We’re making a conscious effort in 2013 to make fewer Really Big Plans and focus more on doing The Next Thing as well as we can. The next thing for us is The Bomb Shelter, but we can’t help but work on one or two of the Really Big Plans in the process.
This is our second time producing The Bomb Shelter, our weird night of stand-up performed by people who don’t generally do that sort of thing. The first one was a huge success, creatively, and we’re looking to improve on everything this time out.
One of the things we had a hard time figuring out for TBS2 was how the money side of things was going to work. Heading into the first show, we knew there was no way we were going to break even. We charged $5 a head, mostly so we could say the event wasn’t a total financial loss, but also to get people used to the idea of paying for something.
The Bomb Shelter is a pretty weird idea and maybe an even a weirder experience. We’re asking people to do something they haven’t done before, something that everyone seems to agree is actually pretty scary. And we’re asking the audience to go along with them on that journey, to be supportive, to laugh, and to give these people a chance to be successful doing this really big, really scary thing.
We know the comics have bought into the idea because they’re up there, telling jokes in front of people. We know the audience is on board because they’ve paid. It’s never much ($10 for the next show), and the point will never be to make money, but it is really important to us that we get this buy-in from the audience.
The Bomb Shelter is The Next Thing for us, but it’s also the next step toward our Really Big Plan. We’re trying, slowly, to carve out a space for people who are interested in the same sort of fun, weird, occasionally awkward projects that we love. These projects aren’t going to be for everyone, but we already feel like we’re finding allies.
So, we want to make sure that you know that your $10 doesn’t just symbolize the price of admission, or even just your buy-in and support for this edition of The Bomb Shelter, it also goes into making the next one better. We’re not looking to take money out of this system, we’re looking to fold whatever small amount we (might) make off this back and turn it into something bigger.
If you buy-in to the idea of The Bomb Shelter, either by performing or buying a ticket, you’re helping us create a night that promises to be a little bit weird, a little bit awkward, and also a lot of fun for all involved. You are also helping us make the next thing funnier, weirder, and hopefully bigger.
Thanks for that.
Tickets for The Bomb Shelter on March 2 go on-sale Friday, February 1st.