Opening Act Inc

Organization Overview

Opening Act Inc is located in Brooklyn, NY. The organization was established in 2001. According to its NTEE Classification (A65) the organization is classified as: Theater, under the broad grouping of Arts, Culture & Humanities and related organizations. As of 06/2021, Opening Act Inc employed 62 individuals. This organization is an independent organization and not affiliated with a larger national or regional group of organizations. Opening Act Inc is a 501(c)(3) and as such, is described as a "Charitable or Religous organization or a private foundation" by the IRS.

For the year ending 06/2021, Opening Act Inc generated $1.6m in total revenue. This organization has experienced exceptional growth, as over the past 5 years, it has increased revenue by an average of 23.2% each year . All expenses for the organization totaled $1.4m during the year ending 06/2021. While expenses have increased by 20.0% per year over the past 5 years. They've been increasing with an increasing level of total revenue. You can explore the organizations financials more deeply in the financial statements section below.

Mission & Program ActivityExcerpts From the 990 Filing

TAX YEAR

2021

Describe the Organization's Mission:

Part 3 - Line 1

OPENING ACT'S THEATER PROGRAMS PROVIDE STUDENTS ATTENDING NEW YORK CITY'S MOST UNDER-SERVED PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN CONFIDENCE, PRIDE, AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN SUCCEED AT ANYTHING IN LIFE.

Describe the Organization's Program Activity:

Part 3 - Line 4a

GENERAL PROGRAM: THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED TO ADDRESS A CLEAR NEED FOR TEENS ATTENDING THE MOST UNDERSERVED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY TO FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND PURPOSE IN LIFE. THEIR VISION IS TO OFFER AN ACCESSIBLE HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM TO THE CITY'S MOST UNDERSERVED STUDENTS - THOSE WHO COULD BENEFIT THE MOST FROM THEIR PROGRAM. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, THE ORGANIZATION HAS REACHED MORE THAN 3,000 TEENS ATTENDING MORE THAN 70 HIGH SCHOOLS ON 32 EDUCATIONAL CAMPUSES IN BROOKLYN, MANHATTAN, QUEENS, AND THE BRONX. THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE AFTER SCHOOL THEATER PROGRAM (ASTP) USES THEATER TRAINING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IN UNSTABLE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION SKILLS. THEIR INNOVATIVE, HIGH QUALITY, FREE, THEATER PROGRAMMING EMPLOYS ITS SIGNATURE TOOLS OF IMPROVISATION, ACTING, AND ORIGINAL WRITING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP A GREATER SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND PURPOSE IN LIFE. TEENS IN GRADES 6-12 MAKE A VOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO ATTEND THE 30 WEEKLY 2-HOUR SESSIONS. EACH PROGRAM SERVES APPROXIMATELY 25 STUDENTS, LED BY TEAMS OF 2-3 TEACHING ARTISTS INCLUDING ONE LEAD TEACHER WHO HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE FULL YEAR OF TRAINING AND IN-CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE WITH THE ORGANIZATION. THE CULMINATION OF EACH CORE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS AN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION, CREATED AND PERFORMED BY THE STUDENTS IN PROFESSIONAL THEATERS. THE ORGANIZATION INTENTIONALLY TARGETS SCHOOLS LOCATED IN TRADITIONALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES INCLUDING BROWNSVILLE, EAST NEW YORK, AND THE SOUTH BRONX. THEY SPECIFICALLY REACH OUT TO SCHOOLS WITH LOWER THAN AVERAGE GRADUATION RATES AND AN EVIDENT LACK OF THEATER PROGRAMMING. MANY OF THEIR PARTNERING SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE) AS "UNDER-PERFORMING" AND ARE AT RISK OF CLOSURE; THESE SITES LACK THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE THEIR STUDENTS WITH COMPREHENSIVE ARTS PROGRAMMING. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH DISTRICT 79, NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION IS ALSO WORKING WITH SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS, TEEN PARENTS, OR FORMERLY INCARCERATED. KEY TO THEIR MISSION IS A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO BOTH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY REMAIN A CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE FORCE IN THEIR STUDENTS' LIVES, REGARDLESS OF FLUCTUATING SCHOOL BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS ALL PARTICIPANTS OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES-KEY INDICATORS OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS-SUCH AS POSITIVE SELF IDENTITY, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND SELF MANAGEMENT. THEY PROVIDE ANCILLARY PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND ADDRESS THEIR CONCRETE NEEDS BEYOND THE ARTISTIC TRAINING THEY RECEIVE IN THE CORE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM - SERVICES THAT NOT ONLY REINFORCE AND DEEPEN THE CORE PROGRAMMING, BUT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO THINK MORE EXPANSIVELY ABOUT APPLYING THEIR NEWLY ACQUIRED SKILLS TO BUILD CAREERS AND TO PURSUE FURTHER LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THEIR FAMILIAR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP COMPANY AND THE SUMMER ARTS AND LEADERSHIP CONSERVATORY, AS WELL AS THE ACT 2: COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM, WHICH FURTHER SUPPORTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AS THEY NAVIGATE THE TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL INTO COLLEGE AND THE WORLD OF WORK. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO RECOGNIZES AND HONORS ITS STUDENTS - THEY ARE SOME OF NYC'S MOST PASSIONATE, IMAGINATIVE, AND ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, WHILE STORY-RICH, ARE POORLY SERVED BY THE INEQUITABLE AND UNDER-RESOURCED PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. FROM BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN TO THE BRONX AND QUEENS, THE STUDENT POPULATION INCLUDES IMMIGRANT YOUTH, NYC NATIVES, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND STUDENTS FROM FAMILIES WITH DEEP ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITIES INTO WHICH THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN INVITED. THEIR STUDENTS ARE PRIMARILY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR (47% BLACK, 33% HISPANIC, AND 2% ASIAN); 57% ARE FEMALE, 41% ARE MALE, AND 2% ARE NON-BINARY. BEYOND THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THERE IS A SPECIAL KIND OF YOUNG PERSON WHO SELF-SELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMMING: STUDENTS WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR OPPORTUNITIES NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO THEM. A 2018-2019 PROGRAM EVALUATION FOUND THAT 94% OF THE PARTICIPANTS STUDENTS ARE MORE MOTIVATED TO ATTEND SCHOOL AS A RESULT OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ORGANIZATION, AS SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE COLLECTED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHOWING THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE A 15% HIGHER ATTENDANCE RATE THAN THEIR PEERS. WHILE MANY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SHORT-TERM "ACCESS TO THE ARTS," THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS GIVE STUDENTS A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, COMMITMENT, AND COMMUNITY. AT THE OUTSET OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS IN EARLY SPRING 2020, THE ORGANIZATION MOVED SWIFTLY TO DELIVER WEEKLY WORKSHOPS ONLINE, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO REMAINING A CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE FORCE IN THEIR STUDENTS' LIVES DURING THIS UNPREDICTABLE TIME, AND CONTINUED ONLINE LEARNING THROUGH SPRING 2021 FOR ALL OF ITS PROGRAMS, MAINTAINING THE SAME HIGH-QUALITY OF PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT.


GENERAL PROGRAM: THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED TO ADDRESS A CLEAR NEED FOR TEENS ATTENDING THE MOST UNDERSERVED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY TO FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND PURPOSE IN LIFE. THEIR VISION IS TO OFFER AN ACCESSIBLE HIGH-QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM TO THE CITY'S MOST UNDERSERVED STUDENTS - THOSE WHO COULD BENEFIT THE MOST FROM THEIR PROGRAM. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, THE ORGANIZATION HAS REACHED MORE THAN 3,000 TEENS ATTENDING MORE THAN 70 HIGH SCHOOLS ON 32 EDUCATIONAL CAMPUSES IN BROOKLYN, MANHATTAN, QUEENS, AND THE BRONX. THE ORGANIZATION'S CORE AFTER SCHOOL THEATER PROGRAM (ASTP) USES THEATER TRAINING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IN UNSTABLE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION SKILLS. THEIR INNOVATIVE, HIGH QUALITY, FREE, THEATER PROGRAMMING EMPLOYS ITS SIGNATURE TOOLS OF IMPROVISATION, ACTING, AND ORIGINAL WRITING TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP A GREATER SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND PURPOSE IN LIFE. TEENS IN GRADES 6-12 MAKE A VOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO ATTEND THE 30 WEEKLY 2-HOUR SESSIONS. EACH PROGRAM SERVES APPROXIMATELY 25 STUDENTS, LED BY TEAMS OF 2-3 TEACHING ARTISTS INCLUDING ONE LEAD TEACHER WHO HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE FULL YEAR OF TRAINING AND IN-CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE WITH THE ORGANIZATION. THE CULMINATION OF EACH CORE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS AN ORIGINAL PRODUCTION, CREATED AND PERFORMED BY THE STUDENTS IN PROFESSIONAL THEATERS. THE ORGANIZATION INTENTIONALLY TARGETS SCHOOLS LOCATED IN TRADITIONALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES INCLUDING BROWNSVILLE, EAST NEW YORK, AND THE SOUTH BRONX. THEY SPECIFICALLY REACH OUT TO SCHOOLS WITH LOWER THAN AVERAGE GRADUATION RATES AND AN EVIDENT LACK OF THEATER PROGRAMMING. MANY OF THEIR PARTNERING SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE) AS "UNDER-PERFORMING" AND ARE AT RISK OF CLOSURE; THESE SITES LACK THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO PROVIDE THEIR STUDENTS WITH COMPREHENSIVE ARTS PROGRAMMING. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH DISTRICT 79, NYC DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION IS ALSO WORKING WITH SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS, TEEN PARENTS, OR FORMERLY INCARCERATED. KEY TO THEIR MISSION IS A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO BOTH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY REMAIN A CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE FORCE IN THEIR STUDENTS' LIVES, REGARDLESS OF FLUCTUATING SCHOOL BUDGETS AND PRIORITIES. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS ALL PARTICIPANTS OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOCIAL EMOTIONAL COMPETENCIES-KEY INDICATORS OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS-SUCH AS POSITIVE SELF IDENTITY, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND SELF MANAGEMENT. THEY PROVIDE ANCILLARY PROGRAMMING DESIGNED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND ADDRESS THEIR CONCRETE NEEDS BEYOND THE ARTISTIC TRAINING THEY RECEIVE IN THE CORE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM - SERVICES THAT NOT ONLY REINFORCE AND DEEPEN THE CORE PROGRAMMING, BUT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO THINK MORE EXPANSIVELY ABOUT APPLYING THEIR NEWLY ACQUIRED SKILLS TO BUILD CAREERS AND TO PURSUE FURTHER LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND THEIR FAMILIAR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP COMPANY AND THE SUMMER ARTS AND LEADERSHIP CONSERVATORY, AS WELL AS THE ACT 2: COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM, WHICH FURTHER SUPPORTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AS THEY NAVIGATE THE TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL INTO COLLEGE AND THE WORLD OF WORK. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO RECOGNIZES AND HONORS ITS STUDENTS - THEY ARE SOME OF NYC'S MOST PASSIONATE, IMAGINATIVE, AND ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, WHILE STORY-RICH, ARE POORLY SERVED BY THE INEQUITABLE AND UNDER-RESOURCED PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. FROM BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN TO THE BRONX AND QUEENS, THE STUDENT POPULATION INCLUDES IMMIGRANT YOUTH, NYC NATIVES, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND STUDENTS FROM FAMILIES WITH DEEP ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITIES INTO WHICH THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN INVITED. THEIR STUDENTS ARE PRIMARILY YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR (47% BLACK, 33% HISPANIC, AND 2% ASIAN); 57% ARE FEMALE, 41% ARE MALE, AND 2% ARE NON-BINARY. BEYOND THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THERE IS A SPECIAL KIND OF YOUNG PERSON WHO SELF-SELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMMING: STUDENTS WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR OPPORTUNITIES NOT OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO THEM. A 2018-2019 PROGRAM EVALUATION FOUND THAT 94% OF THE PARTICIPANTS STUDENTS ARE MORE MOTIVATED TO ATTEND SCHOOL AS A RESULT OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE ORGANIZATION, AS SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE COLLECTED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHOWING THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE A 15% HIGHER ATTENDANCE RATE THAN THEIR PEERS. WHILE MANY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE SHORT-TERM "ACCESS TO THE ARTS," THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS GIVE STUDENTS A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, COMMITMENT, AND COMMUNITY. AT THE OUTSET OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS IN EARLY SPRING 2020, THE ORGANIZATION MOVED SWIFTLY TO DELIVER WEEKLY WORKSHOPS ONLINE, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO REMAINING A CONSISTENT AND POSITIVE FORCE IN THEIR STUDENTS' LIVES DURING THIS UNPREDICTABLE TIME, AND CONTINUED ONLINE LEARNING THROUGH SPRING 2021 FOR ALL OF ITS PROGRAMS, MAINTAINING THE SAME HIGH-QUALITY OF PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT.


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Board, Officers & Key Employees

Name (title)Compensation
Zareta Ricks
Executive Director
$104,294
Jamie Trowbridge
Chair
$0
Leah Day Vanhorn
Vice-Chair
$0
Iliana Guibert
Vice-Chair
$0
Chris Wilkens
Treasurer
$0
Michael Fleming
Secretary
$0

Financial Statements

Statement of Revenue
Federated campaigns$0
Membership dues$0
Fundraising events$278,285
Related organizations$0
Government grants $447,828
All other contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts not included above$855,980
Noncash contributions included in lines 1a–1f $500
Total Revenue from Contributions, Gifts, Grants & Similar$1,582,093
Total Program Service Revenue$10,125
Investment income $1,439
Tax Exempt Bond Proceeds $0
Royalties $0
Net Rental Income $0
Net Gain/Loss on Asset Sales $0
Net Income from Fundraising Events -$878
Net Income from Gaming Activities $0
Net Income from Sales of Inventory $0
Miscellaneous Revenue$0
Total Revenue $1,595,710

Grants Recieved

Over the last fiscal year, we have identified 13 grants that Opening Act Inc has recieved totaling $282,598.

Awarding OrganizationAmount
Pinkerton Foundation

New York, NY

PURPOSE: AFTER SCHOOL & SUMMER LEARNING

$100,000
At&t Foundation

Dallas, TX

PURPOSE: ARTS, MEDIA & CULTURE

$40,000
American Endowment Foundation

Hudson, OH

PURPOSE: ARTS, CULTURE

$39,500
Scripps Family Fund For Education And The Arts

Ft Mitchell, KY

PURPOSE: AFTER SCHOOL THEATER PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NEW YORK CITY

$30,000
Youth Improving Non-Profits For Children

New York, NY

PURPOSE: See Part IV

$27,500
Find Your Light Foundation

Los Angeles, CA

PURPOSE: TO PROVIDE A VITAL SERVICE TO THE UNDERSERVED POPULATION THROUGH ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS

$10,000
View Grant Recipient Profile

Endowment Analysis

Beg. Balance$200,061
Earnings$100
Ending Balance$200,161

Peer Organizations

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