My Business Idea: A REAL Muppet Show

[SurfPark]

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.

Really? Mind if I e-mail you? Maybe we can talk.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

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.

Famous PEOPLE Players Dine & Dream Theatre

They're still open, but their business model is fairly unique. They're non-profit, not a private businesses for starters and rely extensively on donations and also tour. As I mentioned before, they were also coming from a position where they were an esthablished company, had done Broadway and toured quite a bit. They also are lucky enough to have a lot of celebrities like Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Phil Collins, etc. involved with the company along with a lot of well-connected corporate people and sponsors so that helps a lot.

Unfortunately, I can't really discuss much more than that but if you were serious about researching this idea FPP in Toronto would be one of the places I would visit. Concept-wise, it's the best dinner theatre I have ever seen. Don't judge it by the website - which is kind of ugly and rarely updated - it's a great place and they do some incredible stuff. They've got pretty much the facility you're envisioning, kitchen, dining room, theatre, prop shop, storage, etc. Unfortunately, they're not doing backstage or public tours anymore from what I hear and they don't usually discuss their operations with anyone outside the company for competitive reasons.

Those of you in Toronto should really visit. Although they don't advertise it as such, it's Canada's only full-time puppet theatre.

Another thing to do would be contact the full-time puppet theatres in the United States or the Puppet Centre. I am sure many people have tried this idea or some variation on it and they might be able to tell you what works and what doesn't.

 

[Phantom]

Nobody said "Branson". It's like Vegas if Ned Flanders ran it.

 

[doctort13]

There is a club in the Cincinnati area called The Shadowbox Cabaret that merges sketch comedy & rock cover music together. I have never been there, since several of my friends say it's BAD. I also had to blow the whistle on them last year when they were performing & advertising an unlicensed Sesame Street skit.
However, their business model seems to be working and may be worth looking into.

Good luck!

 

[DannyRWW]

Milwaukee is a good area

 

[DannyRWW]

I'm not kidding actually....Comedy Sportz started here and has become quite large.... and personally I think puppets are making a comeback all over the country.....

 

[SurfPark]

Does ComedySportz do puppets?

 

[DannyRWW]

No they don't but I was thinking that their comedy improv style could be done easily with puppets. You should check out their website and see how they are set up..... I was actually thinking whatever you decide to do you could maybe test run in places that are already established before you look into opening your own theater.

on another note I've found that puppetry isn't quite as big here in Milwaukee... the advantage I've found there is that we can wow people when we do a show just because it is something new and different. I just did a show at our public library and the kids loved it. With the right type of material I think it could sell well to adults too.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

...but they love puppetry in Madison!

 

[MGov]

Part of the problem we ran into 12 years ago was a lack of sophistication of the puppets. For having no clue what I was doing in the way of puppet building then, the puppets weren't bad. But with the Muppets, there is a little higher expectation of what puppets should look like.

Also, we had a lack of characters. Time and Money kept us from making a lot of different characters for the show. So we ended up doing improv with five puppets which ultimately made the audience wonder why we were using the puppets to begin with since we were just doing the same things five humans could do.

And the biggest problem was LACK OF MONEY!!! Not enough for anything: space rental, puppet building, advertising, miscelanious supplies. Obviously, none of us were making money and most of us lost money.

It wasn't a total loss. I used the puppets for an indie feature. And now going back to it, we know better what we need to do. A large assortment of characters, less straight improv, more sketch comedy. Add some music to the show. Keep it short: short sketches and short shows. We'll be making use of an already established venue and running in their late night slot in a smaller, more intimate space. Also, we'll be combining puppets and a few live actors. And instead of doing the same show every week, it will change from week to week, including at least one serial style piece.

In the short run, we are still going to lose money. But this is going to be a long run type of thing.