Detroit Public Theatre adapts and thrives with BILL Accounts Payable

In the heart of Detroit's thriving Midtown cultural district, Detroit Public Theatre is proving that bold vision and smart business practices can transform an artistic community. 

"We wanted to create jobs," shares Sarah Clare Corporandy, Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Detroit Public Theatre. "Michigan had a lot of amazing training programs, but there weren't enough places for people to find steady work and make a living. We watched so many talented performers train here only to leave for Chicago, New York, or LA. The city had a world-class museum, symphony, and opera. We deserved a world-class regional theater, too."

What started with three visionary women in 2015, has grown into a thriving cultural institution. Sarah Clare Corporandy, Sarah Winkler and Courtney Burkett joined in 2020 by Executive Artistic Producer, Dominique Morisseau, all have ties to Detroit expanding as 3 full-time employees to 12 and paying more than 90 people each year across its many productions, education programs, and community initiatives. 

The theater has even seen one of its commissioned plays, "Birthday Candles," go directly from Detroit to Broadway, a remarkable achievement that put the city—and the institution—firmly on the national map. Their tremendous early success as a nonprofit came with a burden no one had fully anticipated.

Challenge: Managing growth while protecting the mission

"Every week, I was printing everything out, writing paper checks, stuffing them in envelopes," Corporandy recalls with a sigh. Her shudder is soft, but telling. "It wasn't just time-consuming, it was limiting our ability to scale. We needed transparency. And better communication across all levels of leadership, especially as we were growing so rapidly."

The challenge intensified as the theater expanded its programming. With 4-5 productions annually, educational programs in partnership with Detroit Public Schools, and a Shakespeare in Prison initiative, the volume of payments grew exponentially.

"Each show has its own team," explains Corporandy. "Scenic designer, lighting designer, costumes, makeup, hair, director. They all need to be paid. Add in monthly expenses like rent and utilities, our annual fundraising events, accounting for our grant-based programs, and you can see how quickly the administrative work piles up. Managing those cash flows and payments felt like an enormous responsibility."

Solution: BILL Accounts Payable

Detroit Public Theatre implemented BILL Accounts Payable in their second year of operation, on the recommendation of their accountant. The impact was immediate and transformative.

"BILL made it easy to communicate about our finances. It gave us immediate transparency," says Corporandy. "We're a founder-driven organization. We do a lot of the hands-on, day-to-day work. But you can't just store that financial information in your head. BILL was a really great tool for me to share information and share the workload."

Nothing proved that wisdom more than a local scandal that deeply rattled the nonprofit community. 

"Suddenly, every nonprofit board was asking the same questions. Where are we vulnerable? What are our checks and balances? We went through our own list, and everywhere we wanted to tighten our controls, we were able to make the adjustment in BILL in a few seconds. Another step in this process. Another person in that loop. That's how easily BILL scaled with us."

“Everywhere we wanted to tighten our controls, we were able to make the adjustment in BILL in a few seconds. Another step in this process. Another person in that loop. That's how easily BILL scaled with us.”

 According to Corporandy, that's especially important in the nonprofit community, where income streams are especially vulnerable to changes in the market and in the broader economy.

"In addition, when the markets are volatile and inflation is high, consumers often hold back on discretionary purchases, theatre being one of those.  So we're doing a lot of scenario planning. We're thinking about strategic initiatives and partnerships. The visibility and planning tools we get with BILL have never been more important than they are right now."

“We're doing a lot of scenario planning. The visibility and planning tools we get with BILL have never been more important than they are right now.”

Results: More time to adapt and thrive

As the theater navigates challenging economic conditions and shifts in arts funding, Corporandy is looking ahead, preparing now for the days to come.

"Every year, my goal is for the team to get more tasks off their plate and more time to look at big picture things," says Corporandy. "We're heading into a time that will probably ask a lot of us. Thriving will mean adapting. Not just once, but over and over. How can the tools we use support us? How can they give us the time we need to focus on changing and growing? BILL has been integral to that."

In fact, Detroit Public Theatre now processes virtually all of its payments through BILL, from monthly recurring expenses to the many contractors and vendors associated with each production. This comprehensive approach has created a clear audit trail and simplified their financial operations significantly.

"BILL has allowed us to scale," Corporandy explains. "What once consumed 5 hours per week of writing and processing checks now happens automatically. We've experienced growth every year for the past 10 years, even during the pandemic. We constructed a new building during the height of the COVID shutdowns. At every turn, BILL adapted with us."

Summary: Technology that serves the artistic mission

For Detroit Public Theatre, BILL is more than just a payment platform. It's a strategic tool that helps them pursue their artistic vision while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

"What's BILL in one word? It's a relief," Corporandy says. "As a business leader holding end-of-the-road responsibility, BILL takes something off my shoulders. It carries something for me, and I appreciate that. It's like having a great partner that allows me to focus on what matters most—creating transformative theater experiences for our community."

As Detroit Public Theatre enters its second decade, it continues to pursue artistic ambition with operational excellence. From commissioning plays to providing Shakespeare programs in Michigan's only women's prison, they're proving that regional theaters can have national impact while serving their local communities.

"We strive every day to be really bold and adventurous, but also fiscally responsible," Corporandy concludes. "BILL helps us maintain that balance, giving us the tools to grow sustainably while never losing sight of our mission to create world-class theater in Detroit."‍

“BILL is a relief. It's like having a great partner that allows me to focus on what matters most—creating transformative theater experiences for our community.”