American Cabaret Theatre Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
311225154
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone
3172751169
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Theater

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,571,729
Expenses
$1,745,185
Assets
$2,599,851
Liabilities
$732,599

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SHANNON MARIE FORSELL (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • SHANNON MARIE FORSELL (CEO): $131,378 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Founded in 1988, american cabaret theatre, inc. Dba the cabaret, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating and promoting the cabaret art form by entertaining, educating, and engaging audiences and artists through world-class performance. As the cabaret attracts artists from around the globe, audiences too travel from around the country to see these world class artists in the venue's award-winning up close and personal setting.

What it reported doing in 2024

Artistic programming: in 2024, the cabaret presented 40 performances that served 8,063 in person audiences, provided virtual programming through its youtube channel resulting in 1.4 million global views, and 47 events or activities as part of its education and outreach programming that served 17,256 for a total audience of 1.5 million.the alley/"the alley sessions" a once run-down historic alley was transformed into a vibrant arts corridor and community gathering space open to the public for a free, four concert series (artists were paid a competitive market rate), serving 1,310. Audiences were able to order a variety of food and beverages for an outdoor, casual experience. 2024 artistic season the cabaret's flagship indoor season included five series: glick philanthropies broadway at the cabaret, jazz at the cabaret, the christel dehaan international series, the uniquely cabaret series, and the next generation series. The season included 40 performances and served an in-person audience of 8,063.virtual programming - the cabaret reaches an astonishingly diverse global audience through its carefully curated performance offerings on its youtube channel. The channel provides free access to more than 900 high-quality archival performances and class videos. New videos are added throughout the year. The channel has 27.7k subscribers with an average of 1.5 to 2 million viewers annually representing 68 different countries. Serving as an artist and community hub, the cabaret offers its venue, stage, and services to arts organizations, nonprofits and independent artists to take advantage of the high-quality, intimate performance space and the cabaret staff's expertise in business and performance. Independent artists and small arts organizations use the cabaret's space at no charge for rehearsals, performances, recordings, and photo shoots, events, etc.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 32
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.1%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 80.7%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.19 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -11%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.49; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.28; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.5%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.2% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 92.1% of revenue deployed · 80.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $1.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $131K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 14/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 56/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 26/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 45/100.