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Playmakers Laboratory Theatre

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Arts & Culture EIN 36-4283300Revenue $312K in FY2025

On file with the IRSplaymakerslab.org4021 N Broadway 1st FL, 60613-2110 · Chicago, ILTax-exempt since Aug 1999Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Barrel of monkeys (bom) is an ensemble of actor/educators who create an alternative learning environment in which children share their personal voices and celebrate the power of their imaginations. Bom accomplishes this through creative writing workshops and in-school performances of childrens stories. Bom also engages the broader community in support of the visions of children through public performances.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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 $672 a year · under 1% 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
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $65K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$15K
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$312K
+10% vs prior year
Spent
$328K
To programs
68%
Net assets
$96K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$312K
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$383K
FY2021$371K
FY2022$332K
FY2023$312K
FY2024$284K
FY2025$312K
Expenses
$328K
FY2025▲ +18%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$386K
FY2021$456K
FY2022$305K
FY2023$246K
FY2024$277K
FY2025$328K
Net assets
$96K
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$97K
FY2021$12K
FY2022$39K
FY2023$105K
FY2024$112K
FY2025$96K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1999.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $224K Management & general 16% · $51K Fundraising 16% · $52K

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

11 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ashley Bland
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Mary Winn Heider
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Mike Lubin
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Deanna Myers
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jack Reich
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dori Scallet
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Playmakers Laboratory Theatre 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empower children to share their stories through creative writing and performance.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $224K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Education theatre serving 3RD-6TH grade public schools

$224Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Arie and Ida Crown MemorialFY2024$40K
Field Foundation of Illinois INCFY2024$25K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$65K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$312K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$169K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$119K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Money outPt IX
$328K
Ln 25
Programscol B$224K
Managementcol C$51K
Fundraisingcol D$52K
Owns and owesPt X
$96K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$110K
Total assetsLn 16$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$169K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$119K
Investment incomeLn 3$32
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Total revenueLn 12$312K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$110K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$110K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$710
Total assetsLn 16$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
Net assetsLn 32$96K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$143K$110K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K$710
Total assetsLn 16$147K$111K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K$15K
Net assetsLn 32$112K$96K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$162K$94K$29K$39K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3K$2K$682
Payroll taxesLn 10$12K$7K$2K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$804$300
Office expensesLn 13$889$889
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$710$710
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$130K$118K$5K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$8K$3K$3K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$328K$224K$51K$52K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $312K$328K−$16K$96K 990 PDF
FY2024 $284K$277K$7K$112K 990 PDF
FY2023 $312K$246K$66K$105K 990 PDF
FY2022 $332K$305K$27K$39K 990 PDF
FY2021 $371K$456K−$85K$12K 990 PDF
FY2020 $383K$386K−$3K$97K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $311,736 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $160,590$168,612
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $104,144$118,984
I-10 Investment income$32
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $18,965$24,108
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $283,699$311,736
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $145,615$176,584
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $131,237$151,368
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $276,852$327,952
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,847−$16,216
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $311,736 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$168,612
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$168,612
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $118,984$118,984
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $32$32
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $24,108$24,108
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $118,984 · Excluded from tax $24,140$311,736
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $327,952 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $93,505 · Management $29,199 · Fundraising $38,824$161,528
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,017 · Fundraising $682$2,699
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,153 · Management $2,234 · Fundraising $2,970$12,357
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,750$2,750
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $2,406$2,406
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $804 · Fundraising $300$1,104
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $889$889
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $710$710
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,797$5,797
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $117,544 · Management $5,160 · Fundraising $7,098$129,802
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,705 · Management $3,025 · Fundraising $2,180$7,910
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $224,438 · Management $51,460 · Fundraising $52,054$327,952
Part X · Balance sheet $111,137 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $143,203$110,427
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,420$710
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $147,285$111,137
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $698$102
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $30,000$15,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,606$270
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $35,304$15,372
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $111,981$95,765
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $111,981$95,765
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $147,285$111,137
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $95,765 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$311,736
XI-2 Total expenses$327,952
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$16,216
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$111,981
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$95,765

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

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