Big comics come to town, local stand-up scene thrives

Comedy fans may feel overwhelmed this spring with the number of interesting acts hitting the road.

There are the usual suspects — Jerry Seinfeld, David Sedaris, Bill Maher, Lisa Lampanelli — but there are also some unique shows like television actors Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. The married couple will hit the Fillmore next month with a comedy variety show.

Comedy superstar Dave Chappelle is at the same venue next week for not one, not two, but six shows. Also next week, veteran comics Steve Martin and Martin Short come to the Fox to entertain with their show “A Very Stupid Conversation ... with Music.”

While the big names are plentiful this spring and summer in metro Detroit, the area’s independent comedy scene is thriving with new talent and new places to see it.

Comic Bill Bushart says it’s an exciting time for local stand-ups and improvisors. He teaches comedy classes at Joey’s Comedy Shop in Livonia and Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, where he says enrollment is “always strong.”

“The comedy scene in the area is booming,” says Bushart, who has been involved with the community for 20 years. “There are many new faces and upstarts on the local comedy scene, as well as successful seasoned veterans.”

Besides his comedy classes and his own shows (he has a weekend at the Comedy Castle in June), Bushart is also working on starting an annual Detroit comedy festival.

“Preparation has begun,” he says. “It’s just a matter of getting the right people on board.”

Redford native Mike Stanley left Detroit for Chicago and Los Angeles more than a decade ago to pursue a stand-up career. While he still spends most of of his time on the road (as many as 45 weeks a year), he returned to live in Michigan recently and found more comics and stages in a variety of styles than existed before he left town.

“There’s a lot of funny people here that the clubs aren’t booking and the scene is kind of taking it upon themselves,” he says. “We’re creating our own shows.”

Comics are taking to music venues, neighborhood bars and restaurants and small theaters and hosting weekly and monthly stand-up showcases.

Comedians Blain Hill and Diego Attanasio host a comedy show the first Friday of every month at the New Way Bar in Ferndale, a long-standing neighborhood bar where musicians and bikers usually hang out. Todd Starks has booked comedy shows at O’Mara’s Irish Pub in Berkley for five years and before that booked at Club Bart in Ferndale for 15. Starks recently began a showcase night at Dino’s in Ferndale every Sunday.

Redford’s Stanley hosts a showcase at the Elizabeth Theatre above the Park Bar in Detroit, also every Sunday. He says he not only features local people, but comics he has met on the road. He’s excited about seeing the huge increase in female comedians since he’s returned to Detroit, too.

“That shows how many comics there are now, the fact that there are so many females doing it and they’re really good and they’re really funny and they’re really writing and pushing it. We’re seeing more comics and more stages,” he adds.

“I moved back at a really cool time. It’s a really positive time for comedy in Detroit and I’m really happy to be back.”

mbaetens@detroitnews.com

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Big names

John Mulaney , Royal Oak Music Theatre, tonight

Wanda Sykes , Caesars Windsor, tonight

Whoopi Goldberg , MotorCity Casino Hotel, Friday

Marc Maron , Royal Oak Music Theatre, Saturday

Artie Lang , Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Saturday

Dave Chappelle , Fillmore Detroit, April 23-25

Steve Martin and Martin Short , Fox Theater, April 24

Wendy Williams , MotorCity Casino Hotel, April 24

Lewis Black , Fox Theatre, April 25

David Sedaris , Detroit Opera House, April 25

Joel McHale , Detroit Opera House, May 1

Susie Essman , Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, May 1

Mo’Nique with Tommy Davidson and Donnell Rawlings , Masonic Temple, May 8

Chris Hardwick , Royal Oak Music Theatre, May 9

Kids in the Hall , Royal Oak Music Theatre, May 13

Penn & Teller , Caesars Windsor, May 15

Jerry Seinfeld , Fox Theatre, May 16

Kevin Hart , The Palace of Auburn Hills, May 16

Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally , Fillmore Detroit, May 17

Craig Ferguson , Caesars Windsor, June 7

Bill Bellamy , Detroit Opera House, June 13

Whitney Cummings , MotorCity Casino Hotel, June 4

Jim Jefferies , Royal Oak Music Theatre, June 18

Loni Love , MotorCity Casino Hotel, June 20

TJ Miller , Royal Oak Music Theatre, June 25

Jim Gaffigan , Meadow Brook Music Festival, Aug. 7

Jim Norton , Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Sept. 26

Bill Maher , Michigan Theater, Oct. 11

Regis Philbin , Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Oct. 24

Lisa Lampanelli , Andiamo Celebrity Showroom, Nov. 14

Club highlights

Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle, 310 S. Troy, Royal Oak. (248) 542-9900

Rocky LaPorte , Tonight-Sat.

Michael McDaniel, Billy Ray Bauer, Ken Evans, Russ Brown and Ron Taylor , Sunday

Kathleen Madigan , April 30-May 2 and Nov. 5-7

Bill Bushart , June 4-6

Mike Stanley , July 2-3

J Chris Newberg , Aug. 20-22

Nate Fridson , Aug. 27-29

Hal Sparks, Oct. 8-10

Carlos Mencia , Oct. 15-17

John Heffron , Nov. 12-14

Dave Attell , Nov. 19-21

Go Comedy! Improv Theater, 261 E. Nine Mile, Ferndale. (248) 327-0575

The Go Comedy! Improv Comedy Hour , Tonight

Fuzzballs: Adult Comedy with Puppets , Friday

Date Night , improvised romantic comedy, April 23 (early show)

Standprov, improvised stand-up comedy with Andy French, Rick Lane, Justin Covington, Jen Bloomer, Loyd Digg and Blain Hill , April 23

Matt Naas Variety Show , April 24

Joey’s Comedy Club, 36071 Plymouth, Livonia. (734) 261-0555.

Mike Green , April 23-25

Tricia Chamberlain, Laura Witkowski, Jennifer Dama, Tonya Murray, Jacquie Marpa and more, hosted by Rebecca Conception , April 29

Coco , May 3

Charlie Weiner , May 7-9

Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 212 S. Fourth, Ann Arbor. (734) 996-9080

Jimmy Pardo , Fri-.Sat.

Mike Bonner , April 23-25

Billy Ray Bauer , April 30-May 2

Jenny Zigrino , May 7-9

Matt McClowry , May 15-16

Nathan Timmel , May 22-23

Johnny Beehner , May 29-30

The Mix, 641 Beaubien, Detroit. (313) 962-9548

Brendan Jordan, Heather J, Tony Tale, Jeff Horste and Darius Bennett , April 26

1917 American Bistro, 19416 Livernois, Detroit. (313) 863-1917

Ron Taylor, April 24

New Way Bar, 23130 Woodward, Ferndale

The Blain and Diego Comedy Showcase with Jacqui Marpa, Tricia Chamberlain, Dan Currie and Mark Roebuck , May 1 (and the first Friday of each month)

Elizabeth Theatre, above the Park Bar, 2040 Park, Detroit. (313) 962-2933

Detroit Comedy Underground with Ken Witzgall, Esther Nevarez, Pat Sievert, Jacqui Marpa , Zach Martina and Nate Armbruster , Sunday

Go Comedy! All Star Showdown , Saturday and May 16

Detroit Comedy Underground with The Hoo Ha Girls, Ali Clayton, Kristen Toomey, Meredith Kachel, Deanna Ortiz, and Reena Calm , April 26

O’Mara’s Irish Pub, 2555 12 Mile, Berkley. (248) 399-6750

Jon McCaffrey’s Neighborhood Comedy Show , Tuesdays

Laugh Riot Dolls , May 22

Mike Stanley , June 12