My Business Idea: A REAL Muppet Show

[SurfPark]

Ever since joining this forum I've pondered the idea of creating a real Muppet show. Basically really doing what the premise of the Mupper Show was, a theater production with puppets as actors.

I was thinking of what a novel idea it would be to have a dinner theater based around this idea. A place where you can not only watch the show but have food too.

So I've been thinking about it and wondering how I could give the idea a twist. One thing I'd like to do is have late night adults-only shows that allow to serve alochol and have adult humor in the production.

Of course in order to do this, several things would need to be worked out first:
1. Getting a location. It could be in a touristy area, or any major city.
2. Financing the two business...the theater and the restaurant. Not impossible, but it would take some savvy.
3. Staffing both business with good and knowledgable people.
4. Having a workshop/studio to create the original puppets and screenplays.

I was wondering if anyone has heard of this idea before. Its kind of a "dinner show" idea. I've talked to my friends in Orlando, and they've said "We have a million dinner shows here." I wouldn't want to rip-off any of the Muppets, but rather, create an original cast that would different. Besides I don't think I could duplicate their magic. I'm picturing something a little more risque for the evening, but a family-friendly afternoon show as well.

There are pros and cons of combing food and theater, but I have a gut feeling there is potiental here. My mom called it "Chuck E. Cheese for Grown-Ups". I laughed and said it wasn't going to be animatronics, only puppets. I'd like the community's response and some critism.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Creatively, I think this is a fantastic idea. Financially, it's very challenging.

I worked in both the artistic and management side of what is probably the world's only dinner theatre devoted to puppet theatre in the 1990s. Based on that experience, I'd say that the idea is certainly workable, but it's a big undertaking. Much, much bigger than you probably realize.

Realistically, you're probably talking about a business that would need an annual operating budget of anywhere from $650,000 to $1.5 million depending on what you're going to do. So that means your start-up expenses could be up to $2 million or more if you wanted to do this properly.

The theatre wouldn't survive unless you're in an area that gets a lot of tourists. Most dinner theatres in the Northern U.S. and Canada depend on regular revenue from bus tours, hotel packages, etc. The catch-22 is usually that the more popular the area you operate in, the more expensive it is.

There's lots of practical issues to think about with this. You need food handling licenses/permits, alcohol licenses, a fully equipped kitchen for the food, a dining area, audio and lighting equipment, etc. Then there's the cost of a puppet building shop, puppet builders, puppeteers, kitchen staff, etc.

The most important thing you'd have to do with something like this if you're serious about it is write a business plan and research the industry. It's certainly not impossible to do, but an awful lot of money to raise. Where does it come from? If you have no or limited experience in running a business, a theatre or restaurant or puppetry you could have some serious problems raising the money required.

I know the company I worked for took about 10 years to open their theatre and they were an experienced company who had performed on Broadway and toured around the world. Starting from scratch would be much, much harder I suspect. Especially since you're not going to build the theatre around esthablish shows like most dinner theatres you're talking about totally original stuff.

 

[DannyRWW]

Ever since joining this forum I've pondered the idea of creating a real Muppet show. Basically really doing what the premise of the Mupper Show was, a theater production with puppets as actors.

I was thinking of what a novel idea it would be to have a dinner theater based around this idea. A place where you can not only watch the show but have food too.

So I've been thinking about it and wondering how I could give the idea a twist. One thing I'd like to do is have late night adults-only shows that allow to serve alochol and have adult humor in the production.

Of course in order to do this, several things would need to be worked out first:
1. Getting a location. It could be in a touristy area, or any major city.
2. Financing the two business...the theater and the restaurant. Not impossible, but it would take some savvy.
3. Staffing both business with good and knowledgable people.
4. Having a workshop/studio to create the original puppets and screenplays.

I was wondering if anyone has heard of this idea before. Its kind of a "dinner show" idea. I've talked to my friends in Orlando, and they've said "We have a million dinner shows here." I wouldn't want to rip-off any of the Muppets, but rather, create an original cast that would different. Besides I don't think I could duplicate their magic. I'm picturing something a little more risque for the evening, but a family-friendly afternoon show as well.

There are pros and cons of combing food and theater, but I have a gut feeling there is potiental here. My mom called it "Chuck E. Cheese for Grown-Ups". I laughed and said it wasn't going to be animatronics, only puppets. I'd like the community's response and some critism.

I love this idea... Out here in Wisconsin we have comedy sportz where you can order food while you watch improv. comedy.....I thought it would be fun to do improv like this with puppets. Maybe you should gear your idea towards improv. (no scripts would be needed then just ideas for improv games/scenes)

 

[Buck-Beaver]

You know a Second City style thing would be good and much cheaper than an actual dinner theatre and a good way to start. The alcohol is where all the money is made, so you'd want to serve that along with a limited menu. Maybe something like the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, where you watch a movie and can get pub food, only with live shows and puppets.

 

[SurfPark]

Yeah, I was going to mention it, but that was my scaled down plan...."Second City" style comedy with bar food. One day it would be awesome to have a full-blown restaurant and playhouse, but it will cost so much. Besides, I'd like to keep it a tad cheaper for people. Dinner shows are so expensive becuase you're buying everything in one lump sum. With this approach, I wouldn't need a full service kitchen or waitstaff.

Buck, how did the place you worked at turn out. Are they still open? I'm kind of looking for a model to base myself off of. In a good business plan, they often use examples of other businesses that use my approach, to show bankers its possible.

 

[pepestarr]

That sounds like a great idea. If you ever did do anything near Michigan I'm coming near there in the future so I would come and watch!

 

[wes]

I read an article on the muppets recently since Disney take-over, and i read that disney is planning to do a Broadway show with the muppet in the line of the Lion King. I wonder how they will do that, and finally i will have an excuse to go to New York and see a Musical.

 

[MGov]

I tried doing this 12 years ago in Chicago and it didn't work at all.

I've been making plans to try again this summer or fall.

 

[SurfPark]

Well if I ever do open up again, I'll be sure to let you guys know. Afterall, you all seem to have the knowledge and the drive. Maybe even do interviews excluslvely from this forum.

I've been researching businesses for a while and was looking for something creative that would allow me to express myself but also put food on the table. I love to create things and think the idea of screenplay writing and puppet creation might help counter-balance the more mudane tasks of account managing and ownership.

As for locations, I've been looking for them anywhere. The crux is that you end up paying more in order to make more. The top US tourist cities are:

New York City
Los Angeles
Miami
Orlando
San Francisco
Honolulu
Las Vegas
Washington, DC
Chicago
Boston
Atlanta
San Diego

I need to decide which I'm willing to look into more. Detroit has never been on that list, so I'm not even considering Michigan as a premiere location. I don't know if I could be competitive in Orlando. Chicago seems like a "maybe" location. I'm personally avoiding California until the real estate bubble pops.

 

[Vic Romano]

The main thing is gonna' be location, location, location. It's a great idea though. We had a Murder Mystery dinner thing here several years ago, but it was only once a week and only during the summer because (from what the owner told me) staffing is what's the most expensive (actors, cooks, servers, writers, janitorial and maintenance, etc.)