The hub for all things Danger Boat, directly from our team.
Check here for updates on our work, answers to your questions, and interesting tidbits about all things improv! Can’t find what you’re looking for? Search below or email our team — we’ve got the answers!
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.
Minnesota is known for its robust theater scene and burgers that ooze cheese. Avoid scalding your mouth and see an improv show instead!
Whether you’re looking for short-form games, experimental long-form, family-friendly comedy, or a late-night show, you’ll find plenty of places to see live improv across the state. There are dozens of venues that host a variety of different live theater or comedy shows, but here are 14 places where you can consistently see improv in Minnesota.
At Danger Boat Productions, we’ve always believed that improv is more than entertainment.
That idea is at the heart of a new research article in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, co-authored by Danger Boat co-founder Tane Danger, who also teaches improv to medical professionals as Artist in Residence at Mayo Clinic’s Dolores Jean Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine.
The article, “Exploring the Promise of Improvisational Theatre Applications in Health Care,” reviews decades of research starting in 1973 on how improv is being used in healthcare settings. The authors screened 694 sources, reviewed 135 full-text articles, and selected 81 for analysis.
They saved you thousands of pages of reading — and we’re saving you even more by summarizing the article here!
For years, The Theater of Public Policy asked a slightly strange question: What if a serious civic conversation and an improv comedy show had a baby, and that baby cared deeply about zoning, taxes, public health, and democracy?
Between 2016 and 2019, we collected 422 audience surveys across 29 shows at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. We wanted to know if our “chocolate-covered broccoli” approach of mixing hard policy with unscripted humor actually worked.
The results were definitive.
When we finish an improv workshop, one of the most common questions from attendees is, “Where can I learn more?” While Danger Boat Productions offers workshops that focus on applying improv skills in the workplace and beyond, we don’t offer “Improv 101” classes geared towards performance. That’s why we’ve created this list to serve as a guide where you can learn more about what improv courses are available in Minnesota.
I’ll admit it: early in my career, I didn’t understand the importance of organizational values.
Drafting them took an entire day. An hour might be spent discussing whether you should use “and” vs “or”. Then, once they were finished, they’d go on the website and you’d never see them until the next strategic plan rolled around.
But I’ve come around.
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.
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.
We're excited to officially welcome Brian Gioielli as our new Production Manager at Danger Boat Productions!
Brian is a professional problem-solver, relationship-builder, and all-around get-it-done guy. With a background spanning philanthropy, event management, and operations, Brian knows how to keep things running smoothly while making sure everyone’s having a great time.
In today’s fast-paced world, complex conversations—whether about policy, leadership, or social change—can feel overwhelming, inaccessible, or even dull. But what if learning about these important topics could be fun, engaging, and downright hilarious?
A few years ago, a simple question—Where does this bus go?—led to an unexpected journey through the heart of the Twin Cities transit system. Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?, a web series created in partnership with Metro Transit, set out to highlight the quirks, joys, and everyday adventures of public transportation. From surprising hot dish debates to heartwarming commuter stories, the series showed that the bus is more than just a ride—it’s a window into the city’s vibrant community.
In 2014, The History of Minnesota – Unscripted! took the Minnesota Fringe Festival by storm, blending real historical stories with fast-paced improv comedy. Each night, a different expert historian shared a compelling tale from Minnesota’s past, which our improvisers then transformed into unpredictable, side-splitting scenes. Critics and audiences alike loved it—so much that it became one of the top-attended shows of the festival. Let’s take a look back at what made this show so special!
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.
What if a lighthearted debate about cake vs. pie could teach people how to have more respectful, meaningful conversations? Over 8,500 people have watched our comedic sketch as part of the Respectful Conversations Project, learning how ground rules and humor can transform difficult discussions.
At Danger Boat Productions, we specialize in creating engaging content that helps people communicate better. Read the full story and discover why structured conversations matter now more than ever.
Team-building activities often feel forced and ineffective—but what if there was a way to strengthen workplace collaboration while having fun? Improv-based training helps teams build trust, improve communication, and develop adaptability through interactive exercises. Unlike traditional corporate training, improv workshops create a safe and engaging environment where teams learn to connect, support one another, and embrace new ideas—all while laughing together. Learn why companies are turning to improv as a powerful tool for professional development.
How do you get students and faculty to engage in meaningful, civil discussions on complex issues? We found a creative solution: improv. Through a nationwide college tour, we used humor, debate, and interactive theater to break down barriers and foster dialogue on topics like free speech, media bias, and social change. The results? High engagement, fresh perspectives, and a new model for civic discourse. Read on to learn how creativity can drive real impact.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for romance—it’s for politics, too! Imagine if Minnesota’s leaders shared heartfelt (and hilariously pointed) Valentine’s Day cards. In this TPT Almanac essay, Tane Danger brings that vision to life, crafting clever love notes from Amy Klobuchar, the Minnesota GOP, recreational marijuana, and more.
Would Amy Klobuchar break up with Minnesota? Would light rail feel loved by the legislature? And what would Governor Walz say to recreational marijuana? The answers are both funny and surprisingly insightful.
How do you make complex topics engaging and unforgettable? With improv comedy! At the Go Red for Women Luncheon, The Theater of Public Policy brought CPR awareness to life—literally—by turning real expert insights into spontaneous, thought-provoking humor. The result? A performance that left audiences laughing, thinking, and inspired to take action.
Networking doesn’t have to be awkward! When the Bush Foundation asked us to create a video for their BushCon event, we took a creative approach—bringing networking tips to life in the style of a fun, vintage 1950s educational film.
Over the past year, we traveled across Minnesota, gathering real stories from real people and turning them into a night of comedy, reflection, and connection. Now, all of those moments come together in a scripted theatrical performance in St. Cloud and Minneapolis. Watch the video to see how it all happened, and get your tickets today!
Minnesota lawmakers are once again locked in a political stalemate, reminiscent of the 2021 legislative deadlock. As deadlines loom and decisions stall, we revisit a past video essay that captured the frustration of government inaction—with a satirical twist. Will history repeat itself, or will this time be different?
In 2017, we created the podcast Mayorapolis, where The Theater of Public Policy host, Tane Danger, interviewed all of the leading candidates who were running for mayor.
Current Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey, won and is in his second term. Just yesterday he announced that he will be seeking a third. Listen to, or read the transcript of our conversation to see what his initial promises were and whether he lived up to them.
Not all dreams take flight, but some are too powerful to forget. Discover how our vision for a stained glass tour bus—designed to connect rural and urban communities through art and storytelling—continues to inspire, even without funding.
At Danger Boat Productions, creativity and civic engagement collided with the Law Machine—a whimsical gumball machine that sparked conversations about governance through humorous, satirical "laws." This past project remains a shining example of how humor can inspire meaningful dialogue.
Co-Founder Tane Danger recently co-hosted with Cathy Wurzer, the MPR News’ Minnesota Now Quiz Show. In honor of the Minnesota Now third anniversary, they taped an event in front of a live studio audience at MPR News. Two teams went head to head with several rounds of Minnesota news trivia from the past year.
This past August, we collaborated with the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the orientation for their incoming students. We co-developed a workshop based on their Constructive Dialogue initiative, to help students bridge divides and work collaboratively across their differences. Dean Nisha Botchwey of the Humphrey School, recently wrote a post about the initiative and how it went.
