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Building a Successful Comedy Theater: Marketing Tips & Tricks from Nick Armstrong of RISE Comedy and Improv Utopia

When Nick Armstrong first started in the comedy world, he quickly realized that running a successful theater is about far more than just being funny. It's a delicate balance of artistic passion and strategic business thinking—a lesson he learned through years of experience with Improv Utopia, Westside Comedy Theater

What's in a Name?

Naming things is hard. Naming things that grow and evolve over time is even harder. Fourth Wall Tickets is no stranger to this phenomenon. When we first launched, the “Tickets” of our name worked great and made perfect sense: all we did were tickets. We didn’t have classes, gift

Updates for August 2024 🎉

A wise man once said, “The more, the merrier.” Read about the new faces, features, and pricing structure coming soon to Fourth Wall Tickets. There’s never been a better time to explore Fourth Wall Tickets and learn how we can make managing your theatre and your patrons an absolute

The Compass Players: How a 1950s Improv Troupe Changed American Comedy

The Compass Players, the first improvisational theater in the United States, changed the way people think about improv and has a lasting legacy in the world of comedy.

How Improv Transforms the Workplace

Did you know corporations such as Google and PepsiCo have integrated improv training into their employee development programs? When many companies went remote (and sometimes stayed remote) over the past few years, improv exercises have been able to help pull colleagues and teams together. Companies utilizing improv principles report significant

A Short History of the Upright Citizens Brigade

What is the Upright Citizens Brigade and how has it affected improv? In the vibrant realm of Chicago improvisational comedy, the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) emerged as a pioneering force, revolutionizing the art form and leaving an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. The UCB has garnered immense respect

The History and Power of Intermissions

You might not have thought about the origins and historical significance of intermissions, yet they play a fascinating and vital role in theater. They provide a valuable opportunity for creative set changes and building anticipation among the audience, as well as allowing for social interactions and concession purchases during the

Influential Figures: Viola Spolin

Who Was Viola Spolin? This is a question that opens the door to exploring one of the most transformative figures in the history of theater. Viola Spolin's influence on the domain of theater education and improvisation is nothing short of revolutionary. Her pioneering work irrevocably changed the landscape of acting

A Brief History of Stand-Up Comedy

No one knows when the first joke was told, but it probably went something like this: Gathered around a flickering fire, a caveman tripped over a rock and clumsily spilled his handful of berries. A fellow tribe member, seizing the moment, exaggerated the fall with a playful grunt and an

Is the AI Good for Your Venue?

I’m sure you’ve heard all about the ‘chat GPTs’ and the ‘models’(not the pretty ones) from some of your nerdy friends. Sometimes they’ll derail entire meetings to hype up this new thing that’s apparently going to ‘change your life’ and ‘take everyone’s jobs’. They

The Cultural Impact of Sold-Out Shows

What could be more important to a theatre or club venue than selling out every show? Hanging that ‘sold out’ sign at the box office is probably the biggest indicator of a commercial win, and it’s obvious that selling out would put a smile on any club owner’s

Theatre Marketing II: Understanding Social Media Metrics for Word of Mouth

We’ve dipped our toes into the interesting marketing realm multiple times in past articles, and here we’ll continue on a more formal series for theatre word-of-mouth marketing specifically. It’s time to get into the meat and potatoes of how an online presence can instill effective word-of-mouth advertising

Why Local Ticketing Platforms Are Better

You opened a theatre a few months ago; that’s awesome! In that humble beginning, you decided to have a simple ‘tickets at the door’ policy where people could only get in with cold, hard cash at the box office upon entry. Now that your theatre is gaining popularity, there

What Drives Event Attendance?

Listen, in the world of showbiz, you'd think that landing a gig, nailing the lines, or perfecting that punchline is the hardest part, right? Not so fast, my friend. Sure, those matter, but what's a performance without an audience? You might as well practice at home. But seriously, understanding what

A Brief Overview of Theatre Marketing and Partnerships

How do you reach these kids? That’s a question many school teachers have asked themselves for generations. Luckily your inquiry as a theatre venue is probably a bit more nuanced, maybe something like ‘How do I make these people laugh and smile until their faces hurt?’ We all know

Dynamic Pricing Part II, Details of the Black Magic

Welcome wizards of the theatre world. In part one we discussed the basics of dynamic pricing. We mentioned some math, we talked about some science, and we contemplated some ethics. We had some scary charts and we also had some very obvious principles. As mentioned in that article, we barely

Dynamic Pricing, Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?

What is dynamic pricing? Who came up with it? What were they thinking? Is it a dynamically greedy tactic that reinforces financial inequality and detracts patrons? Or an elegant and dynamic solution to very annoying problems? In this article, let’s ground ourselves and discuss the straight poop on dynamic

Improv History in a Nutshell

You may know the history of improv for your local comedy club or city, but have you ever sat to study improv history of the world? Improv dates back millions of years to the first living organism's mating rituals. No but in all seriousness it’s important to know the

A Brief History of West Coast Theatre

We’ve covered the roots of performance theatre in Chicago and New York (a more accurate description would be that we’ve barely scratched the surface), and the West coast theatre scene is just as fascinating. Keep in mind we’re only splitting up the East and West Coast hypothetically

The Best of New York City Theatre News and Blogs

The mecca of theatre and improv in the modern age has to be New York City, and that would obviously mean that community theatre is an integral part of New York's cultural identity. As a hub for some of the most significant theatre productions in the world, the Big Apple

Chicago Theatre History in a Nutshell

Chicago has long been known as a hub for theatrical creativity and innovation, with a colorful history of groundbreaking performances and influential artists. One look through the Second City alumni list alone is enough to make your eyes widen, with big names like Bill Murray, Tina Fey, John Belushi, John

The Best of Chicago Theatre Blogs

I’m sure you’ve wondered how best to review all of the wonderful theatrical productions Chicago continuously oozes into the public light. After all this is a city of many talents, many opinions, a melting pot of cultures and perspectives. From the historic Goodman Theatre to the eclectic Steppenwolf

A Brief History of Live Event Ticketing

If you're a theater buff, you know that getting your hands on the best tickets can be a real drama. But have you ever stopped to think about the history of event ticketing? Believe it or not, the process of securing a seat at a show has come a long

Etiquette for Performers: How to Win Friends and Influence Actors

We all know that theater is an important part of the performing arts community, providing opportunities for amateur and professional performers to come together and create fun artistic productions. Patrons participate in the front stage entertainment, while actors and production crew work the back stage, and as venue owners, it’

Pros and Cons of Serving Alcohol at Your Community Theater

As theater owners contemplate the decision to serve alcohol at their venue, they may find themselves torn between the allure of increased revenue and the potential risks associated with the social lubricant. On one hand, offering a wide and interesting selection of drinks to patrons can make your venue a

Why Community Theatre is Important

If you love the theatre I'm sure traveling to New York City to check out the latest Tony Award contender is everything. Alas, traveling to New York City from different parts of the country on a regular basis is not an option for many. The good news is local community

Creating Loyal Patrons

What is it that keeps a patron coming back? Theatres, festivals, and concerts cannot guarantee that a customer’s experience will be the same every time, so how can we expect our audiences to stay loyal? How do we ensure they’ll keep buying tickets or donating to our cause?

Tips and Techniques for Attracting New Patrons

Attracting new patrons is imperative to the long life of a good project! This blog post is centered around growing your social media following and putting your show in front of fresh eyes. Prepare to plug your shows in front of new audiences.Before your production, let it be an

A Brief Lesson on the History of Improv

Improv giants like The Second City, iO Improv Theatre, and The Annoyance are all continuations of a movement bigger than comedy shows and sketch alike. Instead, improvisation had a humble beginning in community service. Improv theatre has been around for centuries, with its roots in the Commedia dell'Arte of Italy.

Improv meets Corporate

In the past, improvisation has been used to improve an actor’s ability to perform and improve written scripts in the heat of the moment with emotion or comedic timing. However, it’s also been proven that these skills can be taken off the stage and into the conference room.

The Benefits of Improvising

Improv theatre can help people to feel more confident in themselves and their ability to think on their feet. Improvising can help you feel more confident in yourself and your abilities. When you're improvising, you're forced to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions to problems. This

What is improv and why is it still around?

Improv theatre is a type of live theatre where the performers create scenes and characters spontaneously without any prior planning. It is often used as a form of comedy, but can also be used for other genres such as drama and romance. Improv theatre can be performed by anyone, regardless

The Best and Worst Improv Suggestions

Have you been attending improv shows, and now you’re ready to give your first suggestion? Next time you're ready to see a show download Improv Tonight to find a theatre near you! Check out this list of tips to feel confident about your suggestion! Of course, reading it before

The Different Styles of Improv Theatre

There are many different types of improv theatre, but they all share a common goal: to create a performance without any prior planning. It’s important to keep in mind, that this is in no way an extensive list of the only styles available. The best part of improvisation is

How to Sell Online Tickets to Your Show

Next time you’re ready to promote your event online, follow these 5 steps to ensure a packed house! Get started by publicizing your brand and utilizing social media. Don’t be afraid to get creative, and attract new attendees! And above all, your tickets should be easy to purchase

Why It's Still Important to Support Community Theatre

Small theatres are important because they not only provide a venue for new and upcoming talent, but they also give people a chance to see live theatre that is more intimate and personal. Small theatres typically have less expensive tickets, making them accessible to a wider range of people. It

How to Keep Your Theatre Accessible

We all can agree that when you are creating art, you want your art to reach its intended audience. Whether it be an improv show in a storefront theatre, stand-up in a comedy club, or play in an auditorium– your art should be welcoming to anyone interested. Apps and ticketing

How to Get Started in Improv Theatre

Theatre is one of the oldest forms of art, dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans (and presumably far before). Lots of different styles of theatre exist, but our personal favorite is improvisational theatre. Improvisational theatre, or improv for short, resembles traditional scripted theatre, but without the script. Performers

Marketing Ideas to Promote your Theater

As a small theater, you may feel like you're at a disadvantage when it comes to marketing and promoting your shows. But there are a number of social media techniques that can help you reach your target audience and get the promote your productions. Below are a few tips and

Tips for Growing Ticket Sales for Small Storefront Theaters

Small storefront theaters are great venues to see unique, entertaining shows without the traditionally high-cost of Broadway or equivalent sized theaters. They provide a save, low-pressure venue for performers and artists as well to produce and perform their art. In this article, we'll discuss a few techniques for small storefront