Booking Improvisational Comedy

If you are like me, you love improvisational comedy.  You are a student of this brand of theater art.  You have studied the greats.  You have read every book by Del Close and Keith Johnstone.  You have an appreciation for both the short form and long form versions.  You have your own improvisational comedy troupe and you are ready to perform for an audience and of course they are going to appreciate you!

Then, you go to sell your product to venues and you are met with questions like “what is improvisational comedy?  Are you doing stand up?  Or, oh yeah! We can do that! We have a bachelor party coming up and need a comedian to tell some jokes.  My first experience booking improvisational comedy was a disaster.  I got my troupe a paid gig at a bachelor party.

There was no stage, we were performing in a bar in-between a wide screen television and a Donkey Kong Machine.  There was an open kitchen and you could hear short order cooks yelling “order up” over our attempts to get “suggestions” from the audiences.   One of the performers accidentally bumped into a waitress causing a tray full of drinks to crash on the “stage” I felt bad for the groom, was this the best way to spend his last night of bachelorhood?  Our show was cut off early when the DJ began blaring dubstep tunes and the audience got up and started dancing on our beer stained stage.

I have done multiple shows like this one and frankly they have taught me what not to do.  I learn a lot through failure (and fortunately I get a lot of comedic material through failure so all is not lost).

If you have an improvisational comedy troupe I want to offer just a little advice that might help in your efforts to get your first official show booked, successful and potentially keep your shoes from smelling like Guinness Stout.

1. Improvisational Comedy belongs on a Stage:  “Just because the venue says yes does not mean you need to yes/and them and book the show.”  Improv requires attention from the audience.  The players create a story line with a beginning middle and an end.  The audience is part of the act.  They need to interact with intelligent suggestions that can be used to create theater.  Its difficult to do that when Guns and Roses Sweet Child O’ Mine is blaring over the sound system.   I am not criticizing bars or restaurants as venue’s for entertainment.  In my experience, the clientele typically have short attention span’s.  A setting that can be a disaster for improvisational comedy can be fantastic for Stand Up which relies on short punchy jokes.  Three months after the bachelor party disaster this same venue started booking stand up comedy and it ran successfully for over a year.   When booking Improv visit the venue first.  See if they have a stage.  If they don’t that’s ok.  Explain the concept to the owner.  See if they will allow you to set up a theater style stage in their venue for just one night with chairs set up in front of the stage area.  Ask the audience to turn off their cell phones (it’s amazing how they will do this when you ask politely and how attentive they will be) And ask the venue to turn off the televisions during the show.  I repeat!  Ask the venue to turn the televisions off during the show!  You don’t want to be competing for laughs with images of Lebron James dunking on a big screen.
2. Partner with a local Community Theater Group: “But I have tried to find a stage, there is a small theater but they want to charge me”.  I hear you on this one!  I live in a small New England Town and we have three theaters.  Each offers the use of their theater at a cost prohibitive to a comedy troupe who’s operating budget includes a six pack of beer and a half eaten bag of Lay’s Potato Chips.  Community Theater Groups exist to allow local residents to participate in theater (through acting, behind the scenes etc).  They are frequently looking for innovative concepts to add to their season.  Research the community theater groups in your area.  Reach out to their board of directors.  Set a time to meet or ask if you can attend one of their meetings to pitch your idea for a show.  Or, become involved with the community theater itself.  Most of these groups have a dedicated following with access to media and advertising.   Its best to inquire before a community theater starts their new season as these groups will tend to plan a year ahead.
3. Organize an Improvisational Comedy Fundraiser: “Ok, I reached out to the local community theater.  They have a production of Guy’s and Dolls running and we need to wait.  I don’t want to wait! I want my troupe to perform now!”.  Ok!  I understand! You have been practicing, you are funny, you want to get in front of an audience today and your dog is sick of watching the six of you perform in your living room.  So, why not organize a fundraiser?  Any community has a variety of local non-profit and charitable organizations who would gladly host an evening of comedy with proceeds going to help them achieve their mission.  Research your community.  What are the needs?  Who are the people at the organizations you should speak with?  I have coordinated comedy shows for organizations that assist people with heating cost, housing, food, one of our best shows was at a local school where we raised nearly $2000.00 in one evening for their Autism Program.   When you do a fundraiser you will find that the organization and the community will come out as people like to give for causes that help impact their community in a positive way.  Venues will be more likely to host a show if they know that the money is going to a good cause.

Hopefully this advice is helpful!  Finally, when you get that first show booked, the audience is seated waiting for you to start.  Take a moment to let them know that they are going to see.  People always confuse improvisational comedy with stand up.   They need to know that you will be doing scenes and asking for suggestions.  And most importantly, thank them for coming to see you!

Good Luck!