The Wilbur

What The Wilbur does

The Wilbur is a privately held historic performing arts theatre located at 246 Tremont Street in Boston's theater district, operating continuously since 1914 and currently presented by Bill Blumenreich Presents under owner Bill Blumenreich, who acquired the venue in July 2008 and repositioned it as a premier Northeast venue for stand-up comedy and live music. The single physical venue — designed by architect Clarence H. Blackall in the American Colonial style, with a portico salvaged from an 1830s Beacon Hill townhouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and designated a Boston Landmark in 1987 — is the company's core product. Programming spans comedy tours, music acts (e.g., Indigo Girls, Black Violin, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, Arrival from Sweden), podcasts, book events, drag shows, and private/commercial events, with an active calendar booked into late 2026.

Revenue mechanics are transaction-led: ticket sales are the primary stream, executed through Ticketmaster as primary ticketing partner and an on-site box office, with prices ranging from $29 to $110 per ticket depending on event. Revenue is augmented by limited private venue rentals; affiliate/referral arrangements with Raising Cane's (Official Chicken Partner), The Revolution Hotel (Official Hotel Partner offering a 15% patron discount), and LAZ Parking/ParkWhiz (Official Parking Partner offering a $5 validation discount); and The Regulars, a recurring paid membership that confers presale seat access, skip-the-line entry, exclusive merchandise, concierge service, and complimentary tickets to select shows. Customer segments span live-event attendees (long-tail consumer demand), comedy and music performers booking the room or filming specials (35+ comedy-special tapings to date — a self-reported world record — driving production/rights-adjacent demand), and corporate/private event renters. Marketed via the website (thewilbur.com), active social channels (X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), email newsletter via Ticketmaster Engage, and cross-promotional partnerships.

Name

The Wilbur

Legal name

The Wilbur

Website

https://thewilbur.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wilbur is a privately held historic Boston theater (est. 1914) operated by Bill Blumenreich Presents, hosting live stand-up comedy, music, podcasts, and comedy-special tapings for touring performers and general audiences via Ticketmaster and on-site box office sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues) (MPAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Live comedy venue
• Performing arts theatre
• Comedy special tapings
• Live event tickets
• Venue rental events

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets to live events including comedy shows, music performances, podcasts, and special events. Tickets are sold primarily through Ticketmaster with pricing varying by event.
2. Venue Rentals: The venue accepts rental inquiries for private events on a very limited basis, generating rental revenue from event promoters and private parties.
3. Parking Validation: Partnership with LAZ Parking to provide validated parking at 660 Washington St. Garage with $5 discount for patrons.
4. Food and Beverage: Revenue generated through official food partner Raising Cane's and official hotel partner The Revolution Hotel with exclusive offers for Wilbur patrons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Wilbur is a historic 1914 Boston theater that hosts ticketed live entertainment including stand-up comedy shows, live music performances, podcast recordings, book events, and special performances. The venue operates as a comedy and music club presented by Bill Blumenreich Presents, with tickets sold primarily through Ticketmaster. Secondary offerings include private venue rentals, comedy special tapings (35+ tapings to date), The Regulars membership program with presale access and perks, and ADA-compliant accessibility services.

Product overview

The Wilbur is a single-venue entertainment complex centered around The Wilbur Theatre, a historic Boston performance venue opened in 1914. The core offering is hosting live comedy shows, music performances, and special events. Supporting products include The Regulars membership program (offering presale access, skip-the-line entry, exclusive merchandise, and complimentary show tickets), accessibility services (ADA-compliant seating, assisted listening devices, closed captioning, sign language interpreters), and venue rental for private events. The venue also hosts comedy special tapings, holding a world record with over 35 tapings to date.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Wilbur Theatre Historic Boston theater venue opened in 1914, hosting ticketed live stand-up comedy shows, music performances, podcast recordings, book events, and special events for the general public. Recognized as one of Pollstar Magazine's Top 5 Worldwide Selling Clubs and the venue for over 35 comedy special tapings.
• The Regulars Membership Paid membership program for The Wilbur patrons providing first access to best seats via exclusive member presales, skip-the-line venue entry, exclusive member merchandise (laminate, sticker, enamel pin), concierge service, and complimentary tickets to select shows.
• Venue Rental Private event rental of the historic theater for corporate functions, private parties, and special occasions, accepted on a limited basis.
• Comedy Special Tapings Service enabling comedians to film comedy specials at the historic venue, with 35+ tapings to date including Craig Ferguson, Jim Gaffigan, Norm Macdonald, Sarah Silverman, Joe Rogan, and Taylor Tomlinson.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35+ comedy specials filmed at The Wilbur, setting a world record
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Raising Cane'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Chicken Partner of The Wilbur. Located steps away from the venue at 101 Arch St, Downtown Crossing, open daily 10AM-11PM. Provides exclusive offers and convenience for Wilbur patrons before and after shows.
• The Revolution HotelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Hotel Partner of The Wilbur. Located in Boston's South End, offers 15% exclusive discount for Wilbur patrons using code WILBUR. Walking distance from the venue, providing convenient accommodation for out-of-town visitors.
• LAZ ParkingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial parking partner for The Wilbur. Validates customer parking at the 660 Washington St. Garage and provides a $5 discount for patrons. Vehicle entrance located at 660 Washington Street with pedestrian access to the left of the garage entrance.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for all Wilbur events. Handles all online ticket sales, accessible seating with ADA icons, and refund processing for cancelled shows.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Helium Comedy Club: Multi-city comedy club chain with a national footprint that regularly ranks in Pollstar's top-selling club lists, directly comparable to The Wilbur in comedy club business model, ticketing model, and stand-up programming.
• Laugh Boston: Comedy club located in Boston's entertainment district, directly competing with The Wilbur for comedy talent dates, ticket sales, and Boston comedy audiences in the same local market.
• Caroline's on Broadway: NYC-based comedy club and dinner theater with a long history of comedy special tapings, directly comparable to The Wilbur as a Top-tier US comedy venue with similar programming, ticket-based revenue, and historic positioning.
• The Punch Line: San Francisco-based comedy club that has hosted numerous comedy special tapings (including a major Netflix special). Comparable to The Wilbur as a city-center comedy venue with a strong special-taping heritage.
• Gotham Comedy Club: New York City comedy club featuring stand-up comedy, podcast tapings, and special events. Directly comparable to The Wilbur in offering type, intimate venue design, and target talent/audience.
• The Comedy Store: Iconic Los Angeles comedy club and one of the world's most famous stand-up venues, directly comparable to The Wilbur in business model, talent pipeline, comedy special taping history, and Pollstar club rankings.
• Chevalier Theatre: Historic Medford, MA theater also operated by Bill Blumenreich Presents, sharing back-office, talent booking, and operational infrastructure with The Wilbur and serving as a sister venue for the operator.

Broad incumbents

• House of Blues Boston: Boston music venue owned by Live Nation hosting live music and comedy, directly comparable to The Wilbur as a Boston-based ticketed live entertainment venue, though with a larger capacity and music-focused programming.
• Boch Center (Wang Theatre & Shubert Theatre): Boston's largest not-for-profit performing arts presenter operating the Wang and Shubert theatres. Comparable to The Wilbur as a Boston performing arts venue, though at a larger capacity and broader programming scope.

Regional players

• ImprovBoston: Boston-area comedy and improv venue competing with The Wilbur for local comedy audiences, though focused more on improv and sketch shows than touring stand-up acts and comedy special tapings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/The_Wilbur
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ComedyConnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewilburboston
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_wilbur
• TikToktiktok.com/@bbpshows
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-wilbur-theatre

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Wilbur