FIRST STAGE MILWAUKEE
EIN 39-1634828 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A65Z)
What they do
FIRST STAGE MILWAUKEE, INC. DOES BUSINESS AS FIRST STAGE. OUR MISSION is to ENRICH THE LIVES of CHILDREN and FAMILIES BY CREATING EXCEPTIONAL THEATER EXPERIENCES THROUGH OUR THREE MAIN ACTIVITIES:1) OUR PROFESSIONAL THEATER PRODUCTIONS ENGAGE, ENLIGHTEN, and ENTERTAIN.2) OUR THEATER ACADEMY TRAINING FOSTERS LIFE SKILLS (E.G. CONFIDENCE, RESPECT, FRIENDSHIP, SUPPORT, MOTIVATION, ETC.) WHILE IT TEACHES STAGE SKILLS. 3) OUR DYNAMIC THEATER-IN-EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROMOTE LEARNING THROUGH THEATER.
Should I give to this charity?
Of every $100 spent, about $67.30 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.
What leaders were paid
Reported for tax year 2024These compensation amounts were reported by the charity on its Form 990. They are already included within the charity’s reported expenses—not extra amounts to add to the spending totals below.
Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Compare it with the charity’s size, work, location, and documented results.
Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.
Basic facts we verified
IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.
Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.
They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.
They name their leaders26 people are listed in the latest report.
You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.
Money made simple
Ask these three easy questions
- Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
- What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
- Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.
Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,122,453 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.
Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.
Financial picture
A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.
How each $100 of revenue was used
The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.
Why this can exceed 100%: the charity reported $6,122,936 in expenses against $5,000,483 in revenue. The ring shows the first $100 of revenue; the full Form 990 percentage appears below. This is not a website calculation error.
Has the pattern changed?
Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.
Money in and money out
Reported spending amounts
Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.
See all reported dollar amounts
Leadership and board
Names, titles, and time below are reported by the organization on its Form 990. Reported compensation is shown near the top beside the spending summary.
See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (26)
JEFF FRANKEXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
DANIEL GRAMBOWPART YEAR MANAGING DIR
KATE SCHMITTDIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
JEFF SPENCEPRESIDENT
TIM LANTZVICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNANCE
SHANTANU SINGHDIRECTOR
SCOTT STIVERSONTREASURER
SALLY CARTWRIGHTDIRECTOR
MELISSA NELSENDIRECTOR
LEIF BERGQUISTDIRECTOR
LAURA ORRDIRECTOR
JUSTIN MERTZDIRECTOR
JULIA MAGNASCODIRECTOR
JOHN EASH-SCOTTDIRECTOR
JEREMY TARDYDIRECTOR
ALEXIS DAHMERDIRECTOR
JACK MILLERDIRECTOR
IAN GONZALEZDIRECTOR
ELLEN BASTING DIZARDSECRETARY
DANIELLE MACHATADIRECTOR
DANIEL MALONEYDIRECTOR
CORRIE PRUNUSKEDIRECTOR
COLLEEN BOTTINGDIRECTOR
CHRISTINE BESTOR TOWNSENDVICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE
ASHLEY WROBLEWSKIDIRECTOR
ANNALIESE SCHAEFERDIRECTOR
About this charity
- Recognized since
- January 1989
- Location
- 325 W WALNUT ST, MILWAUKEE, WI 53212-3868
- County
- Milwaukee
- In care of
- % DEB MOODY
- Primary officer
- SCOTT STIVERSON, TREASURER
How to reach them
Filing and classification
- Latest tax year
- 2024
- Tax period began
- July 1, 2024
- Return type
- 990
- Tax preparer
- RITZ HOLMAN LLP
- NTEE classification
- Arts, Culture & Humanities (A65Z)