The Theater of Public Policy

What The Theater of Public Policy does

The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) is the flagship show of Danger Boat Productions, a Minnesota-based privately held live performance and experiential training company founded in 2011 by Tane Danger and Brandon Boat. The company runs a recurring live show format that combines expert interviews on public policy topics with entirely spontaneous improv comedy sketches, audience Q&A, and a closing improv round; each show is unique and non-reproducible. Beyond the flagship show, the company delivers workshops for corporate and institutional clients (team building, constructive dialogue, communication training), customized keynotes and event hosting, and commissioned live shows and custom experiences for conferences, galas, and fundraisers. Programmatic content is sold at standard per-ticket pricing ($15 advance, $20 at the door) via Eventbrite and venue box offices, while workshops and custom engagements are quote-based.

The company operates a distinct grant-funded civic engagement program, Sketches of Minnesota, a touring civic improv comedy format developed in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment, and The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. Free community events combine facilitated conversations, meals, and improv performances, with the 2024 tour visiting 10 communities and a 2025 tour planned across 9 locations. Secondary product lines include podcast episodes, satirical video series (e.g., The Law Machine for Twin Cities PBS Almanac, the Respectful Conversations Project video viewed by 8,500+ people at 400 events, and Hey! Where Does This Bus Go? for Metro Transit), and Artist-in-Residence programming at Mayo Clinic's Dolores Jean Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine.

The customer base is hybrid across consumer ticketed audiences, healthcare institutions (Mayo Clinic, American Heart Association), educational institutions (University of Minnesota Humphrey School, University of Central Missouri), foundations (Bush Foundation), and government/civic organizations (Hennepin County, Metro Transit). The company is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional funding, and has recently transitioned from a contractor-based model to a tripled full-time team, adding a Production Manager in March 2025. Cohost Tane Danger's 2025 40 Under 40 recognition and a co-authored Mayo Clinic Proceedings article on improv in healthcare reflect an ongoing push to formalize the brand as a serious civic-dialogue platform.

Name

The Theater of Public Policy

Legal name

Danger Boat Productions

Website

https://t2p2.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2), the flagship show of Minneapolis-based Danger Boat Productions, runs live shows combining expert policy interviews with spontaneous improv comedy. It serves consumer audiences, corporate clients, healthcare and educational institutions, and civic funders through workshops, keynotes, and grant-funded community tours.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Performance & Civic Engagement Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ), Public Lectures & Speaker Series (MPAGACAI), Nonprofit & Cause Communications (BPAFADAK)

Keywords

• Civic improv comedy
• Live comedy shows
• Corporate improv workshops
• Keynote presentations
• Civic engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Live Show Tickets: Ticketed admission to Theater of Public Policy shows, typically $15 advance / $20 at door pricing.
2. Workshops and Training: Customized corporate workshops using improv techniques for team building, communication skills, and constructive dialogue. Pricing varies based on format, duration, and customization level.
3. Keynotes and Event Hosting: Customized humor-forward keynote presentations and event hosting services for corporate clients, conferences, galas, and fundraisers.
4. Grant-Funded Community Programs: Sketches of Minnesota program funded by Minnesota Humanities Center, The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment - delivered as free community events.
5. Custom Experiences: Bespoke improv comedy performances tailored to specific client events and themes, including custom content creation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) produces civic-inspired improv comedy live shows that combine expert interviews with policy wonks and entirely spontaneous improv sketches, followed by audience Q&A. The company also offers improv-based workshops for corporate teams, customized keynotes and event hosting, and the Sketches of Minnesota civic comedy tour in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center.

Product overview

Danger Boat Productions operates as a live performance and experiential comedy company offering The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) as its flagship show format, combining expert interviews with unscripted improv comedy. The company provides a suite of professional services including workshops (teambuilding, constructive dialogue), keynotes & hosting, live shows for hire, custom experiences, and interviews/moderation. The Sketches of Minnesota program is a civic comedy tour developed in partnership with the Minnesota Humanities Center. Additional offerings include podcasts, satirical video content, and community engagement projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sketches of Minnesota: A civic improv comedy tour that travels to communities across Minnesota, gathering stories through facilitated conversations and turning them into live improv performances.
• Theater of Public Policy

Products and services

• The Theater of Public Policy (T2P2) A civics-inspired improv comedy live show that combines expert interviews with policy wonks on serious topics, followed by entirely spontaneous comedy sketches by Minnesota's most talented improvisers, audience Q&A, and a final improv round. Currently in Season 20.
• Sketches of Minnesota A civic improv comedy tour that partners with the Minnesota Humanities Center to bring communities together through facilitated story sharing and unscripted improv comedy. Combines free community meals, facilitated conversations about local issues, and improv performances inspired by participant stories. Funded by grants.
• Workshops Interactive improv-based training sessions for workplace teams, including teambuilding workshops, constructive dialogue workshops, and professional development programs. Customized based on client format, duration, and goals.
• Keynotes & Hosting Customized humor-forward keynote presentations and event hosting services for corporate clients, conferences, galas, and fundraisers. Popular topics include 'Yes, And: The Power of Humor and Collaboration,' 'Making Complexity Simple,' and 'Laughing Through Change.'
• Live Shows for Hire T2P2-style shows available for hire at events, featuring expert interviews combined with spontaneous improv comedy performance, customized for client events and themes.
• Custom Experiences Tailored comedic performance and improv experiences designed for specific client events, audiences, and objectives, including custom content creation.
• Interviews & Moderation Professional interview and event moderation services for conferences, galas, and fundraisers, leveraging T2P2's expertise in engaging public conversations and connecting with audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of attendees agreed that campus events helped create more civil discussion on important issues
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of MinnesotacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2025Partnership to deliver Constructive Dialogue Workshop teaching students skills for navigating difficult conversations. Tane Danger, a Humphrey School graduate, leads workshops using improv techniques for civil discourse training.
• Minnesota Humanities CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Primary strategic partnership to deliver Sketches of Minnesota, a civic improv comedy tour. Minnesota Humanities Center handles community recruitment, facilitation, and event hosting while Danger Boat provides improv performances. Funded by Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment and National Endowment for the Humanities.
• Twin Cities PBS (TPT)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for America 250 initiative to share Minnesota's stories through improv comedy. Grant recipient for The 250th Project.
• Metro TransitminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Created Hey! Where Does This Bus Go? web series highlighting Twin Cities transit system quirks and community stories.
• Pi Kappa DeltaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with national speech and debate organization for campus dialogue programming using improv techniques.
• Mayo CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Tane Danger serves as inaugural Artist in Residence at Mayo Clinic's Dolores Jean Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine. Teaches improv to healthcare professionals for communication and empathy skills.
• American Heart AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 February 2019Partnership for Go Red for Women Luncheon event to promote CPR awareness and heart health education through Theater of Public Policy show format.
• Bush FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Created networking best practices video for BushCon event. Ongoing partnership for various projects including Constructive Dialogue Workshop.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• iO Theater: Chicago improv theater and school known for long-form improv and a corporate training program using improv techniques. Comparable live improv format plus B2B training revenue model.
• The Groundlings: Los Angeles improv and sketch comedy theater with a famous training center and live shows. Comparable format combining scripted and improv comedy for ticketed audiences.
• Brave New Workshop: Minneapolis-based improv comedy theater founded in 1958 with a long-running sketch and improv format and a corporate training division. The closest geographic and product peer — same city, same improv DNA, same B2B workshop line.
• ComedySportz: National improv comedy franchise running short-form competitive improv shows in multiple cities. Comparable ticketed improv format at a smaller per-city scale.
• Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre: Improv theater and training center with locations in New York and Los Angeles offering long-form improv shows and corporate improv training. Direct peer in improv live performance plus B2B workshops.
• Second City: Chicago-based improv comedy theater and training center with a long-running ensemble format and a robust corporate training arm (Second City Works). Directly comparable to T2P2 as an improv-driven live performance brand that also sells B2B workshops and custom experiences.

Regional players

• Washington Improv Theater: DC-based nonprofit improv theater producing shows and training programs in a specific region. Comparable nonprofit/community improv model but operates in a different geography than T2P2.

Emerging players

• Second City Works: Corporate training arm of Second City delivering improv-based teambuilding, communication, and leadership workshops to enterprises. Comparable B2B workshop offering, but as part of a much larger parent brand.
• Braver Angels: National nonprofit that runs workshops, debates, and events to bridge political divides. Comparable civic-dialogue mission and workshop/training business model, but lacks T2P2's improv performance format.

Others

• Applied Improvisation Network: Global network of practitioners applying improv techniques in business, education, and therapy. Adjacent ecosystem organization rather than a direct competitor; useful reference point for the applied-improv training market T2P2 participates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DangerBoatPro
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-theater-of-public-policy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The Theater of Public Policy