Mockingbird Improv

What Mockingbird Improv does

Mockingbird Improv is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit improvisational theater operating as a DBA of OTIC Theater Collective (EIN 870855825), founded in 2021 in San Diego's Liberty Station / NTC Arts District after the pandemic-era closure of predecessor Old Town Improv Co. The organization delivers weekly live improv comedy performances across roughly a dozen distinct show formats — including short-form games (All Hands On Deck!), long-form narrative shows (Telenovela Improv, Radio '47, Showtuned, Let Me Have It!), competitions (SmackDown Sunday), jams, sketch nights, and seasonal rotating-cast productions — alongside a structured improv education curriculum (Improv Essentials levels 1–5), free monthly intro workshops, continuing/advanced training programs, masterclasses, youth classes and summer camps, a 55+ program (The Grown-Up Table), and an Expressive Arts program.

The underlying 'technology' is a proprietary pedagogical framework built on the 'Yes, and' collaborative storytelling principle, codified into a five-level progressive curriculum plus audition-gated Advanced Training Program and tiered elective/masterclass offerings. Ticketing is sold via the Crowdwork platform integrated with the company's Squarespace website, supplemented by in-person box office sales; classes enroll via self-serve registration with monthly recurring subscriptions for advanced and continuing programs.

Revenue is generated through six streams: per-show ticket sales ($7–$30 tiered pricing), class tuition and workshop fees, monthly membership subscriptions (ATP at $95/month; Grown-Up Table), corporate team-building workshops and private events (clients include Google, ASML, Pfizer, OFS, High Tech High, San Marcos Unified School District, Radicle Science, SD 350), merchandise and sponsorship tier sales ($5 stickers to $1,500 masterclass-level partnerships), and tax-deductible donations supporting instructor compensation, marketing, and scholarships. Audience acquisition relies on the website, email newsletter, Instagram, earned media/PR, and community word-of-mouth; corporate bookings are captured through Calendly-based direct outreach.

Name

Mockingbird Improv

Legal name

OTIC Theater Collective

Website

https://mockingbirdimprov.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mockingbird Improv is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit improv theater founded in 2021 that runs weekly live comedy shows, a five-level improv education curriculum, youth and senior programs, corporate workshops, and community arts programming from its Liberty Station venue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Theater & Improv Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)

Keywords

• Live improv theater
• Comedy classes
• Corporate workshops
• Improv education
• Nonprofit performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: General admission tickets for live improv shows. Standard pricing is $15 advance / $17 at door, with $30 'Support the Arts' option and $7 accessible pricing. Revenue from weekly performances across multiple show formats.
2. Class Tuition: Improv Essentials Core Training (IE 1-5) with multi-week courses. Core class packs available at discount. Also includes workshops, electives, and masterclasses for intermediate/advanced students.
3. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly subscription memberships for Continuing Training Class, Advanced Training Program ($95/month), and The Grown-Up Table. Includes performance opportunities and show access benefits.
4. Corporate Training & Workshops: Corporate team-building workshops, group training, and private shows for businesses. Revenue from companies including Google, ASML, Pfizer, and educational institutions seeking team development and entertainment.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling t-shirts, stickers, and sponsorship/membership tiers (Mockingbird Friends, Partners, Scenework, Players, Community Member, Masterclass Level) ranging from $5 to $1,500.
6. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Mockingbird accepts tax-deductible donations to support instructor compensation, marketing, and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mockingbird Improv is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) improv theater that produces weekly live improv comedy shows across multiple formats, teaches a structured five-level Improv Essentials Core Training curriculum and supplemental workshops, and delivers corporate team-building workshops and private shows. It also runs youth programs, a 55+ class, and Expressive Arts programming, selling tickets, class tuition, monthly training memberships, merchandise, and partnership tiers.

Product overview

Mockingbird Improv is a nonprofit improv theater in San Diego offering a portfolio of live comedy shows and improv education programs. The product suite includes: improv comedy shows (short-form games like All Hands On Deck!, long-form formats like Telenovela Improv and Radio '47, hybrid shows like Improv VS Stand-up, and specialty formats like Showtuned and Let Me Have It!); improv education programs (the Improv Essentials Core Training five-level course, free intro workshops, continuing training, Advanced Training Program, The Grown-Up Table for 55+, and youth programs); corporate/group services (team training and workshops); and merchandise/membership partnerships. The company also runs Expressive Arts programming combining movement, music, visual art, and improv. All offerings are tied together through their 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission of community access and equity in improv arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• All Hands On Deck! (Family-Friendly Short-Form Show) Short-form improv game show based entirely on audience suggestions, in the style of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?', performed Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 PM for general audiences.
• All Hands On Deck! Uncensored Late-night adult version of the All Hands On Deck! short-form show with mature content, performed first and third Fridays at 9:45 PM.
• Improv VS Stand-up Hybrid show pairing stand-up comedy with improv, where improvisers spin comedian jokes into new bits; features local and LA comedians, Saturdays at 8:30 PM, rated R.
• Telenovela Improv Improvised Latin-American TV soap opera performed in English with dramatic tropes and comedy by team LIRRER, second and fourth Fridays at 8:30 PM.
• Radio '47 1940s-style radio drama with sound effects, sponsor commercials, and behind-the-scenes comedy, performed second and fourth Fridays at 7:00 PM, family-friendly.
• Showtuned Musical improv show where guest singers perform songs and improvisers build the story of an unseen musical from the song selections, first Fridays at 7:00 PM.
• Let Me Have It! All-femme improv showcase featuring women and femme-identifying performers, performed second and fourth Fridays at 9:45 PM.
• Lyrics & Laughs Cabaret-style show where guest singers perform songs and improvisers create scenes based on the lyrics, third Fridays at 7:00 PM, family-friendly.
• SmackDown Sunday Weekly improv competition in which two teams face off in 20-minute sets for the championship title, with an opening act, Sundays at 8:30 PM.
• Sketch Night (Writers Wing) Monthly live sketch comedy show featuring pre-written sketches performed with props and costumes by the Writers Wing team, first Saturday of the month at 10 PM.
• Seasonal Rotating-Cast Shows (e.g., High Moon: A Space Western) Rotating-cast seasonal productions with two-month commitment performed on alternating Fridays; examples include Happily Ever Holidays, Love Can Suck, Tales From The Tavern, and High Moon: A Space Western.
• Improv Essentials Core Training (IE 1-5) Five-level progressive improv curriculum (IE 1-5) teaching fundamentals through character development, scenework, patterns, and play, with 6-8 week class sessions at each level for adult students.
• Free Intro Workshop Free monthly introductory workshop for prospective students, including games and exercises to experience what improv feels like.
• Continuing Training Class Weekly ongoing class for Improv Essentials graduates meeting Tuesdays 7:00-9:00 PM, focused on building and refining skills with maximum play time and a monthly show, enrolled by monthly subscription.
• Advanced Training Program (ATP) Intensive audition-based program for experienced improvisers meeting Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 PM, with customized curriculum and individual feedback, at $95/month membership including free show access and elective discounts.
• The Grown-Up Table (55+ Improv) Class for Gen X and Boomer improvisers (55+) focused on freedom through play in a supportive environment, meeting Tuesdays 10:30 AM-12:30 PM, by monthly subscription with performance opportunities every other month.
• Youth Improv Program (Kids and Pre-Teens) Improv classes for ages 8-18 held in schools, teaching fundamentals through fun games while building listening, teamwork, and positivity; also includes summer camps with scholarships.
• Expressive Arts Program Liberating creative practice combining movement, music, visual art, and improv to unlock playfulness and self-expression for participants with no prior experience needed.
• Corporate Training and Workshops Group training, corporate workshops, and private shows for businesses that help teams develop creativity, active listening, teamwork, trust, and thinking on the fly; booked via direct Calendly outreach and tailored to client needs.
• Cast Membership (Performer Program) Performers receive regular stage time, professional coaching, monthly guest comps, free show admission, discounted classes, and inclusive community; auditions held twice yearly in spring and fall.
• Mockingbird Improv Logo Tee T-shirt featuring the Mockingbird Improv logo and URL on the back, available in Sport Grey.
• Wacky Birdz Tee (3 colors) Unisex ultra cotton tee with creative design, available in Maroon, Royal, and Military Green, classic fit with ribbed collar and sustainably sourced materials.
• Mockingbird Improv Logo Stickers High-resolution kiss-cut stickers, 4"x4", available in Transparent or White surface for notebooks, water bottles, or laptops.
• Mockingbird Sponsorship & Partnership Tiers Tiered sponsorship and partnership program (Friends $50, Partners $200, Scenework $500, Players $1,000, Community Member $1,250, Masterclass Level $1,500) with progressively richer perks including concessions, social media recognition, meet-and-greets, theater tours, and dinner with leadership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free intro workshops offered monthly to lower barriers to entry
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MAAC (Military Association of the Arts)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with MAAC Liberty Station for summer camp collaboration, allowing Mockingbird to offer half-day camps that can be combined with other MAAC programs for full-day camp experiences.
• Liberty Station / NTC Arts DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated within the Liberty Station / NTC Arts District, a creative arts hub in San Diego. This provides visibility, community connection, and access to the arts district's programming and audience.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• San Diego TheatreSports (SDTS): Long-running San Diego improv theater providing shows and classes. Competes directly for both audience attendance and improv students in the San Diego market; multiple Mockingbird instructors have taught there.
• Finest City Improv: San Diego-based improv theater offering shows, classes, and training programs. Directly competes in the same San Diego market for audiences, students, and corporate workshop clients, and is where Mockingbird's Artistic Director Amber Largent previously performed.
• National Comedy Theatre: San Diego-based improv comedy theater offering competitive long-form shows and training. Competes for the same local audience and corporate team-building clients; several Mockingbird instructors have performed or trained there.

Broad incumbents

• iO Theater (Improv Olympic): Chicago-based improv theater known for long-form Harold format and a structured training center. Similar educational ladder and live show cadence; shares the 'improv school + theater' operating model.
• Second City: Established Chicago-based improv theater with multiple venues, training centers, and a national brand. Represents the scaled version of what Mockingbird could become; instructors reference Second City as part of their training pedigree.
• ComedySportz: National improv comedy franchise with short-form competitive shows and training programs across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable operating model combining shows, classes, and corporate entertainment.
• The Groundlings: Los Angeles-based improv and sketch comedy theater with a globally recognized training program. Comparable in its educational ladder and show formats; Mockingbird instructor team references Groundlings training.
• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB): Improv and sketch comedy organization with training centers and theaters in New York and Los Angeles. Comparable multi-level curriculum structure and show formats; cited as a training pedigree for Mockingbird's talent base.

Regional players

• La Jolla Comedy Store: San Diego comedy club featuring stand-up and improv classes. Competes for students and entertainment dollars in the San Diego market, though primarily a stand-up venue rather than dedicated improv theater.

Others

• Armed Services Arts Partnership: Nonprofit offering improv and arts classes to veterans, active-duty service members, and military families. Mockingbird board member Mae Brayton developed the original Operation Improv curriculum for this organization, representing a partner/peer in the nonprofit improv education space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MockingbirdImprov
• Instagraminstagram.com/mockingbirdimprov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mockingbird-improv

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Mockingbird Improv