Rory Scovel shares why he's the latest comic to shoot a TV special in Minneapolis

Rory Scovel isn't known for planning ahead. His YouTube showcase, "Live Without Fear," consisted entirely of improvised material. But he knew months ago that he wanted to tape a performance in Minneapolis.

Scovel, who will be at Cowles Center on Nov. 11, joins a growing list of comics who are choosing the Twin Cities as the go-to site for TV specials, designed to capture stand-ups at their very best.

"Pete Holmes: I'm Not for Everyone," which recently debuted on Netflix, was taped at the Varsity Theater. Craig Ferguson will have cameras rolling during his Nov. 4 shows at Pantages Theatre, the same place Seth Meyers recorded his Emmy-nominated "Lobby Baby." Chad Daniels will use the Fitzgerald Theater in February for a special.

"Comics constantly talk about Minneapolis as one of those cities where audiences don't need to be spoon-fed. They get it," Scovel said in a phone interview last month from his home in Los Angeles. "In other cities, you tell one bad joke and the crowd gets off the train. But in Minneapolis, even if a joke doesn't work, they won't leave you."

Scovel and his manager spent a day this past summer checking out five local sites, including the Guthrie Theater. Some prime spots had to be crossed out because of previously booked shows (Trevor Noah is at the Orpheum Theatre from Wednesday through Saturday).

In the end, they landed on the Cowles Center's Goodale Theater, a 500-seat venue most associated with dance. Scovel will tape back-to-back shows that will be edited together for a special destined for a major streamer (his publicity team asked to keep the service a secret until it's ready to publicize an air date).

The classy digs reflect a change in Scovel's style.

During his first two decades in comedy, he was best known for a ragtag, unpredictable approach. He spent time writing for "The Eric Andre Show," a series where conventional rules get smashed with a sledgehammer. For a 2011 appearance on "Conan," he and comedian Jon Dore teamed up for a memorable bit in which they both delivered monologues at the exact same time. One of his previous specials was titled "Rory Scovel Tries Stand-Up for the First Time."

His current tour consists of material he's been honing for five years. He spent many afternoons in Los Angeles coffee shops listening and re-listening to recordings of his act, tightening up every bit.

"I used to be afraid of nice theaters. I liked a jazz club kind of vibe," said the 43-year-old Scovel, who has acted in Netflix's "Old Dads" and Apple TV Plus' "Physical." "But you don't want to do the same thing over again. This time, I wanted a more formal look. It's a setting that matched the work I've done."

Expectations are high. TV specials have replaced getting booked on late-night talk shows as the best way to grow an audience.

Producers insisted that Scovel schedule his flight into Minneapolis a day early, just in case bad weather causes delays. That meant postponing a Dallas gig for the second time.

"They are putting up a lot of money," he said. "They want to make sure their investment is around."

Scovel doesn't come across like someone who gets nervous. But he admits that the pressure is starting to build.

"You can walk off a stage and think, 'That might be the best I've ever done,' but all that's going to live forever is whatever happens in Minneapolis," he said. "That's why people like coming there. Statistically, it's a good gamble."

Rory Scovel: The Last Tour
When: 7 & 9:30 p.m. Nov. 11.
Where: Goodale Theater, Cowles Center, 528 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $40 (fees included), thecowlescenter.org.