What We Learned from Turning All of St. Paul into a Stage
In 2016, Danger Boat Productions tried something new: What would happen if improv comedy didn’t wait for people to come to the theater…
What if the theater came to them?
10 years later, Brandon Boat reflects on what we learned from “All St. Paul’s a Stage”—and what it means for anyone looking to bring entertainment into non-traditional spaces.
How do you choose guests and topics for The Theater of Public Policy?
Every The Theater of Public Policy show hinges on the right topic and the right guest. Though it’s an improv show at heart, we take our comedy seriously.
To celebrate our 15th year of T2P2, we’re giving you a peek behind the curtain into what we think makes a good topic and guest.
After the Intermission: Theater’s Uneven Recovery
A look at the aggregate numbers might suggest that the Twin Cities theater scene is recovering since the pandemic. Brandon Boat’s deep dive into reported financials suggests a different story.
How many people should be on a conference panel?
When we’re hired for conferences and events, we’re often asked for our advice about panel composition. How many people should be part of the conversation?
13 Improv Groups You Can Hire in the Twin Cities
Having been in the business for over a decade, we know what to look for when hiring good entertainers who would work well in a professional space. Here are 13 improv groups in the Twin Cities to consider if you’re looking to bring energy, humor and connection to your event.
“How soon should I book you?” The answer is yes.
Do you need to book Danger Boat six months ahead of time? No! In fact, historic data shows that most clients book us within 2 months of their event. But while we can swing quick turnarounds, reaching out early means we can avoid calendar conflicts and make sure your event is a success.
Why Did We Decide to Hire a Full-Time Team?
How and why did our staff triple over the last year and a half? Danger Boat co-founder Brandon Boat explains why we decided to hire a full-time team instead of contractors, how we determined which roles to hire, and what we've learned from the process.
How Sketches of Minnesota Uses Comedy to Build Community
Sketches of Minnesota starts with a simple invitation: come share a meal, tell stories about your community, and watch those stories become comedy.
But underneath that invitation is a larger belief. Communities need spaces where people can gather across differences, talk about what matters, and experience joy together.
To help explain how this project creates impact, we developed a Theory of Change for Sketches of Minnesota.
Jacob Frey and Elliott Payne on The Theater of Public Policy
Last night’s The Theater of Public Policy show featuring City Council President Elliott Payne and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey made headlines. Read about the evening of cordial debate and “unlikely,” “deranged” improv in the MinnPost and the Minnesota Star Tribune, and listen to a recap on the City Cast Twin Cities podcast.
Finding the Perfect Match: Why We Grade Our Potential Partnerships
In the early years of Danger Boat, we would say yes to working with almost anyone that came knocking. More than a decade later, saying yes to everything is beyond our capacity and is not creatively sustainable.
We believe the best creative work comes from healthy, aligned partnerships. So, to ensure we're setting every project up for success, we’ve developed a client grading system. Here’s how it works.