Shear Madness
Live interactive comedy murder mystery theatrical production staged in Boston and licensed across 36 countries, serving individual theatergoers, corporate groups, schools, and special occasion audiences through ticket sales and an international licensing program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Shear Madness does
Shear Madness is a live theatrical production company that operates and licenses an interactive comedy murder mystery set in a hairstyling salon. Each performance integrates real-time improvisation, audience questioning of suspects, and an audience-voted outcome so that no two shows are identical. The company is organized under Cranberry Productions, Inc., co-founded by Bruce Jordan and Marilyn Abrams in 1978 by adapting the German participatory play Scherenschnitt. The firm operates its flagship production at the Charles Playhouse in Boston, which has run continuously since 1980 (40+ years, Guinness World Records' longest running play in the United States). A second long-running house at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab in Washington, D.C., was closed effective June 7, 2026 after 38+ years and 14,500+ performances.
Shear Madness firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shear Madness
- Legal name
- Cranberry Productions, Inc.
- Website
- https://shearmadness.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Live interactive comedy murder mystery theatrical production staged in Boston and licensed across 36 countries, serving individual theatergoers, corporate groups, schools, and special occasion audiences through ticket sales and an international licensing program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shear Madness industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Theater / Interactive Comedy Entertainment
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)
Keywords
Where Shear Madness is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shear Madness business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Direct Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual tickets sold at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab venue. Standard ticket price is $59 with AAA member discounts of 25% off.
- Group Sales: Revenue from group bookings of 15 or more people with discounted group rates. Groups receive priority seating and special mentions in the show.
- Licensing Royalties: Revenue from licensing Shear Madness to professional theater companies worldwide. Licensing form available for select experienced producers. Currently 126 productions have been licensed globally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Performance Tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | AAA Member Discount |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Group Tickets (15+) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels10 records
Shear Madness product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shear Madness is a live interactive comedy murder-mystery theatrical production set in a hairstyling salon where audiences vote to determine the murderer each night, with the outcome never being the same twice due to real-time improvisation. The company directly operates flagship productions at the Charles Playhouse in Boston (since 1980) and the Kennedy Center Theater Lab in Washington, D.C. (since 1987), and licenses the show to professional Equity and Non-Equity theaters worldwide.
Product overview
Shear Madness is a single unified theatrical production—a live interactive comedy murder mystery set in a hairstyling salon. The company operates its flagship production in Boston (since 1980) and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (since 1987), along with internationally licensed productions in 36 countries. The core product is the live theatrical experience featuring audience participation, improvisation, and mystery-solving. Additional offerings include group ticket packages with discounts and a licensing program for theater producers worldwide. There are no technology products, modules, or digital offerings associated with this company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shear Madness Live Show An interactive comedy murder-mystery theatrical production set in a hairstyling salon, performed live with audience participation. Audiences vote to determine the murderer each night, with performers improvising in real time so no two shows are identical. Performed at the Charles Playhouse in Boston (since 1980) and Kennedy Center Theater Lab in Washington, D.C. (since 1987), with 14,500+ performances at the Kennedy Center. Targeted at general audiences, tourists, corporate groups, schools, and celebration groups.
- Shear Madness Licensing Program A licensing program granting professional Equity and Non-Equity theaters worldwide the rights to stage Shear Madness at their own venues. Excludes community, amateur, and school productions. 126 productions have been licensed across 36 countries with 28 foreign-language translations. Includes a JotForm licensing inquiry form for prospective theater producers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 14.5 million people worldwide have seen Shear Madness
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Shear Madness
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Shear Madness technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Shear Madness partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Kennedy CentercoreShear Madness has been performing at the Kennedy Center Theater Lab since August 1987. The 399-seat theater has been the show's home for over 35 years. The Kennedy Center serves as the primary distribution venue for the D.C. production, with the box office handling ticket sales and customer service.
- Phillips CollectionminorWashington, D.C. partner listed on the Kennedy Center page. Phillips Collection is an art museum offering discounts or special offers for Shear Madness ticket holders.
- NicecreamminorWashington, D.C. partner offering discounts for Shear Madness patrons. Nicecream is a dessert/restaurant establishment.
- USA Guided ToursminorWashington, D.C. tour operator partner offering combined tour packages including Shear Madness tickets.
- Potomac SoccerminorWashington, D.C. partner organization with cross-promotional relationship.
- New Theatre Restaurant (Overland Park, Kansas)coreRegional theater producing Shear Madness starring Richard Karn from Home Improvement. This is a licensed production venue.
- International Theater Partnerscore126 production licenses granted to theaters worldwide including: France, Belgium, Calgary, Spain, Brazil, Czechia, Greece, South Korea, Italy, Poland, Russia, Malaysia, China (Shanghai), Greece (Athens), Dominican Republic, and many others. Each is a licensed production partner.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Shear Madness competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tony n' Tina's Wedding: Long-running interactive comedy theatrical production featuring audience participation. Directly comparable as another successful participatory comedy format with licensing history across multiple U.S. cities.
- Stomp: Long-running theatrical production that has played Off-Broadway, on tour, and licensed internationally. Comparable as a self-contained theatrical property that has scaled globally through licensing.
- Blue Man Group: Long-running, iconic, immersive theatrical experience that operates as both a self-produced show and a licensable production format worldwide. Closely comparable to Shear Madness in brand recognition, longevity, and global reach via licensed productions.
- Medieval Times: Long-running themed dinner theater chain with multiple U.S. locations and a similar model of selling a repeatable in-person experience to group audiences. Comparable business model of permanent theatrical venue operations with group and tourist customers.
- Sleep No More: Punchdrunk's immersive theater production running in New York and licensed globally. Comparable as a high-profile, audience-interactive theatrical experience that has scaled internationally through licensed productions.
- The Play That Goes Wrong: Long-running comedy whodunit-style play that has played in the West End, on Broadway, and licensed internationally. Directly comparable as a successful comedic theatrical format with global licensing.
- Menopause The Musical: Long-running, branded theatrical property licensed to regional theaters across the U.S. Direct comparable as a small-scale, single-IP production company with an established licensing model targeting community and regional audiences.
- Mystery Cafe: Interactive dinner mystery theater company operating in multiple U.S. cities. Direct comparable in the interactive murder mystery dinner theater category, with similar group/corporate customer base.
Broad incumbents
- Second City: Larger, established improvisational comedy theater company with venue operations, training, and TV production. Comparable in its focus on interactive improv comedy and live theatrical entertainment, though at a much larger institutional scale.
- Cirque du Soleil: Global live entertainment leader with touring and resident shows plus a strong licensing/IP model. Comparable in the dimensions of running branded live theatrical properties at scale and monetizing IP globally, though at a vastly larger production scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shear Madness social profiles
Digital presenceShear Madness financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shear Madness leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Shear Madness funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shear Madness M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shear Madness
What does Shear Madness do?
Shear Madness is a live interactive comedy murder-mystery theatrical production set in a hairstyling salon where audiences vote to determine the murderer each night, with the outcome never being the same twice due to real-time improvisation. The company directly operates flagship productions at the Charles Playhouse in Boston (since 1980) and the Kennedy Center Theater Lab in Washington, D.C. (since 1987), and licenses the show to professional Equity and Non-Equity theaters worldwide.
Is Shear Madness a public or private company?
Shear Madness is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shear Madness founded?
Shear Madness was founded in 1978. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Shear Madness based?
Shear Madness is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shear Madness make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are group Sales and licensing Royalties.
Who are Shear Madness's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tony n' Tina's Wedding, Stomp, Blue Man Group, Medieval Times, Sleep No More, The Play That Goes Wrong, Menopause The Musical and Mystery Cafe. Broad incumbents are Second City and Cirque du Soleil.
Does Shear Madness have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shear Madness.
What industry is Shear Madness in?
Shear Madness's product category is Live Theater / Interactive Comedy Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAJ, Improvisational Theatre, with a secondary code of MPAGACAB, Improv Comedy Performances. Its NAICS code is 71111.