Brave New Workshop

Live Entertainment

The Brave New Workshop has been writing, performing and producing original sketch comedy and improvisation for more than 50 years. To put that into perspective, that’s longer than any other comedy theatre in the United States. So what that means for our clients is the writing and performing talent used for our creative outreach events is in fact, the very same writing and performing talent that performs on our historic Minneapolis stage. This level of talent assures that your audiences can expect that our professional corporate entertainers are the best actors, improvisers, speakers and writers available anywhere.

Custom Sketch Entertainment

Performed live or pre-recorded for a video broadcast during your event, scripted sketch comedy can reinforce your event's messages with laughter. After refining our skills as sketch writers for more than 50 years, we have developed and streamlined an effective process that takes the guess work out of "what's funny and what's not funny." We'll work with you to gather information that incorporates your specific messages and takes advantage of insider info to create just-for-you scripted entertainment. All the scripts are of course subject to final client review and approval. We work with your team to ensure the irreverence factor of our sketches increases the likelihood of your message landing and not the likelihood of your career ending.

After Dinner Improvisation

We got our start performing “instant theater” back in the 50’s and we take our improvisation very seriously, at least as seriously as you should take something that could potentially lead to laughter-induced lung collapse. For our after-dinner improvisation, the Brave New Workshop uses electronic questionnaires and interviews to understand your employees, products and customers. That research enables us to create a performance that specifically reflects the culture, characteristics, and even vocabulary that is uniquely part of your audience's daily work life. And because the beginning of all "instant theater" starts from audience suggestions, our improvisation performances often reflect and celebrate events and circumstances that are fresh, topical and very well could have occurred a few short hours before we perform.

General Session Energizers

Although we fully understand that your events have to include lots of information, whether it be strategy, leadership vision, or product information, this can sometimes result in an information overload. We have also observed that the  classic "Powerpoint parade" style can lead to a reduction in learning and an increase in drooling. Our comedic solution is to present small snippets of high-energy comedy to counter-balance the tryptophan-quality of a marathan info-fest. Whether scripted or delivered improvisationally. Brave New Workshop entertainers will guarantee that the energy level of your meeting remains consistent and high.

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Classic BNW Comedy Sketches

You don't have to visit the Brave New Workshop to take in a performance. We can actually bring our improvisation mainstage talent right to you, including our talented actors and writers. Whether choosing classic BNW sketches appropriate to your themes and audience or tweaking one of the hundreds of historically hilarious scripts to reinforce your message, our 50-plus years of writing and performing sketch comedy definitely works to your advantage.

Emcee

We'll show up, set the mood, get the crowd warmed up and then step back and let you bask in the limelight. High-energy, comedic commentary for announcements and message reinforcement. And as highly flexible improvisers, our emcees are always thinking on their feet and act quickly to smooth out those last-minute hiccups and to put out any fires that flare up.

And what about those executive introductions? Life may be great in an ivory tower, but it's easy for leaders and visionaries to seem like they're out of touch. We'll sit down and work with you to create more personal, engaging introductions that help the audience see and appreciate their leaders in a new way. For example, as humans with a good sense of humor.

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Audience Plant Actors

Every now and then we find a client who wants to toy with the audience by incorporating a set-up scene into their event. We provide the actors and writers and when you give us the signal, we step up and deliver an extra comedic punch.

“Let’s See It” Instant Improv

A unique offering that gives the audience a chance to put us on the spot and to see firsthand what improvisational techniques can do. In a “Let’s See It” scene, audiences call out “Let’s See It” and force the Brave New Workshop team to instantly act out an improv scene based on the last point or statement made. The audience gets involved and your personal, cultural, corporate, or business message gets reinforced with laughter. Which means they’re eating cake at the same time as you’re feeding them their vegetables.

The group absolutely loved your skits and thought you did a wonderful job. They were still laughing Friday morning at breakfast. The customized skit was perfect...you really nailed the information that we passed along to you.

- Kelly Hilgert, Schwans

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