Is it real?
Yes. Exemption reinstated (2016-11-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2018.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
7 people listed on the 990; $35K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
William Largess’s $24K as Artistic Director is at the 20th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Largess | — | $33,472 | $33,335 | $19,070 | $3,654 |
| Steve Carpenter | — | $25,486 | $32,255 | $18,700 | $4,811 |
| William Largess | $24,415 | — | — | — | — |
| Laura Giannarelli | $10,554 | $11,048 | $15,464 | $5,670 | $2,685 |
| Lynn Steinmetz | — | $3,416 | $6,571 | — | $101 |
| Ann Norton | — | — | $5,000 | — | — |
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 Theatre Downtown INC executive salaries →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 15aYes
- Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II5 listed
Programs and updates
Produces eloquent, passionate plays with wit for DC audiences.
Questions for Theatre Downtown INC
Your first name shows with your question. Theatre Downtown INC answers here, for everyone.
Production, performance and outreach. The stage guild presented full productions to glowing reviews at the undercroft theatre located at 900 massachusetts ave,nw, washington, DC. The 2024-2025 season included faithless, shaw's shorts, escape from the asylum, and sofonisba.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 52-1460366) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $13K | $392K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $32K | $21K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $67K | $416K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $19K | $7K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $48K | $409K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $55K | $55K | ||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $118K | $118K | ||
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $6K | $6K | ||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $26K | $26K | ||
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $15K | $15K | ||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $9K | $9K | ||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $200 | $200 | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $54K | $54K | ||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $35K | $32K | $4K | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $19K | $12K | $7K | |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $6K | $6K | ||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $9K | $9K | ||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $69K | $69K | ||
| TravelLn 17 | $1K | $246 | $973 | |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $11K | $11K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $9K | $9K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $63K | $63K | $374 | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $506K | $470K | $33K | $4K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 | $807K | $506K | $300K | $409K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Nov 5, 2024 | $473K | $586K | −$113K | $48K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Oct 22, 2023 | $533K | $608K | −$75K | $161K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 8, 2022 | $427K | $493K | −$66K | $234K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Oct 1, 2021 | $380K | $213K | $167K | $299K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $806,557 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 4 of 7 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $806,557 across 7 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $506,336 across 17 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $416,224 assets, 14 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $409,000 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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