In this short excerpt from the novel Stage Money by Tim Donahue and Jim Patterson, there is a distinct comparison between commercial and not-for-profit theater. Much of these differences lie within the financial aspect of theater.
For instance, commercial theater consists of a partnership or company producing a one and done play, while not-for-profit theater is continuous and produces play’s for an entire season. Another key difference is that commercial theater will run a show for as long as the ticket sales support it while a not-for-profit has a specific end date. In commercial theater, the producer has no connection with the theater where the show is being performed while in a not-for-profit theater, after a few years of the show running
For instance, commercial theater consists of a partnership or company producing a one and done play, while not-for-profit theater is continuous and produces play’s for an entire season. Another key difference is that commercial theater will run a show for as long as the ticket sales support it while a not-for-profit has a specific end date. In commercial theater, the producer has no connection with the theater where the show is being performed while in a not-for-profit theater, after a few years of the show running