What Happens When a Town Sees Itself Reflected Back Through Comedy?
Sketches of Minnesota was designed to make civic engagement more playful—but does that make it more effective?
In 2024, American University Master’s student Jason Healey evaluated whether Sketches was doing what we set out to do. His analysis, based on interviews with staff and performers along with more than 400 survey responses from audience members, shows how comedy enables deeper engagement in civic spaces.
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.
How People Find Local Events: Lessons from the Sketches of Minnesota Tour
Sketches of Minnesota is a community-inspired civic improv comedy tour created by Danger Boat Productions in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center. In 2025, we visited nine locations: Braham, New Ulm, Rochester, Kingfield, Rosemount, Fergus Falls, Bigfork, Fosston, and New York Mills.
We tried a bunch of different marketing methods to draw attendees to these shows. At each event, we placed paper surveys on the tables at our events and asked attendees to fill them out at the end. Here’s what we found.
TV Interview: Sketches of Minnesota Comes to Rochester
On August 28, the Rochester Art Center will host Sketches of Minnesota — a free community dinner and improv comedy performance where your stories take center stage.
Sketches of Minnesota 2025 Tour Stops
The Sketches of Minnesota 2025 Tour is upon us! Check out the summer and fall tour dates and see if we’ll be coming to y our community.
Applications Open -Sketches of Minnesota 2025
Want your community’s stories center stage? The 2025 Sketches of Minnesota tour is now accepting host applications! This one-of-a-kind civic comedy event blends heartfelt storytelling and quick-witted improv to bring your town’s personality to life. Learn how to apply.
Bridging Communities Through Laughter and Conversation
Danger Boat Productions is using improv comedy to turn civic discussions into engaging performances across Minnesota. As part of Twin Cities PBS’ (TPT) America 250 initiative, Sketches of Minnesota brings communities together through humor, conversation, and storytelling.
Sketches of Minnesota: A Civic Comedy Tour Photos
Thank you to everyone that came out to see Sketches of Minnesota: A Civic Comedy Tour.
The Danger Boat team collected stories in each of the ten communities they visited in the 2024 tour. Last night's show was a scripted (mostly) performance that reflects some of what we heard and learned across our state.
How Sketches of Minnesota Uses Comedy to Bring People Together
Can laughter bring people together? Sketches of Minnesota proves it can. This unique theatrical performance is based on real conversations collected from 10 towns across Minnesota, transforming local stories into improv-inspired comedy sketches. Tane Danger (Danger Boat Productions) and Trygve Throntveit (Minnesota Humanities Center) recently joined Minnesota Live to share how comedy fosters connection, highlights community voices, and helps people see each other in new ways. Now, those stories come to life in a live scripted show, with performances in St. Cloud on Feb. 11 and Minneapolis on Feb. 25. Don’t miss your chance to experience the humor, heart, and community spirit of Sketches of Minnesota!
Almanac Interview with Sketches of Minnesota
Can laughter bring people closer? Sketches of Minnesota, a one-of-a-kind theatrical event, proves that comedy has the power to connect us. After traveling to 10 cities and gathering real stories from Minnesotans, this scripted show brings those experiences to life on stage. Join us for a live performance in St. Cloud on Feb. 11 and Minneapolis on Feb. 25!