Discover the MAGIC
of Show Night!
Live-audience sitcoms have been the hottest ticket on Hollywood’s iconic studio lots for decades. Rock Paper Cannon is uniquely positioned to deliver those electric entertainment experiences right here at home.
ON A MISSION
Our mission is to transform Oklahoma into the new home of the American sitcom.
We’re building a sustainable creative economy around live-audience television—fueling tourism and job creation, and delivering the shared laughter that brings communities together.
Founded in 2025 by Rachel Cannon, Rock Paper Cannon is the first full-service independent television studio dedicated exclusively to multi-camera sitcoms.
Led by a seasoned executive team, the studio oversees the full television life cycle—from development through distribution—while operating in a business-friendly region with a competitive state rebate program.
MEET THE FOUNDER
RACHEL CANNON
Founder CEO
Rachel Cannon is an entertainment executive, actress, and producer with more than 25 years of experience in Los Angeles and over 80 network television credits, including Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mad Men, and Fresh Off the Boat. Cannon is a member of the Television Academy as both a Performer and Production Executive.
In 2025, Cannon founded Rock Paper Cannon, an independent television studio reshaping how American sitcoms are financed, owned, and experienced. The studio is focused on relocating live-audience comedy to Middle America and building a scalable comedy hub rooted in Oklahoma. She currently serves as CEO and Chief Creative Officer.
Previously, Cannon founded Prairie Surf Studios in 2020, serving as CEO for four years and helping recruit major productions such as Twisters and Tulsa King to Oklahoma. During her tenure, Prairie Surf generated more than $300 million in economic impact and helped transform the global perception of Oklahoma’s film industry.
Cannon continues to work with state and federal leaders to advance competitive entertainment incentive programs and previously served on the Board of Directors for the Oklahoma State Chamber, championing strong business practices and industry growth.
PRESS
Two and a Half Men
“Corey’s Been Dead for an Hour”
@rachelwcannon as Nina ✨
One of the most encouraging things we’ve seen lately is how ready Oklahoma’s schools are to help build what comes next.
We’ve had the chance to spend time with students, faculty and production programs across the state, and the message has been remarkably consistent: there’s excitement around growing this industry here, and a real desire to create more opportunities for students to build successful careers without feeling like they have to leave Oklahoma to do it.
That’s exactly why these relationships matter so much to us.
We’re excited to keep working alongside local schools to help shape the workforce this industry will need — and to make sure the people training for these careers have opportunities waiting for them here at home.
The talent is here. The interest is here. The willingness to build is here.
Now the opportunity has to be here, too.
While our focus continues to remain on raising money to produce our first slate of projects, we love seeing how much the next generation is championing our vision— one that allows them to stay in Oklahoma and still be successful in this industry! 💫
Sometimes the hardest part of going after what you’re born to do is being brave enough to stop doing everything else.
When I was building Prairie Surf, I found myself turning down acting roles out of state because I knew I was building the foundation to something transformative here and I needed to be here to do that. And I’m not going to lie, it crushed me. But I believed in what I was building.
Years later, when that studio closed, I was faced with another hard decision. This time, it was about what kind of studio I wanted to build next. Do I build soundstages again and recruit productions to fill them? Or do I double down on one of television’s most enduring revenue engines—the American sitcom—and build a studio around original IP? I knew in my gut—once again, I needed to go all in on sitcoms.
When we started Rock Paper Cannon, the multi-camera sitcom wasn’t yet Hollywood’s favorite bet. But I knew the format. I understood its economics, its audience, and what it could mean for building a sustainable television industry in Oklahoma. I had spent decades nurturing the Hollywood relationships that could bring it to life. And since coming back to Oklahoma, I had spent years building the partnerships and infrastructure to give this vision a permanent home.
So I doubled down. Again.
Rock Paper Cannon is my love letter to the genre that built my career. It brings back the stage that I’ve missed and gives Oklahoma a front row seat. It truly feels like coming home.
There’s a buzz in Hollywood around the comeback of the classic American sitcom right now. And seeing the industry champion the format I’ve spent the last two years building a studio around makes my heart happy.
I’ve been banging this drum for decades. I deeply believe in this format. And as an ensemble girl to my core, there’s nothing I love more than seeing people rally around a shared vision.
No one builds alone.
To our early champions and investors who believed in the vision before the headlines caught up: thank you. And for those curiously watching… “How you doin’?”
The market is moving.
Let’s bring back the laugh track. America needs it.
Full post on the blog: rachelcannon.com/blog 💫
Incredible night speaking to the women of @leadherboard about showing up, dreaming big and championing each other along the way!
Thank you @iamoklahoma for being the ultimate hype girl and to @carpentersquareokc for such a beautiful setting. 💫
Shannon, we hope you feel better soon! Thank you for creating such a special evening for us to tell our story. You were missed. 🫶🏼
Ok so maybe a little closer to “all day” everyday… 😉
The live-audience isn’t just watching a show. It’s an integral part of the process. 💫
Loved siting down with the @okcchamber talking about our bold vision for live-entertainment in OKC 💫
Link to article in bio + story
Fresh Off The Boat
“The Shunning”
@rachelwcannon as Deidre 🎤📄
75 years ago today, I Love Lucy premiered…
and it still works.
The jokes matter. But longevity comes from more than punchlines.
So what makes a sitcom last for decades?
{Happy Anniversary to the Queen 👑}
#ILoveLucy #sitcom
It’s been a busy couple months working on the foundation of this ecosystem.
Logistics, location, legislation… Oh my!
Anybody else need a nap? 😴
The easy path would have been to stay in Hollywood and “take a job on someone else’s sitcom.”
The simpler path would have been to “just make a sitcom and see how it goes here.”
Unfortunately (or fortunately), I’ve never been one to go for easy or simple. So the ambitious path felt the most authentic to me.
Build the whole ecosystem to make Oklahoma the new Home of the American Sitcom.
And so it is.
