Laugh Through Your Autumn Blues
The shorter days, the colder weather, the pressure of the holidays… if there was anytime of year that we could use a solid laugh, this is it. Something has got to make up for the Vitamin D deficiency we must all be suffering from. Luckily, the buzzing comedy scene in Charleston has you covered like a Forever Lazy.
This weekend, the Charleston Comedy Festival Stand Up Competition continues at Theatre 99 with two nights of semi-final rounds. Two groups of 10 have been whittled down from 60 competitors that took part in one of four preliminary rounds. The three comedians (Siamese twins Stanley and Eduardo count as one, even if it’s politically incorrect) chosen as the best of the best from each night of the semi-final evenings proceed to the big showdown on Sat. Dec. 1.
The good have been separated from the bad and ugly, and $1,000 is on the line, so you know the comedians will be bringing their A-game. On Fri. Nov. 16 you can expect to see Evan Berke, Philip Cohen, Moey Conway, Big Ben Kennedy, Lauren Krass, Natalie Jones, David Mangone, Lee Pollard, Andrew Rider, and Taylor Rizzo. On Sat. Nov. 17, the lineup includes Kathryn Behling, Michael Clayton, Danny Green, Cody Hughes, Sam Jackel, Brandt Prince, Garrett Rudd, Peter Schwartz, Dusty Slay (2012 CCF Stand Up Competition Winner), and Stanley and Eduardo (Jason Groce and Tommy Hutchins).
Wyatt Cenac
Speaking of Theatre 99 and their annual celebration of all things funny, the comedy theater recently announced the headliner for the upcoming 2013 Charleston Comedy Festival as Wyatt Cenac, best known as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Cenac, a former Upright Citizens Brigade and iO performer and writer for TV’s King of the Hill, makes his Charleston stand-up debut at the Charleston Music Hall on Wed. Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. So far, this is all that has been officially announced as being on the docket for the fest, which takes place January 16-21, but stay tuned to Theatre 99 as more announcements are made within the coming weeks.
Comedian’s comedian Brian Regan (pictured above) takes the stage at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center this Sun. Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Peers and critics agree that Regan is one of the most skilled and hilarious of the lot. A road professional and comedic powerhouse who works completely clean, this is actually one you can bring your entire family too, but please leave them at home if they’re chatty. For us at Metronome, that’s one of our biggest gripes about seeing stand-up performances at the PAC. Simmer down, and let the man with the mic do the work.
Cigar-puffing, scotch-sipping, Texas-based stand-up comedian Ron White‘s Moral Compass Tour 2012 (with the “200 Proof” VIP experience package) comes hits the PAC stage on Fri. Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Also recently announced at the PAC is an “evening of sit down” with living legend Robin Williams. We all know who he is, right? I don’t need to run down his resume. I mean, he’s Mork, Garp, Popeye… Mrs. f*cking Doubtfire. We’ve never been huge fans of Williams’ spastic and fast-talking style of comedy, but we love the dramatic roles he’s taken on in films such as Good Morning Vietnam, One Hour Photo, and Good Will Hunting. Patch Adams, not so much. However, he is “sitting down” with director/comedian David Steinberg, so maybe he’s calmed down a bit in his old age and will let Steinberg get a word in edgewise. See for yourself on Fri. Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. Advance tickets went on sale this week for $129, $89, $69, and $59.
As far as local boys and girls making good, comic Stan Shelby has recently begun hosting a weekly comedy open mic for amateurs and professionals looking to tryout new material upstairs at Joe Pasta on King Street on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. In addition to Big Gun Burger’s weekly open mic hosted Dusty Slay on Wednesday nights and Tin Roof’s monthly TROM hosted by Jason Groce (the next one is coming up on Sunday Nov. 25), this helps offer aspiring comedians ample opportunity to smooth out their kinks. For the non-comedians, these open mics provide a great chance to catch some of the best comics in town doing what they love to do for free. You may just have to wait for the misogynist who is working out some unresolved issues from his latest divorce to finish his set first, though.
In other Charleston comedy scene news:
Evan Berke
Veteran comedians Dave Ugly, Big Ike, and their Big Ugly Radio Show on Kinetichifi.com cohorts will be taking part in the Band Together to Fight ALS event on Sat. Nov. 17 at the Brick House Kitchen on James Island. Check out event information in Metronome’s Ticker.
Local CofC stand-up favorite Evan Berke is running the comedy stage at Jail Break 4 at the Old City Jail on Magazine Street. The line-up includes Dusty Slay, Sarah Porter, Introducing Fish Taco, Lauren Krass, and Danny Green. For more information on the Sat. Nov. 17 festival, click here.
Dusty Slay is back with his new Homegrown Stand-up Showcase at Theatre 99 on Sat. Nov. 24 at 10 p.m. Scheduled to perform in this installment are Andy Rider, Phil Cohen, Lauren Krass, and Jason Groce. Read up on Slay in our article about the inaugural show of the series here.
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
About the Author
Jessica Mickey has considered Charleston home since she first moved here in 2001. She regularly performs improv at Theatre 99 and dabbles in stand-up comedy in various venues around the Lowcountry. Jessica has also cohosted morning radio shows on 96Wave and 98X, as well as wrote the weekly column "The Chase is On" for the Charleston City Paper. She can barely play the ukulele Ballard bought her for Christmas last year, but after a couple of drinks, she can sing the shit out of some karaoke.
Related Posts
Review: Marc Maron at the Charleston Music Hall →
Review and Interview: We Heard the Pixies Roar at the PAC →
Comedian Emily Heller’s Stand-Up Tour Aims for Theatre 99 →
