The theatre's exempt purpose is to give new life to contemporary american plays and to produce the world premieres of new plays by both established and emerging playwrights. A fundamental part of its purpose is Theatre education, which is accomplished through special performances for new york city school children, subscriber discussions with Theatre artists and an internship program.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 836 volunteers and 946 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $965K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.2M
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $4.4M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $26K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$20.1M
37% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 37% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
34
of 35 voting members
Looks good: 34 of 35 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$24.6M
-14% vs prior year
Spent
$25.3M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$34.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$24.6M
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.4M
FY2021$8.7M
FY2022$28.3M
FY2023$26.2M
FY2024$28.7M
FY2025$24.6M
Expenses
$25.3M
FY2025▼ -11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$19.3M
FY2021$8.2M
FY2022$24.6M
FY2023$29.0M
FY2024$28.4M
FY2025$25.3M
Net assets
$34.1M
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$37.3M
FY2021$37.8M
FY2022$40.3M
FY2023$36.3M
FY2024$35.4M
FY2025$34.1M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1980.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $18.6M Management & general 17% · $4.4M Fundraising 9% · $2.3M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

47 people listed on the 990; $2.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Exec. Director, Thru 04/2025
$319,966Pt VII · Sec A
Electrician, Hayes Theater
$243,122Pt VII · Sec A
Art. Dir. as of 01/2024
$236,525Pt VII · Sec A
Head Properties, Hayes Theater
$231,828Pt VII · Sec A
Head Carpenter, Hayes Theater
$217,886Pt VII · Sec A
Artistic Dir, as of 09/2024
$180,889Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Marketing Officer
$179,909Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$165,732Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Lawer Post Interim’s $320K as Exec. Director, Thru 04/2025 is at the 47th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Carole Forster————$513,882—
Carole Rothman$31,792$497,892$472,260$341,534——
Kamara Khady——$340,231———
Casey T Rietz—————$321,660
Lisa Lawer Post Interim$319,966$276,000————
Khady Kamara———$315,288$68,250—
Amelia S Roy Head$243,122$215,511————
Bennett H Leak Interim$236,525—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Second Stage Theatre INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Revives contemporary plays and premieres new works by established and emerging playwrights.

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1 program · $18.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Second Stage presented five shows during the 2024-2025 season. The season opened with "WALDEN" by Amy Berryman, which ran at the Tony Kiser Theater from October 17 to November 24, 2024. This play explored themes of environmental stewardship and human ambition through the story of two sisters confronting their diverging paths.

$18.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$26K
Grants paid · 3 grants · $77K · 2019–2021
Unitemized GrantFY2021$54,500
Unitemized GrantFY2020$7,500
Unitemized GrantFY2019$15,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$24.6M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$16.1M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$347K
Money outPt IX
$25.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$18.6M
Managementcol C$4.4M
Fundraisingcol D$2.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$34.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.9M
Total assetsLn 16$54.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$20.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
47
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a35
IndependentVI 1b34
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$284K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$608K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$1.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$16.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$347K
Other incomeLn 4–11$47K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$24.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$727K
SavingsLn 2$2.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$39.5M
Other assetsLn 15$4.1M
Total assetsLn 16$54.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$20.1M
Net assetsLn 32$34.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5946
VolunteersI 6836
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.0M$2.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.4M$4.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$40.3M$39.5M
Total assetsLn 16$57.6M$54.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$22.2M$20.1M
Net assetsLn 32$35.4M$34.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.3M$708K$194K$397K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$8.7M$6.2M$1.7M$763K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.6M$1.5M$171K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$612K$335K$125K$152K
Payroll taxesLn 10$969K$671K$187K$110K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$26K$2K$23K
Accounting feesLn 11c$106K$106K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$535K$475K$50K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3.3M$3.3M$7K
Office expensesLn 13$210K$15K$192K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$333K$209K$92K$32K
RoyaltiesLn 15$176K$176K
OccupancyLn 16$1.9M$1.3M$359K$203K
TravelLn 17$243K$137K$79K$27K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$462K$462K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$759K$537K$140K$83K
InsuranceLn 23$232K$164K$43K$25K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3.3M$2.8M$50K$477K
All other expensesLn 24e$478K$27K$418K$34K
Total functional expensesLn 25$25.3M$18.6M$4.4M$2.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $24.6M$25.3M−$690K$34.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $28.7M$28.4M$352K$35.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $26.2M$29.0M−$2.7M$36.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $28.3M$24.6M$3.7M$40.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $8.7M$8.2M$455K$37.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $12.4M$19.3M−$6.9M$37.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $24,636,467 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $5,415,139$8,181,954
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $22,812,845$16,060,726
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $445,386$347,018
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $76,133$46,769
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $28,749,503$24,636,467
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $13,807,545$13,246,635
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $14,589,679$12,080,284
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $28,397,224$25,326,919
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $352,279−$690,452
Part VI · Governance 34 of 35 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body35
VI-1b Independent voting members34
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $24,636,467 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $220,425 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$1,885,855
VIII-1e Government grants$284,192
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,011,907
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$607,917
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,181,954
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $15,840,301$15,840,301
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $347,018$347,018
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $46,769$46,769
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $16,107,495 · Excluded from tax $347,018$24,636,467
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $25,326,919 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $707,609 · Management $193,587 · Fundraising $397,039$1,298,235
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $6,223,399 · Management $1,731,794 · Fundraising $763,282$8,718,475
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,477,578 · Management $171,235$1,648,813
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $335,010 · Management $125,184 · Fundraising $152,000$612,194
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $671,453 · Management $187,014 · Fundraising $110,451$968,918
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,373 · Management $23,256$25,629
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $106,370$106,370
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $474,754 · Management $50,271 · Fundraising $10,403$535,428
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,273,716 · Fundraising $6,700$3,280,416
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $15,199 · Management $191,659 · Fundraising $2,969$209,827
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $208,631 · Management $92,372 · Fundraising $32,099$333,102
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $176,465$176,465
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,326,958 · Management $359,143 · Fundraising $202,868$1,888,969
IX-17 TravelPrograms $136,843 · Management $79,435 · Fundraising $26,901$243,179
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestManagement $462,201$462,201
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $536,943 · Management $139,879 · Fundraising $82,613$759,435
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $163,711 · Management $42,648 · Fundraising $25,188$231,547
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,822,310 · Management $49,838 · Fundraising $477,239$3,349,387
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $26,618 · Management $417,681 · Fundraising $34,030$478,329
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $18,579,570 · Management $4,423,567 · Fundraising $2,323,782$25,326,919
Part X · Balance sheet $54,263,158 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,316,592$727,104
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,695,899$2,141,083
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,351,782$1,806,399
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,019,047$1,055,530
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $800,236$564,052
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $40,305,748$39,513,034
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,398,960$4,354,470
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,754,092$4,101,486
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $57,642,356$54,263,158
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,910,353$1,674,984
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,844,918$1,701,694
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,673,862$1,422,255
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $22,194,201$20,148,933
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $34,896,570$33,118,945
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $551,585$995,280
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $35,448,155$34,114,225
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $57,642,356$54,263,158
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $34,114,225 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$24,636,467
XI-2 Total expenses$25,326,919
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$690,452
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$35,448,155
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$11,796
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$631,682
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$34,114,225

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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