress in partnership with…
Education and community outreach initiatives: Humphreys School of Musical Theatre is committed to providing the Houston area with the best theatrical training and performing arts education. It is the goal of HSMT to give all students who walk through its doors a greater understanding of musical theatre and of themselves equipping young people with the tools they need to be successful in whatever they choose to do in life. Founded in 1996, The River provides affordable, accessible arts education to individuals with disabilities and their siblings. After merging with TUTS in 2010, The River's…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Director Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $253,000 | $0 | $30,147 | $283,147 |
| Artistic Director Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $253,000 | $0 | $18,109 | $271,109 |
| Director of Marketing Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $137,532 | $0 | $18,674 | $156,206 |
| Director of Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $101,000 | $0 | $18,103 | $119,103 |
| Financial Controller Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $71,680 | $0 | $10,157 | $81,837 |
| Financial Controller Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $22,000 | $0 | $818 | $22,818 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Theatre Under the Stars (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $675K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b52 · 52 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5478
- Volunteers Part I, line 675
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Mean Girls Touring LLC Touring fees | $917,613 |
| Avil Media Group Media & advertising | $857,878 |
| MOGO Marketing & Media LLC Advertising, media, digital marketling | $528,526 |
| SD&A Teleservices Inc Telemarketing services | $327,803 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
23 private foundations reported grants to Theatre Under the Stars totaling $603K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Theatre Under the Stars's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Theatre Under the Stars, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Theatre Under the Stars spent in FY2025, $76.48 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Kauffman Center for the Performing ArtsKansas City, MO · revenue $19M · programs 84.1% · FY2025
- United Arts of Central FloridaOrlando, FL · revenue $19M · programs 95.0% · FY2025
- Old Dartmouth Historical SocietyNew Bedford, MA · revenue $19M · programs 77.0% · 2024
- Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications AssociationNorfolk, VA · revenue $19M · programs 76.6% · FY2025
- Opas FoundationOmaha, NE · revenue $19M · programs 97.4% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of Theatre Under the Stars's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Theatre Under the Stars reported that 76.5% of its $19.7 million in expenses went to program services, 15.4% to management and general and 8.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Theatre Under the Stars pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Theatre Under the Stars reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $283,147, for the role of Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Theatre Under the Stars get its money?
Of $18.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 34.3% came from contributions and grants (including 1.1% from government grants) and 64.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Theatre Under the Stars a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1621647 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202641949349301189 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202501969349301835 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202401979349302055 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331929349301583 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241949349302024 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202111029349300226 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1621647: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.