THE STAGE IS SET. The audience awaits a performance at Eau Claire Improv in December.

Since relocating from Chicago a few years ago, JP Fry and Alyssa Rivera toyed with the idea of opening a comedy theater in Eau Claire.

JP got involved in improv comedy as a student at Memorial High School in Eau Claire before moving to Chicago – the world epicenter of improv – where he met Alyssa, his future wife, at (where else?) an improv class.

But they weren’t sure their idea would be a viable business until they gave away comedy for free. Specifically, the duo co-created Comedy in the Park, which drew an audience of several thousand to Phoenix Park for a free comedy show last August. If even a small fraction of those audience members were willing to pay to see improv and stand-up comedy shows at a comedy-specific theater in Eau Claire, they figured, they’d be in business – literally.

Oh Claire Improv officially opened in December at 515 Wisconsin St., and in January the business was announced as the grand prize winner in the annual Jump-Start Downtown competition for Eau Claire entrepreneurs. The grand prize included $5,000 in start-up capital (sponsored by Royal Credit Union), a one-year Downtown Eau Claire Inc. membership, and a three-month flex membership at The Coven Eau Claire (a downtown co-working space previously known as CoLab).

JUMP-START DOWNTOWN BUSINESS CONTEST

Other honorees include runner up The Phoenix Taproom, which will receive $2,500 in start-up capital, a one-year DECI membership, and a three-year flex membership at The Coven; Innovative Idea winner Eau Claire Barber College, which will receive $1,000 in start-up capital and a DECI membership: and Honorable Mention winner Eau Claire Outdoors, which will receive $750 in start-up capital and a DECI membership.

Over the past 19 years, the competition has awarded $133,750 in prize money to 57 downtown Eau Claire businesses

Oh Claire Improv, 515 Wisconsin St., was chosen as the winner of the annual Jump-Start Downtown business competition.

While a comedy theater may seem like an odd fit for an entrepreneurial competition – especially considering that previous Jump-Start winners have largely been businesses with more tangible products – it’s actually not the first time that the idea was part of such a contest. In fact, an earlier iteration of the idea – which would have paired the comedy business with an urban-style bodega – was a finalist in the Eau Claire Area Economic Development Corp. Idea Challenge in 2021. 

Even as the idea behind the business evolved, the couple were hopeful it could find a footing in Eau Claire. “While Eau Claire is a smaller community compared to Chicago,” JP says, “you don’t really have to explain what improv is to people here.”

In addition to the success of Comedy in the Park, the duo’s idea was bolstered by the local stand-up scene fostered by Clearwater Comedy at venues such as The Plus, as well as by the nascent public demand for comedy classes. “We sold improv and standup classes before we even opened,” JP says.

One of the biggest challenges in launching the business was finding the right location, which the couple eventually did in a small downtown building whose most recent occupant was the Dear Prudence thrift store (which is currently settling into a new location at 420 Washington St.). With help from friends, the couple remodeled the space themselves into a 70-seat theater.

JP Fry and Alyssa Rivera (submitted photo).

They also got assistance from the Small Business Development Center at UW-Eau Claire, which offers no-cost counseling to entrepreneurs. Alyssa said the SBDC helped them develop financial projections that combined income from tickets, classes, and bar sales. Business plan and financial projects in hand, they made the leap.

“It’s all been a learning process,” JP says. “This is our first business.”

The doors opened in December for an improv comedy show called Jar of Pain, followed by a Dick Wolf Improv performance just before Christmas. The first show was a collaboration with Clearwater Comedy, while the second was a “house show” – an improvised Law and Order homage performed by JP, Alyssa, and their own troupe. The future calendar will include more house shows and performances by local comics, touring performers, and even musicals.

While Oh Claire Improv is still finding its footing, the Jump-Start victory will undoubtedly provide a boost, as will positive buzz from patrons.

“It’s been overwhelmingly positive,” Alyssa says when asked about audience feedback.

“We have one Google review that’s five stars, and we’re going to run with that,” she adds with a laugh.

Learn more about Oh Claire Improv, 515 Wisconsin St., at ohclaireimprov.com or on Instagram and Facebook. Find out about the Jump-Start Downtown business competition at visiteauclaire.com/downtown-eau-claire/programs/jumpstart-downtown.