Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 8.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $8.6bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
High ticket prices as theaters seek returns
- Ticket prices for live events have risen sharply in recent years, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a 20.0% increase in admission costs for movies, theaters and concerts between 2021 and 2023. This uptick is largely attributed to an industry-wide effort to recover financial losses sustained during the pandemic, alongside ongoing inflation and mounting production costs.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Broadway shows will struggle with rising costs and rapid turnover
- Broadway production costs have nearly doubled in the past decade, driving up the weekly operating expenses for new works and revivals. In 2024, shows like Cabaret could average weekly expenses of at least $1.1 million, compared with an average of $700,000 just five years ago. The trend of escalating expenses will persist, making profitability even harder for all but the most successful shows.
Biggest companies in the Live Performance Theaters in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue
2025 | Profit
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Live Performance Theaters in the US industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Musical theater and opera, Non-Musical performances and Other art performances. Musical theater and opera is the largest segment of the Live Performance Theaters in the US.
Trends and Insights
Opera sales slow while musical theater heats up
- Musical theater combines songs, acts, dance and spoken dialogue, whereas opera is a form of theater in which music is the leader and singers take part. A younger and more diverse audience has urged major opera companies to modernize their shows.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Live performance theaters produce live presentations of musicals, plays, operas, comedy shows, improvisational acts, mime and puppet shows. This includes dinner theaters, which provide food and drinks. These organizations bring together actors, singers and various performing artists to create in-person artistic events for audiences.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States include Musical theater and opera, Non-musical performances, Other art performances and Gifts and grants.Companies
Companies covered in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States include off-broadway, broadway, nonprofit and fixed performance.Industry Code
NAICS 711190 - Live Performance Theaters in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Classics are getting clever makeovers to stay relevant. Contemporary adaptations and immersive experiences are breathing new life into old favorites, drawing in both traditio...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
The average theater-goer is a middle-aged consumer. Adults in this demographic typically have more disposable income and often purchase tickets for children, providing consis...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
New York attracts the most theater-goers of any other state thanks to the city's world-renowned theater district. Domestic and international tourists travel great distances t...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Small-scale theaters can overcome competition by appealing to niche markets. Consumers in rural or suburban areas generate business for local theaters.
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Live Performance Theaters in the US industry.
Analyst insights
No live performance theater has more than a 5.0% market share since start-up costs are relatively low and economies of scale don’t make a theater substantially more successful...
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Copyright laws grant theaters exclusive access to their work and revenue streams. Theaters can't reproduce performances without paying the copyright owner for licensing right...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Wage costs for performance theaters have stayed mostly steady despite fluctuating attendance. Although some layoffs have occurred, the sector's need for human talent in vario...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
- Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
- Income Statement (2018-2023)
- Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States in 2025?
The market size of the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States is $8.6bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States in 2025?
There are 3,503 businesses in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States?
The Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States?
The Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 8.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States is expected to decline.
What does the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States include?
Musical theater and opera and Non-musical performances are part of the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States.
How competitive is the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States?
The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Live Performance Theaters industry in the United States.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
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