Rufus Khan is an innovative improv comedy troupe based in Brooklyn, New York. They keep the audience laughing with bizarre scenarios, memorable characters, and, of course, the occasional one-liner.

The Rufus Khan team consists of Brendan Collins, Daniel Klein, Cem Uyanik, Jamie Rosler, Eric Austin, and Laura Darrell. They are leveraging the power of crowdfunding in order to fund future shows and development. We spoke with them about their campaign and about their creative process:

What was the inspiration behind the improv theatre project you are currently running on RocketHub?  Why is it important to you?

First and foremost, laughter. Our deep desire to laugh and to make others laugh by playfully humiliating ourselves in front of a bunch of strangers. Some people call it unhealthy; we call it fun. We've also been influenced by subway panhandlers. Clearly, begging is funny, and gives you a great opportunity to perfect your sign writing skills.

Living and working in New York City can drain you of your energy, your time, and your money, as well as making you wonder if all people are just innately awful. We hope that a RocketHub campaign will restore our faith and confidence in the general goodness of humanity, and also help provide us with more opportunities to challenge ourselves, inspire our friends and fans, and supply that much needed escape for anyone who's just looking to have some good, usually clean, fun.

Awesome! How has your experience been as a crowdfunding pioneer in the world of improv theatre - how are your supporters responding?

Our experience has been great, especially when we can get people's attention. They all think they're so important and busy with their lives and jobs and children. 

After our most recent show, we received literally tons of positive feedback; our backs are just now getting over the aches and pains of carrying it all. People asked about our next performance, having videos made for people who missed the show, and just generally stroked our fragile egos.

Monetary donations are always a harder animal to catch, especially in the midst of an economic downturn. We've made big strides, though, and are steadily making our way to the goal we set.

You've caught our attention :) You've built a lot of momentum quickly. Any advice for Creatives looking to crowdfund a similar project?

Nagging and stalking have been our main routes to success. Pretend to be interested in other people's lives, and don't be afraid to hide in someone's bushes or linen closet.

Think of all the internet and social media attack strategies at your disposal and just go for it. Be playful, witty, and fun when seeking support so that you're always bringing people entertainment. Even crack dealers know that the first hit should always be free. After that, don't be afraid to prod; if you don't seek out donations, no one's going to do it for you. Most importantly, have confidence that you deserve what you're asking for, and that if it's what you really want, you can make it happen.

For us, it comes down to honesty, heart, and that slightly offensive joke about nuns that you overheard in the elevator last week.

Thank you Rufus Khan team for your funny work and refreshing campaign. Check them out here.

-Vlad