Playmakers Laboritory Theatre

The information for Playmakers Laboratory Theatre is as of the organization's most recent filing in August '22. This organization is located in Chicago, IL. It has been in existence for 23 years, following its founding in 1999.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Playmakers Laboritory Theatre's NTEE code is A65. The "A" tells us that the organization is classified along with Arts, Culture & Humanities. The "65" tells us that the organization is specifically involved in Theater. The NTEE describes Theater organizations as those whose primary activity is the production of plays. The organization's mission is to create an alternative learning environment for children to share their personal voices and celebrate the power of their imaginations. They accomplish this through creative writing workshops and in-school performances of children's stories. The organization also engages the broader community in support of the visions of children through public performances.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: Education Theatre serving 3rd-6th grade public schools.

Program Area 2: This program focuses on teaching fundamental creative writing skills. It involves adapting stories written by children for the stage, with the help of professional actors. The program aims to present a smart and funny theatre experience.

Organization Staffing

Playmakers Laboritory Theatre is run by Deanna Myers, who is the President. The organization has 7 employees, none of whom are paid over $100k per year. Supporting the small staff are 30 volunteers.

Board Governance

Playmakers Laboritory Theatre appears to be well-governed based on the information provided. The organization has a total of 8 voting members, all of whom are independent. This ensures that decision-making within the organization is not influenced by any potential conflicts of interest. Additionally, the organization has a conflict of interest policy in place, which requires the disclosure of any conflicts that may arise. The fact that board meetings and committee meetings are documented further indicates that Playmakers Laboritory Theatre values transparency and accountability. This documentation allows for a clear record of discussions and decisions made during these meetings, ensuring that all members are informed and involved in the organization's governance. However, there are a few areas where the organization could improve its governance practices. Firstly, Playmakers Laboritory Theatre does not have a written whistleblower policy. Implementing such a policy would provide a mechanism for individuals to report any unethical or illegal activities within the organization without fear of retaliation. Additionally, the organization lacks a document retention policy, which could potentially lead to issues related to record-keeping and compliance. Having a clear policy in place would ensure that important documents are retained for the appropriate amount of time, as required by law. Overall, Playmakers Laboritory Theatre demonstrates strong governance practices with its independent board members, documented meetings, and conflict of interest policy. By addressing the areas for improvement, such as implementing a whistleblower policy and document retention policy, the organization can further enhance its governance structure.

Organization Growth

Based on the given data, it can be concluded that the Playmakers Laboratory Theatre nonprofit organization has experienced mixed growth over the given time period. While some aspects have shown growth, such as an increase in employee salaries from $203.5K in 2014 to $297.1K in 2021, and an increase in the total number of employees from 5 in 2014 to 7 in 2021, other aspects have shown a decrease. Contributions and grants received decreased from $355.1K in 2014 to $248.4K in 2021, program service revenue decreased from $100.3K in 2014 to $83.9K in 2021, total revenue decreased from $455.5K in 2014 to $332.3K in 2021, and total expenses decreased from $446.4K in 2014 to $305.1K in 2021. The total number of volunteers remained the same at 30 in 2017. Overall, the organization has experienced a mix of growth and decline in different areas over the given time period.