‘Jason Saenz Stand-up 4’
courtesy of ‘Aaron Webb’
It’s the grossest part of the winter. You need a laugh. The DC Improv is sold out all weekend already (no, really, they are). What will you do? Fortunately, the local (and not so local) comedy is plentiful.
If sketch/improv is what you’re after, the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company will be at the Harman Center for the Arts Friday and Saturday nights. (Disclosure: UCBTC is a We Love DC advertiser.) Ordinarily I don’t mention non-locals because touring headliners can do their own publicity, but this event isn’t getting the publicity national headliners get. It’s touring on the strength of the UCB name, but without any of the individual names that made UCB famous. It seems like a strong statement of confidence in the up-and-comers, and not at all crass like “Dane Cook’s Tourgasm (not actually featuring Dane Cook)” was. (You could make a convincing argument that the Tourgasm was improved by Cook’s absence. but I digress.)
If you prefer standup, there’s a show at Solly’s Tavern on Friday night, featuring Erik Myers, Mike Way, Brian Kerns, Sarah Fraser, and OlmikeB. I’m personally only familiar with Way and Kerns (both funny!), but Fraser is also a personality on the Kane Show, so maybe you’re familiar with her. The show is produced by WayneMan, who I’m also not familiar with, but he’s aggressively booking shows lately, so I’ll be checking them out. As more locals have moved away to to pursue their comedy careers, the number of people producing pre-booked comedy nights has dwindled, so it’s good to see someone stepping up to take their place.
WayneMan is also producing a show Tuesday night in Bethesda at Caddies on Cordell, this one featuring Clay Miles, Sara Fraser, Chip Jones, Kyle Martin, OlmikeB, Michael Black, Matty Abrams, Chris Barylick, Danny Rolando, and Ahmed. Barylick and Ahmed are particularly hilarious, so this looks like it’ll be entertaining as well.
Finally, on February 9th the DC Improv is hosting the local audition showcase for the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. The JFL Festival is pretty prestigious, so this is a big deal for the comics participating: Jason Weems, Justin Schelgel, Erin Jackson, Mike Way, Chris Coccia, Tony Woods, Matt Kazam, Sean Savoy, Aparna Nancherla, Larry XL, Jeff Maurer, Herbie Gill, Hampton Yount. Many of these comics have been featured here, because they’re funny, they’re constantly out performing to improve their act, and they’re poised for bigger things. I highly recommend that you make the time to check this one out.
Tiffany Baxendell Bridge is an Internet enthusiast and an incurable smartass. When not heckling the neighborhood political scene on Twitter, she can be found goofing off with her ukulele, Bollywood dancing, or obsessing about cult TV. She is That Woman With the Baby In the Bar.
Tiffany lives in Brookland with her husband Tom, son Charlie, and two high-maintenance cats. Read why Tiffany loves DC.
