What Stranger Things Have Happened does

Stranger Things Have Happened (STHH) is an English-language improv comedy troupe and education provider headquartered in Groningen, Netherlands, founded in 2009. The organization operates three interconnected service lines: live improv comedy performances (shortform, longform, and musical improv) staged primarily at USVA Theatre and De Studio; the STHH Improv Academy, a structured education offering sold through its own online store with progressive courses spanning Fundamentals through Musical Improv and Long Form, plus intensives, drop-ins, and community nights; and Applied Improv for Corporations, a team-building workshop service for organizations targeting communication, trust, and creative problem-solving outcomes. Its core technology is the human craft of spontaneous scenework built on techniques such as yes-and collaboration, audience-suggested content, short-form games, long-form narrative structures, and musical improvisation.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams priced on a per-course or per-event basis: ticketed performances (free pub jams at Brouwerij Martinus up to €49.95 for headline theatre shows), academy courses and workshops (6-week courses at €84.95-€94.95, 5-hour intensives at €44.95-€49.95, with caps of 14-16 students per class), and bespoke corporate workshops booked via direct contact. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the company's Squarespace storefront for courses, USVA's ticketing platform for shows, email/contact form for corporate engagements, and free in-person community jams as a funnel for both new audiences and prospective academy students. The operating geography is restricted to the Netherlands, anchored in Groningen, with marketing driven primarily by the website, calendar feeds, venue partnerships, and community word-of-mouth rather than paid acquisition.

STHH maintains a formal governance structure with a Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, and operates its own dedicated community and training venue, Strangers' Garage. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range, with 7 named core performers who double as academy instructors. There is no disclosed external funding, parent company, or M&A activity; the company appears to be an independently operated, privately held arts and education business.

Name

Stranger Things Have Happened

Legal name

Stranger Things Have Happened

Website

https://www.strangerthings.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stranger Things Have Happened is a Groningen-based English improv comedy troupe, founded in 2009, that performs live shows, runs the STHH Improv Academy with progressive courses and intensives, and delivers corporate team-building workshops across the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Improv Comedy Entertainment

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workshops & Masterclasses (Live, Audience-Facing) (MPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Improv comedy shows
• Comedy education
• Team building workshops
• Performing arts training
• Corporate training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Groningen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticketed shows at USVA theatre and special events. Show prices range from free (pub jams) to €9.50-€49.95 for theatre shows.
2. Academy Courses and Workshops: 6-week courses priced at €84.95-€94.95, intensives at €44.95-€49.95. Enrollment via online store with minimum participant requirements.
3. Corporate Applied Improv Workshops: Team-building workshops for organizations targeting corporate needs including connection, trust, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stranger Things Have Happened (STHH) performs live English-language improvised comedy shows at venues such as USVA Theatre, where scenes and storylines are created spontaneously from audience suggestions. The organization also operates STHH Improv Academy, offering structured courses, intensive workshops, drop-ins, and community nights for improv students from beginner to advanced levels. A third offering is applied improv team-building workshops booked directly by corporate clients.

Product overview

Stranger Things Have Happened (STHH) is an English improv comedy troupe based in Groningen, Netherlands, established in 2009. The organization operates as a multi-faceted performing arts and education company offering three interconnected service lines: (1) Live Improv Comedy Shows at venues including USVA theatre, featuring short-form, long-form, and musical improv formats; (2) STHH Improv Academy, providing structured courses (Fundamentals through Advanced), intensive workshops, drop-ins, and community nights with instructors including Jenifer Yáñez Villahermosa, Tim Kreutz, Tim Leegte, Julian Rengers, and Jorieke Kuiper; and (3) Applied Improv for Corporations, offering team-building workshops. Key course products include Jump In! (Improv 101), Dive In! (Improv 102), Stage-ability, The Next Verse (Musical Improv), Can't Touch This! (Space & Object work), Long Craft and Benchside Story (Long Form), and Believable Characters. The organization hosts regular events including weekly Improv Comedy Jams at Brouwerij Martinus, annual events like the End of Season Extravaganza and Groningen Improv Marathon, and operates its own performance space, Strangers' Garage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STHH Improv Academy: Educational division offering regular courses, intensive thematic workshops, drop-ins, and community nights for improv enthusiasts of all levels.

Products and services

• Improv Comedy Shows Live improvised comedy performances where all scenes, characters, and storylines are created on the spot using audience suggestions. Includes short-form, long-form, and musical improv formats performed at USVA Theatre and other venues. Targeted at general audiences and event bookers seeking unique live entertainment.
• STHH Improv Academy Educational division offering a structured curriculum of improv courses for adults from beginner to advanced. Includes Jump In! (Improv 101), Dive In! (Improv 102), Stage-ability, The Next Verse (Musical Improv 102), From Strangers to Lovers, Conflict is Optional, Improv (Re)Bootcamp, Game On!, Can't Touch This!, 3 is Not a Crowd, Embodying the WHO, Benchside Story, Long Craft, Believable Characters, and various themed intensives. Targeted at individuals wanting to learn or improve improv skills.
• Applied Improv for Corporations Custom team-building workshops for organizations applying improv techniques to enhance connection, build mutual trust, foster creative thinking, and develop problem-solving skills. Targeted at corporate HR, L&D, and team leaders. Booking is direct via contact form/email.
• Improv Comedy Jam at Brouwerij Martinus Weekly Monday night improv comedy jam sessions held at Brouwerij Martinus microbrewery in Groningen with free entrance. Functions as a community touchpoint and an entry point for new audiences and prospective academy students.

Named customers4 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USVAcoreOthersUSVA is the primary theatre venue for Stranger Things Have Happened's shows. The theatre hosts regular shortform and longform improv shows, special themed events (Cloud Atlas, Valentine's Day, King's Day, Christmas specials), and student showcases. Located at 10 Munnekeholm, Groningen.
• Brouwerij MartinuscoreOthersBrouwerij Martinus is a Groningen microbrewery that hosts STHH's weekly improv comedy jams every Monday night. These free-entrance events serve as community touchpoints and entry point for new audiences. Located at 32-34 Kostersgang, Groningen.
• Strangers' GaragecoreOthersSTHH's own dedicated space at Kostersgang 26A, Groningen, used for academy courses, workshops, community nights, and student showcases. The space hosts intensives, drop-ins, and the Strangers' Garage Housewarming event.
• De StudiominorOthersPerformance venue at Akkerstraat 99, Groningen used for End of Season shows and student performances as part of the academy curriculum.
• Open De PoortminorOthersVenue at Moesstraat 20, Groningen used for some STHH Improv Academy courses, such as the 'Embodying the WHO' course.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boom Chicago: Amsterdam-based English-language improv and comedy theater, the most established peer in the Netherlands. Both groups operate English-language improv shows and have similar business models combining performances, education, and corporate events.
• Constraint Improv Theatre: Amsterdam-based English improv theater offering regular shows and workshops. Directly comparable as another English-language improv troupe in the Netherlands targeting similar audiences.
• The Improv Company (Amsterdam): English-language improv theater in Amsterdam producing shows and workshops. Similar format combining live performances and improv education in the Dutch market.
• EHS Improv Comedy: Amsterdam-based English-language improv comedy group with regular shows and occasional workshops. Comparable as a Dutch-English improv troupe operating in the same market context.

Broad incumbents

• The Second City: Global improv comedy institution offering shows and the most established improv training school. Comparable as a reference point for what a scaled improv-academy-and-shows business model can become.
• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB): Major improv comedy brand combining live shows with a large training academy. Relevant as a model for monetizing improv education at scale, though operating at a much larger size.
• The Comedy Store (London): Iconic London comedy venue hosting shows and improv-adjacent programming. Comparable as a venue-based live comedy business model with educational/training components.

Regional players

• Improv Asylum: Boston-based improv comedy theater offering shows and a structured training academy. Comparable as a combined performance-plus-academy business model with progressive curriculum tracks.
• De Verbeelding (Theatervoorstellingen): Dutch performing arts and theater company that, while Dutch-language, operates in the same regional market combining live performances with educational programming. Adjacent in the Dutch live-entertainment ecosystem.

Others

• Applied Improvisation Network: Global network of applied improv practitioners focused on corporate and educational workshops. Highly relevant comparator for STHH's corporate applied improv offering and adjacent market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/strangertweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/StrangerThingsNL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stranger-things-have-happened

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Stranger Things Have Happened