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Go ahead, laugh it up

The Comedy Shop helps a burgeoning local comedy scene

Like anything, standup comedy takes practice — but it’s not only a place to go that makes a great comedian. Comedy venues and clubs that have a welcoming atmosphere and are run by people with a similar passion are a necessary part of the equation.

The Comedy Shop is one of those places, helping along a burgeoning stand-up scene in Williamsport with the guiding hand of fellow comedians. The monthly event held at The Comic Shop, 218 S. Market St., South Williamsport, joins other area mainstays like Laugh Yer Brass Off at Lewisburg’s Brasserie Louis and Mike’s No Mic Open Mic in Sunbury.

The event came about after some discussions between James Mattern and Chad Renn, co-owners of The Comic Shop, and Comedy Shop co-founders Kevin Seibert and Chris William. Mattern and Renn wanted their business to be “more than a comic book store,” according to William.

“(They) approached me shortly after buying the store … and told me about this empty room they had that was mostly being used for storage,” said William, who has been performing stand-up for nearly five years and said that it had been “a fantasy” of his ever since he was young. “They knew I had been performing stand-up for a while and asked if I’d be interested in doing shows there. I brought the idea up to Kevin as a partnership show because he’d been looking to start a show or open mic in the Williamsport area. … So we decided to work together and do both showcases and open mics. Thus, The Comedy Shop was born.”

“We had both performed regularly in shows for a couple of years around Lewisburg, Sunbury and Selinsgrove,” Seibert said. “I had put together a handful of comedy shows in Williamsport during the summer and fall of 2015. From these shows, it became pretty apparent there was interest in stand-up comedy in Williamsport as well. It seemed like a great chance to go for it and start something a new audience.”

The four worked out The Comedy Shop format — an event on the second Saturday of the month, alternating between comedy open mic nights and “showcase” nights that featured three hand-picked local comedians. It officially started in January of this year, Seibert said.

It’s been a popular event, with high attendance and plenty of regulars — as well as first-timers — trying their hand at stand-up comedy. Both Seibert and William believe it’s been an enormous boost to the area’s blossoming comedy scene, but they’ve also worked to make it a comfortable atmosphere.

“A number of people have performed stand-up for the first time on The Comedy Shop’s stage, and that’s always very cool to see,” said Seibert, who started his stand-up journey three years ago at Mike’s No Mic Open Mic. “Sometimes the culture of a particular open mic and energy of an audience can be very uninviting, particularly for newcomers. I’m glad that the environment we’ve helped create makes people feel comfortable enough to do something as daunting as doing stand-up for the first time.”

William agreed, adding that the increasing popularity of stand-up in Williamsprt is making it easier to bring touring comedians to the venue. In 2016 alone, comedians Brandi Posey and Finn Straley have performed at The Comedy Shop during their tours, and Lisa Curry is slated for a show on Oct. 26.

“It’s not only helping local, aspiring comics have a place to perform … I think it’s also helping to put Williamsport on the map of a possible stop for comedians on their tours of the East Coast,” he said. “In the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting comedians like Brandie Posey and Finn Strailey, and we will be hosting Lisa Curry very soon and even more comedians in the future. Bringing in people like this is good for the comedy scene and local comics alike because it gets us seen … and it gives people the opportunity to perform for a comedian that is touring and could even offer advice to the comics.”

Seibert also thinks that the showcase nights are important, as it gives area comedians their first experience performing outside an open mic format and in an actual show.

“It’s a huge confidence boost to be selected for a curated show and a growing experience to get to perform a longer set than an open mic allows,” he said.

One of those shows, held in May, was “Lady Bits,” a show of five local female comedians.

“The ‘Lady Bits’ show was not only terrific, but important,” he said. “Stand-up runs the risk of being very male-dominated, which is a shame because there are a lot of funny women with unique voices and senses of humor. I enjoyed playing the small part I did with getting the show booked there and then observing as it came together.”

As for the future of The Comedy Shop, both Seibert and William believe it looks bright.

“I know Kevin and I have sort of fantasized about getting to the point where we could have a showcase and mic every month,” William said. “We’d love to be doing it more. If our audience keeps growing, that could definitely be a possibility.”

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TheComedyShopWilliamsport.

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