curious comedy theater

What curious comedy theater does

Curious Comedy Theater is a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit comedy organization founded in 2008 by Stacey Hallal. It operates two integrated performance venues—the 170-seat Main Stage cabaret theater and the 60-seat Annex white-box space—housed in a single building at 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in the King neighborhood. Its programming centers on weekly improv comedy shows (notably the signature competitive "Showdown" format running every Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM and the family-friendly "Curious Playground"), a six-level improv curriculum supplemented by specialty tracks (stand-up, musical improv, Shakespeare genre, youth classes), and a dedicated BIPOC program offering free pay-what-you-will Levels 1-3 classes twice yearly to underrepresented communities.

The organization monetizes through at least eight distinct revenue streams: show tickets sold via crowdwork.com, multi-level improv class registrations, corporate applied-improv training for Fortune 500 clients, venue rentals, food and beverage (full bar at Main Stage, beer/wine/cider at Annex), branded merchandise via a Square online store, annual membership tiers with physical membership cards for higher levels, and tax-deductible donations through PayPal, Venmo, and Zeffy. Production infrastructure includes a professional 4-8 camera TV studio built into the Main Stage that supports both live streaming/recording of in-house shows and an external video production service line. Corporate services include team building, simulation training, communications coaching, and creativity workshops delivered at the theater or on client sites.

Curious Comedy Theater is governed by a board chaired by Nathan Loveless (since fall 2013), led artistically by founder Stacey Hallal, and supported by a small core staff of approximately five full-time members supplemented by roughly 22 instructors. No external investors, parent entities, or venture funding exist; the organization is sustained entirely through operational revenue and donations, with a stated 2026/2027 season fundraising goal of $15,000. Named Fortune 500 corporate training clients include Nike, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, PepsiCo, Wendy's, General Mills, Target, McDonald's, Starbucks, Anheuser-Busch, and Verizon.

Name

curious comedy theater

Legal name

Curious Comedy Theater

Website

https://curiouscomedy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Curious Comedy Theater is a Portland-based non-profit operating two stages that host weekly improv shows, a six-level improv training program, corporate applied-improv training for Fortune 500 clients, and free BIPOC-focused classes. It serves Portland audiences, adult and youth students, and enterprise customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment and Comedy Education

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Comedy Club & Showcase Nights (MPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Live comedy shows
• Improv classes
• Corporate team building
• Venue rentals
• Comedy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Show Tickets: Ticket sales for live comedy shows including the weekly Showdown, special events, and performances. Tickets sold through crowdwork.com platform.
2. Improv Classes: Revenue from multi-level improv classes (6 levels), specialty classes (Stand Up, Musical Improv, Shakespeare Genre), youth classes, and workshops. BIPOC program offered at pay-what-you-will pricing.
3. Corporate Training & Applied Improv: Team building workshops, simulation training, communications coaching, and creativity sessions for corporate clients including Fortune 500 companies.
4. Venue Rentals: Rental of Main Stage (170-seat cabaret theater with full bar) and Annex (60-seat intimate white box space) for private events, shows, and gatherings.
5. Memberships: Annual membership program with perks including free shows, popcorn, merch, and swag packages. Members receive physical membership cards.
6. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from patrons supporting the non-profit mission. Recurring donation options available through PayPal. Goal to raise $15,000 for 2026/2027 season.
7. Food & Beverage: Full bar and food service at Main Stage; beer, wine, cider, and snacks at Annex venue.
8. Merchandise: Sale of Curious Comedy branded merchandise through Square online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Curious Comedy Theater operates a Portland-based non-profit comedy venue that produces weekly live improv shows (including the signature Showdown cage-match format and family-friendly Curious Playground), delivers a six-level improv education program with specialty tracks in stand-up, musical improv, and Shakespeare, and provides applied-improv corporate training and team-building services. The organization also rents its 170-seat Main Stage and 60-seat Annex venues for private and corporate events.

Product overview

Curious Comedy Theater is a non-profit Portland-based comedy venue offering a diverse portfolio of live entertainment and educational services. The core offering consists of weekly improv and comedy performances (including the signature Showdown competitive format and family-friendly Playground shows), a comprehensive six-level improv training program with specialized tracks (stand-up, musical improv, Shakespeare), and a dedicated BIPOC program offering free pay-what-you-will classes. The theater also provides corporate services including team building workshops, video production, and applied improv training for businesses. Venues are available for rental, and the organization operates merchandise and gift card sales alongside a membership program. All offerings support the theater's mission to amplify underrepresented voices in comedy and performing arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curious Comedy Showdown
• Curious Playground
• Comedy Classes (Improv, Stand Up, Musical Improv, Shakespeare)
• BIPOC Program Classes
• Corporate Applied Improv Services Team building workshops, simulation training, communications coaching, and creativity/innovation sessions delivered to organizations using applied improvisation techniques. Targeted at Fortune 500 and other enterprise clients, delivered at the theater or on-site at the client location.
• Video Production Services Professional TV production and multi-camera live streaming or on-demand video recording services leveraging the in-house TV studio, available at the venue or on-location.
• Venue Rentals (Main Stage & Annex) Rental of two event spaces: the 170-seat cabaret-style Main Stage with full bar, professional AV, and TV studio capabilities; and the 60-seat intimate Annex with beer, wine, and snacks. Available for private events, corporate gatherings, birthday parties, and special performances.
• Merchandise Store Online store selling Curious Comedy branded merchandise through the Square platform.
• Gift Cards Gift certificates valid for shows and classes, available for purchase online through the crowdwork.com platform.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership program offering perks such as free shows, popcorn, merchandise, and exclusive promotions, with physical membership cards and swag welcome packages issued to Legendary and VIP tiers.
• Food and Beverage Service Full bar and food service at Main Stage; beer, wine, cider, and snacks at Annex venue. Sold as part of the live show and rental experience.

Named customers11 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

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Second City: Established national improv comedy brand producing shows, classes, and corporate training at significantly larger scale; relevant for benchmarking corporate training and curriculum.
• Improv Olympic (iO Theater): Chicago-based improv theater with long-form training program and corporate workshops; comparable curriculum depth and corporate services.
• The Groundlings: Long-running improv and sketch comedy theater with multi-level training programs and corporate offerings; comparable on curriculum design and performance format.
• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB): Major improv comedy training and performance brand with multiple venues; provides comparable training program structure and corporate workshop offering.

Direct peers

• ImprovBoston: Non-profit improvisational theater operating shows, classes, and corporate training in a similar community-driven model to Curious Comedy Theater.
• Improv Asylum: Improv comedy theater running shows, training programs, and corporate team-building services in a comparable asset-light community model.
• Unexpected Productions: Seattle-based improv theater offering shows, classes, and corporate workshops, directly comparable in scale, programming, and corporate training focus.
• ComedySportz: Competitive improv comedy franchise running shows, classes, and corporate team-building similar to Curious's Showdown format and corporate training.

Regional players

• Boom Chicago: Improv and comedy theater offering show programming, training, and corporate team-building; comparable business model but operates outside North America.
• Oregon Children's Theatre: Portland-based performing arts organization focused on youth and family programming; comparable as a regional non-profit peer where Curious's Blake Wales previously served.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curious-comedy-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 curious comedy theater