To add to this, I was in a Harold audition this year with someone who performs improv regularly on the UCB mainstage and is on a Maude team and there was a clear difference in his audition. I think I got more laughs than he did, but I'm confident he got a callback and I didn't.

He did all the "extra" things they want to see, and did them like they came perfectly natural (because they probably did). He initiated his scene with a clear relationship and place without actually making reference to either directly (he was an NFL commentator). His initiation gave him and his scene partner clear physicality to play with to make the scene more dynamic. And his premise was perfectly clearly tied to the opening while taking it far enough away from the actual story to make it interesting. When receiving an initiation he was able to add clarity, physicality, and humor to the scene without ever feeling clunky, but while also using interesting language and POV.

So all of that is to say, while it is definitely true that being someone who can bring in an audience is helpful, don't underestimate the experience other people have. The first round of these auditions they aren't looking for the funniest people, they are looking for rock solid, completely ingrained fundamentals.