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Brightside Theatre Inc

To enlighten, educate and entertain through the live performance of comedies and inspirational stories from around the world.

Arts & Culture Naperville, IL EIN: 271016240 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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80
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
80/100 · methodology

About Brightside Theatre Inc

Brightside theatre (bst) was granted 501(c)(3) status on november 20, 2009 and began programming in 2011 with a unique blend of award-winning plays and musicals, premieres, modern works, and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community. As the only professional nonprofit theatre company in naperville, bst maintains a unique place in the artistic landscape of chicago's western suburbs. We proudly produce shows on an intimate scale while providing comprehensive educational programs for local youth.bst temporarily closed its doors on march 13, 2020, and while we haven't yet returned to indoor performances, we are proud to have found new ways to serve our community safely during the pandemic.in addition to offering new online classes for youth in topics …

Founded
Headquarters
Naperville, IL
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
A65
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
small

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2009

Mission

To enlighten, educate and entertain through the live performance of comedies and inspirational stories from around the world.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar arts & culture in United States
Program spending This charity: 54%
Peer average: 76%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 5.47%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 80
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.54
Program$0.54

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Brightside Theatre Inc has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar holds a more complete profile for this organization than for 90% of the 133,127 arts & culture charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
  • It has more complete contact information than nearly all comparable charities, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
  • It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all comparable charities, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Brightside Theatre Inc is a registered arts & culture nonprofit based in Naperville, IL, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2009 and has been operating for 17 years. Its EIN is 271016240. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $369K in annual revenue. 30 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Brightside Theatre Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 271016240. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Brightside Theatre Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for arts & culture charities in United States is 90/100.

Brightside Theatre Inc is located in Naperville, IL, United States. The organization was established in 2009 and has been active for 17 years.

Based on official tax filings, Brightside Theatre Inc has $369K in annual revenue. It allocates 54% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 76% for arts & culture charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Brightside Theatre Inc is classified as an Arts & Culture organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $369K in annual revenue. The organization has 30 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Brightside Theatre Inc. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Brightside Theatre Inc holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 54% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 76%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Brightside theatre (bst) was granted 501(c)(3) status on november 20, 2009 and began programming in 2011 with a unique blend of award-winning plays and musicals, premieres, modern works, and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community. As the only professional nonprofit theatre company in naperville, bst maintains a unique place in the artistic landscape of chicago's western suburbs. We proudly produce shows on an intimate scale while providing comprehensive educational programs for local youth.bst temporarily closed its doors on march 13, 2020, and while we haven't yet returned to indoor performances, we are proud to have found new ways to serve our community safely during the pandemic.in... Brightside Theatre Inc is classified as an arts & culture organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2009.

Among arts & culture charities registered in United States: It allocates 54% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 76%. Its annual revenue of $369K is below the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to Brightside Theatre Inc are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Brightside Theatre Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 271016240, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
54% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
2

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

ME
Melanie G••••••••
President

Officers & trustees (8)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

8 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.4M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.3M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.1M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.1M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture this charity 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 30 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 30 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2009
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Brightside Theatre Inc

What is Brightside Theatre Inc?
Brightside Theatre Inc is a arts & culture supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Naperville, United States. Brightside theatre (bst) was granted 501(c)(3) status on november 20, 2009 and began programming in 2011 with a unique blend of award-winning plays and musicals, premieres, modern works, and timeless classics meant to reflect upon and inform our community. As the only professional nonprofit theatre company in naperville, bst maintains a unique place in the artistic landscape of chicago's western suburbs. We proudly produce shows on an intimate scale while providing comprehensive educational programs for local youth.bst temporarily closed its doors on march 13, 2020, and while we haven't yet returned to indoor performances, we are proud to have found new ways to serve our community safely during the pandemic.in addition to offering new online classes for youth in topics such as stage management, storytelling, and choreography, in spring 2021 we produced our first-ever online youth production, left to our own devices, which included performances by 10 local youth and has garnered nearly 900 views. In summer 2021, bst also introduced outdoor youth summer camps for the first time.these popular camps were held in two locations: frontier park in naperville, and downers grove swim and racquet club. The camps offered 40 children the opportunity to perform an outdoor, socially distanced production of annie, jr. For family and friends. Finally, this year we produced our inaugural summer in the parks series, the music of rodgers and hammerstein, a socially distanced musical revue. This free community event, performed at wagner pavilion in naperville, provided the opportunity for patrons to enjoy an evening of beloved broadway music under the stars. The show performed twice (a third scheduled performance was canceled due to inclement weather) and was attended by an all-ages audience of more than 800. The revue was also scheduled to be performed at the dupage community arts festival on september 26 as part of arts dupage (cancelled due to COVID).bst is proud to have pivoted to p
When was Brightside Theatre Inc founded?
Brightside Theatre Inc was founded in 2009.
Who leads Brightside Theatre Inc?
Melanie Greenberg serves as President.
Where is Brightside Theatre Inc located?
Headquartered in Naperville, IL, United States.
What is Brightside Theatre Inc's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 54% of expenses go to program services.
Is Brightside Theatre Inc trustworthy?
Brightside Theatre Inc has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Brightside Theatre Inc's registration number?
IRS EIN: 271016240.
What is Brightside Theatre Inc's website?
http://www.brightsidetheatre.com