Boston comedy shows
A comedy club is an entertainment club where one can watch or listen to performances leisurely while having dinner or having a drink with friends. And the best part is it is a wholesome family entertainer. Such comedy shows include stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, magicians, ventriloquists and other comedy acts. A comedy club is a place which usually hosts standup comedy. Improv theaters are there to play improv or sketch comedy and variety clubs are for performing musical acts.
Origin of comedy shows
Martin Olson is a writer, director cum producer of many wacky television programs and stage plays. He worked together with many comedians, composers and artists and was instrumental in the origin of comedy shows in Boston. He is dearly known as the founding father of comedy shows in Boston. Olson along with producers Paul Barclay and Bil Downes formed the first comedy club in Boston in 1977. Here he is known for his absurdist deadpan comedy act and piano performance between acts. His act was to play guitar and conduct chain shows along with other eccentric comedians. Olson made friends with many people like Lenny Clarke, Bobcat Goldthwait, Jimmy Tingle, Barry Crimmins, Steven Wright, Dens Leary, Steve Sweeney, and Sean Morey by writing and enacting plays with them.
Following Olson, herds of comedy clubs in Boston opened up. Let?s have a look at some of the best clubs here.
The Comedy Connection
USA Today has chosen this club as the Best Comedy Club in the Country and Improper Bostonian as Boston's Best Comedy Club. This club is known for ecstatic stand-up comedy. You can enjoy frequent performances by the R-rated hypnotist Frank Santos, local morning DJ Steve Sweeney, Paul Nardizzi from NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and many other artists.
This Faneuil Hall staple becomes a crowded place very quickly. One ought to either reach early or reserve prior to get a good view; else they will be stuck to corner seats with no moving space. The tickets range between $12 and $30. Though the price looks somewhat on the higher side, these comedians make the show worth it. This club has been the stepping stone for many comedians like Chris Rock, Pauly Shore, Dennis Miller, Jon Stewart, George Lopez, Margaret Cho, Rosie O'Donnell, Damon Wayans, Dane Cook, Cedric the Entertainer and many others. The list is unending. These comedians show their gratitude by coming back more often for more performances.
ImprovBoston
Back Alley Theater started in 1982. It is famous for amusing evening shows since the time it started as a small club. This creative troupe has been around for long in Boston and it is now better known as Improv Boston. The troupe is young with great talent and catching comedy. The utter spontaneity of the performers and their antics are side-splitting. There are many funny moments when performers sometimes call people from audience to perform comic act on stage or ask hilarious questions to them. The shows are very interactive with many such impromptu moments.
Most programs do not have any concrete drama and they are spontaneously enacted according to the suggestion from viewers. The performers look forward to audience interaction by way of asking questions, asking them to sing, dance or enact a scene. Spectators are from all age group, from teenagers to senior citizens. Hence there are many hilarious situations while tying together the loose plot of these shows. Local troupes perform in Wednesday night's show, called the Hump. Friday nights are called 'Theatresports,' and here there is a contest between two troupes and the viewers have to choose the winner. Saturday nights are for Family shows.
Nick's Comedy Stop
We spend many occasions with family or friends at bars and restaurants which may be costly or boring because of zero entertainment. But one can dine, have fun, and laugh with dear ones at Nick's Comedy Stop. Nick?s has been around since 1987 and it has popular image of a family entertainer. The seating capacity is 300 and the tables and chairs are so arranged that every gets a clear view of the raised dais. Snacks are served by waitresses at the table. Full dinner menu is allowed only when you reserve tables for a personal party.
The dais has a stop sign hanging behind the comedian chair. There is just a microphone and a stool. The shows include stand-up comedy and headliners from HBO as well as Comedy Central. These are special shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. This theatre is stepping stone for many famous comedians like Jay Leno, Steve Allen, Phyllis Diller and Jerry Seinfeld.
OFF BROADWAY Theater
OFF BROADWAY is a brainchild of Jimmy Tingle. He is a native of Cambridge. Tingle specializes in political satires, writing and performing comedies for elders and children. This theatre hosts every type of entertainment like film events, live music shows, and children?s theatre. Tingle has performed in HBO, 'The Tonight Show, and 60 minutes II, where he was a commentator for two years. OFF BROADWAY has a capacity to seat 200 people. Saturday morning is time for children?s theatre. Tingle is interested in national politics and he has performed many comic satires on stage. He is known for his pun on national politics as well as local events like Somerville mayoral debate. Apart from his own performance, he has also written many such plots for other aspiring actors to perform in his theatre.
This theatre is open to hosting community events for some private functions or charity events. Tingle is so enterprising that he has managed rope in some dining vendors for his shows. He has paired up with the famous homely food caterers, Redbones, for a pre-show dinner on Friday and Saturday shows.
Dick's Beantown Comedy Vault
Dick Doherty runs a comedy club called Comedy club, which constitutes local as well as national comedic heroes. His shows are held in weekends in Remington's Restaurant, at Boylston Street adjacent to the Public Gardens. This place has a typical Bostonian look because of it dark wood architecture and a pub-like ambiance. Its Open Mic nights on Sundays and this is a popular stand-up comedy show. Steve Sweeney, Kevin Knox, DJ Hazard and Dick Doherty himself are star performers in this club.
The Comedy Studio
This studio is located above Hong Kong restaurant which serves Chinese food. So you can spend your evening laughing and dining with your friends. The shows are interactive with audience participation and this is a good place to get rid of your shyness. The environment is casual because of audience participation. This club is an amalgamation of new jokesters and veteran comedians.
Tribe Theatre
This tribe is a collection of several bands like Spinning Hardcore which is a punk band from Ohio, New England Family, and Damn Skippy, which is made up of new talent. These are some of the bands in this tribe. Each star performs for 30 minutes before a short interval for drinks. They provide classy comedy by ways of skits and standup comedy shows. They also provide corporate training and self-improvement classes to get rid of your introversion. These are some of the popular comedy shows in Boston which is a wonderful getaway with family and friends. What is more helpful is that, some clubs teach you the knack of communication.
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