We’ve had hits with thematic shows with a hook. We are experimenting with “runs” where directos propose shows, cast it from our auditions, then rehearse the concept for a run of 4-6 shows spread out over a month or two. It’s all long form, but there’s a hook like “it’s an advice show, so submit your questions,” or “we interview you about a past or current workplace then improvise about it, and before the end of the show there’s a round of layoffs.” Anything genre sells easier, we threw together “improvised love is blind” within a couple weeks and it sold out with little marketing effort. I find that professional presentation (good graphics and headshots, punchy copy) has a big influence in that folks can trust there’s some level of professionalism. But we are still figuring out the best way to make space for development and community while making enough money to stay alive. Would love to chat about it more while you’re in Portland!
Seriously, though, I found that introducing the audience to higher-end concepts by luring them in with some short-form first can be helpful. The other comments are great, as anything thematic and topical is going to get more eyes on it than "Harold Night," which no one outside the improv community (and some inside the community) knows what it is. I think that's part of the reason why Improvised Harry Potter, Improvised Star Trek, Improvised D&D Shamilton, etc. do so well. Not only are they filled with awesome performers, but they can draw both people who like improv and people who like the thematic subject.
Also, consistency in both quality and performance schedule.
Most of the hit shows I can think of when I was coming up had a hook in the actual title of the show. Facebook, Soundtrack, Fucked Up Family, etc. But these were also all at UCB, so I’m not sure what caused what.
I find that the easiest things to sell are the easiest things for a non-improvisor to understand. They have the clearest promise of what the audience will experience, and the quickest elevator pitch. So your genre parody/adaptations where you can say 'It's that show you love but IMPROVISED!' or short form 'It's like Whose Line but live and you're there!' are the easiest ways to get bums on seats. In my experience the ranking is adaptations > short form competitions/showcase > abstract long form comedy > abstract long form dramatic.
Having said that, the show I created that has run for 8 years at the local theatre here is called Late Night Knife Fight. Each month (ish) three teams present 10-12 minutes of improv (whatever they want to do), then the audience votes in the half time, and the second half is a 30 minute headline spot by last month's winners. It has sold out at least 80% of tickets across its entire run, mostly as sold-out shows (starting in a 40 seater and later in a 70). I think the secrets to its success are a) rotating casts so no single set of social connections are exhausted of hearing about it, and b) the name seems to really hook people in.
I say this as someone who has no hit shows in my town, but I like to think it'd be a similar concept to other media. To get asses in seats it'd need a hook or something that's familiar and popular (be it famous performers or the concept pitch), to keep people coming back the talent would have to be net-above average, and to build buzz in the execution it'd need to be doing something a little unique - something that can't be found anywhere else
All hypothetical though since I'm yet to achieve this myself. But thinking about the hit shows I've seen (and aren't just for the die hards), they tend to check those boxes
Maybe the occasional it's "SO good it's undeniable" show appears but I feel like that'd be hard to manufacture
You could technically say WGIS produced performers that produced a hit show as Looking for Laughs in Glasgow is a legit hit with punters. It came from Sharpie starting a show using a blind date to pull premise from that I think Ethan suggested to him back in the WGIS days. Sharpie and I among others have been doing it for 2 years and we've grown it so much that we've booked The Stand monthly and another 80 seater that we can sell out regularly. It wouldn't have happened without WGIS so you can take some credit for that!
In DC, the long-running musical improv team has been a hit show getting muggles to come out. Shows with a marketable concept too, especially if the concept is somewhat topical, like : it starts with a blind date or with your tiktok history. Some niche concepts can find niche audiences (outside of the improv niche), for example my francophone show started becoming known within the French community here (pre COVID, lol). And shows that are inspired by interviews with famous locals (a lot of them are in government here) seem to also do well with normies.
Format is a question of art. Having a hit show will be a question of personality. You need performers who connect with people and allow them time to do that. If they run out and start an opening or initiation with little banter, the audience only judges them as a performer instead of connecting to them as a person. Similarly, if they get a six-week ’run’ and move on, that isn’t enough time to build a following.
We’ve had hits with thematic shows with a hook. We are experimenting with “runs” where directos propose shows, cast it from our auditions, then rehearse the concept for a run of 4-6 shows spread out over a month or two. It’s all long form, but there’s a hook like “it’s an advice show, so submit your questions,” or “we interview you about a past or current workplace then improvise about it, and before the end of the show there’s a round of layoffs.” Anything genre sells easier, we threw together “improvised love is blind” within a couple weeks and it sold out with little marketing effort. I find that professional presentation (good graphics and headshots, punchy copy) has a big influence in that folks can trust there’s some level of professionalism. But we are still figuring out the best way to make space for development and community while making enough money to stay alive. Would love to chat about it more while you’re in Portland!
Short-form sells.
*ducks*
Seriously, though, I found that introducing the audience to higher-end concepts by luring them in with some short-form first can be helpful. The other comments are great, as anything thematic and topical is going to get more eyes on it than "Harold Night," which no one outside the improv community (and some inside the community) knows what it is. I think that's part of the reason why Improvised Harry Potter, Improvised Star Trek, Improvised D&D Shamilton, etc. do so well. Not only are they filled with awesome performers, but they can draw both people who like improv and people who like the thematic subject.
Also, consistency in both quality and performance schedule.
Most of the hit shows I can think of when I was coming up had a hook in the actual title of the show. Facebook, Soundtrack, Fucked Up Family, etc. But these were also all at UCB, so I’m not sure what caused what.
I find that the easiest things to sell are the easiest things for a non-improvisor to understand. They have the clearest promise of what the audience will experience, and the quickest elevator pitch. So your genre parody/adaptations where you can say 'It's that show you love but IMPROVISED!' or short form 'It's like Whose Line but live and you're there!' are the easiest ways to get bums on seats. In my experience the ranking is adaptations > short form competitions/showcase > abstract long form comedy > abstract long form dramatic.
Having said that, the show I created that has run for 8 years at the local theatre here is called Late Night Knife Fight. Each month (ish) three teams present 10-12 minutes of improv (whatever they want to do), then the audience votes in the half time, and the second half is a 30 minute headline spot by last month's winners. It has sold out at least 80% of tickets across its entire run, mostly as sold-out shows (starting in a 40 seater and later in a 70). I think the secrets to its success are a) rotating casts so no single set of social connections are exhausted of hearing about it, and b) the name seems to really hook people in.
I say this as someone who has no hit shows in my town, but I like to think it'd be a similar concept to other media. To get asses in seats it'd need a hook or something that's familiar and popular (be it famous performers or the concept pitch), to keep people coming back the talent would have to be net-above average, and to build buzz in the execution it'd need to be doing something a little unique - something that can't be found anywhere else
All hypothetical though since I'm yet to achieve this myself. But thinking about the hit shows I've seen (and aren't just for the die hards), they tend to check those boxes
Maybe the occasional it's "SO good it's undeniable" show appears but I feel like that'd be hard to manufacture
You could technically say WGIS produced performers that produced a hit show as Looking for Laughs in Glasgow is a legit hit with punters. It came from Sharpie starting a show using a blind date to pull premise from that I think Ethan suggested to him back in the WGIS days. Sharpie and I among others have been doing it for 2 years and we've grown it so much that we've booked The Stand monthly and another 80 seater that we can sell out regularly. It wouldn't have happened without WGIS so you can take some credit for that!
In DC, the long-running musical improv team has been a hit show getting muggles to come out. Shows with a marketable concept too, especially if the concept is somewhat topical, like : it starts with a blind date or with your tiktok history. Some niche concepts can find niche audiences (outside of the improv niche), for example my francophone show started becoming known within the French community here (pre COVID, lol). And shows that are inspired by interviews with famous locals (a lot of them are in government here) seem to also do well with normies.
Format is a question of art. Having a hit show will be a question of personality. You need performers who connect with people and allow them time to do that. If they run out and start an opening or initiation with little banter, the audience only judges them as a performer instead of connecting to them as a person. Similarly, if they get a six-week ’run’ and move on, that isn’t enough time to build a following.