Success Story | How The 5th Avenue Theatre Company Is Rebuilding Its Subscriber Base—And Seeing Real Results
Naomi Sachs
Marketing Strategy Consultant
The initial outreach from The 5th Avenue Theatre Company (The 5th) was straightforward: “We’re interested in guidance for our subscription efforts. Without a dedicated subscription manager on staff, we need someone focused on this critical audience group. [We’re] envisioning either a coach or interim support.”
As one of America’s leading musical theater companies, The 5th Avenue Theatre Company enriches the Pacific Northwest with original powerhouse productions that go on to light up marquees and audiences all the way to Broadway. As a nonprofit and one of the region’s largest performing arts employers, The 5th carries both an artistic and civic responsibility to spread the joy of great musicals to people of all ages across the region. Subscriptions are a vital part of fulfilling that mission, fostering audience loyalty, ensuring full houses, and providing the support that sustains their ambitious programming.
As conversations between The 5th and JCA unfolded, it became clear that the challenge went deeper than staffing.
The 5th was not immune to the consequences of the lengthy pandemic—Seattle saw the first theater closures and was the last to re-open. The subscription base told the story: from 20,000 subscribers in 2019/20, numbers dropped to 13,500 in 2022/23, then to 7,500 in 2023/24. A modest rebound to 9,100 in 2024/25 provided the optimism to invest in strategic analytics.
The path forward was unclear. Post-pandemic, the organization had made wide swings in both programming and pricing philosophies. Downtown Seattle’s slow recovery complicated matters further, with only 50% of the pre-pandemic workforce returning to offices, meaning fewer potential patrons were downtown for evening performances.
Multiple variables made it difficult to pinpoint why subscribers weren’t renewing or what would bring them back. Was it pricing? Title selection? Safety concerns? Amenities? Lingering COVID fears?
The 5th wanted deeper intelligence before committing to significant changes in their subscription package strategy.
The Project
To truly strengthen subscriptions, The 5th needed to rethink their approach. That meant stepping back, re-examining their data, taking a fresh look at what they were offering subscribers, and figuring out a better strategy moving forward. They needed thought leadership and data-driven insights to evaluate campaign structure, explore potential subscription model changes, and better align offerings with audience behavior and preferences.
What started as a request for interim help evolved into a multi-phase engagement designed to give The 5th the insights and tools they needed to sustainably grow their subscriptions.
The 5th could have chosen an engagement focused only on immediate-season support, but instead they committed to deeply understanding their audiences. Their focus on long-term retention, data-driven insights, and willingness to challenge legacy approaches is exactly what we love to see in a client. And it’s that prioritization paired with a collaborative spirit that created the foundation for a truly successful engagement and partnership.
The Approach
Our approach was designed to build a complete picture of subscriptions at The 5th, with each step informing the next.
The project focused on foundational questions such as:
- What perks do subscribers find most valuable?
- What shows do people want to see?
- How much does price factor into someone’s decision to subscribe?
- Why do subscribers decide not to renew?
- How can marketing influence demand outside of the show titles themselves?
Review and Enhancement of Current Campaigns
The work began with a review of the existing campaign plans for the in-progress 2024/25 season, focusing on messaging, timing, and outreach strategies.
After the review, we delivered strategic recommendations across key areas such as segmentation, engagement metrics, special offers, and nurture tactics. We also identified which audience segments to prioritize and provided guidance on optimizing remaining paid tactics.
By combining real-time early insights from the ongoing audience behavior analysis with industry best practices, we delivered actionable recommendations that not only strengthened the current campaign but also revealed opportunities for future improvement.
Analysis of Subscriber Database
From there, attention turned to the subscriber database. We analyzed historical subscription patterns, trends in loyalty and lapsing, and audience preferences. With this analysis, we helped The 5th uncover insights that shaped how they thought about designing future campaigns and subscription packages. This data-driven approach allowed the team to make informed decisions on pricing, incentives, messaging, and audience targeting for the upcoming season.
Uncovering Audience Motivations
To complement historical data, we conducted a Conjoint Analysis survey to dig deeper into audience motivations. The survey was distributed to current and lapsed subscribers and single ticket buyers.
The research revealed multiple insights into the audience’s participation in the arts and experiences at The 5th. A third of the 13,500 subscribers in the 2022/23 season were first time buyers who were motivated by getting the best seats at the best prices for Les Misérables—but they were not interested in renewing for the subsequent season. Without the ideal mix of familiar and new titles those tryers resorted to single ticket purchases. The findings also showed that programming was a frontrunner for consumers’ decision making, followed by subscription benefits, and what the ideal subscription package might look like for different segments. Other factors included the perceived value of different offerings and the overall experience of visiting downtown Seattle.
The results provided clear, actionable insights, enabling The 5th to design subscription offerings grounded in actual audience preferences rather than assumptions.
Ongoing Strategic Partnership & Support
The final phase translated insights into action. We set up weekly “office hours” with their Director of Marketing and Communications and the team, offering real-time strategic and tactical support and ensuring the team had expert guidance as they launched and refined campaign efforts. These discussions covered a range of topics, from pricing and messaging to the design of packages, helping the team translate insights into effective campaigns and refine strategies in real time.
This multi-pronged, integrated approach ensured that every step built upon the last, equipping The 5th with a holistic understanding of their subscribers and a strong foundation for sustainable growth.
The Results
The 2025-26 season marked The 5th’s second most successful subscription campaign since returning from the pandemic. The team attributes this achievement in large part to implementing our guidance on the season’s subscription pricing structure and discount strategy.
By the 2025/26 subscription renewal deadline in May, The 5th had already achieved 74% of their subscription goals, and by mid-July, they had exceeded those targets. The momentum was so strong that the team set higher stretch goals. By early August, they had surpassed the revenue stretch goals and by early September, they reached their elevated package goal. They are now on target to reach a final set of extended goals by mid-November.
“Before working with JCA, we were relying on instinct and legacy thinking for our subscription campaigns. JCA helped us move beyond assumptions and make data-driven decisions about what truly motivates our audiences,” said Isaiah Custer, Director of Marketing and Communications. “They were thoughtful partners in shaping our subscription strategy, guiding pricing decisions, and making sure our messaging resonated—which has resulted in our strongest campaign in three years.”
The multi-phase engagement not only strengthened subscription campaigns but also laid the foundation for long-term growth for The 5th. What proved most valuable, however, wasn’t just the expert advice.
It was the partnership itself. Having a trusted partner to validate what was working, gently challenge what wasn’t, and give the team the confidence (and permission) to finally try ideas they’d been considering made all the difference. After years of feeling like they’d used every trick in the book to sell subscriptions and second-guessing their next steps, that clarity and support gave them the assurance to move forward with fresh energy and purpose.
For us at JCA, this engagement demonstrated the power of deep, ongoing partnership. By fully immersing in The 5th’s unique context, our team was able to provide tailored, data-informed guidance and actionable strategies that delivered both immediate impact and long-term value.
Work with JCA
At JCA, we go beyond surface-level analysis. We partner with you to dive deep into what makes your audience tick, using everything from advanced data analysis to direct audience research to uncover insights that actually matter. Then we work with you to turn those insights into strategies that work in the real world.
Whether you’re looking to refine subscription campaigns, figure out the right pricing strategy, or strengthen audience loyalty, we’re here to partner with you every step of the way. Because the best results come when you really understand your audience and when you have the right support and encouragement to act on what you learn.
This unified perspective empowers your teams to work from a shared understanding, develop smarter strategies, and drive meaningful results. In a resource-constrained nonprofit environment, leveraging your data thoughtfully ensures every effort counts and every dollar goes further. By balancing quick wins with long-term investments, your organization can maximize its impact and truly fulfill its mission.
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