Comedy Tonight
Posted Nov. 14, 2008 at 3:14 pm by Brian Miller
The Seattle International Comedy Competition is again underway, and tonight you can see 16 comics vie at Intiman to reach the next round of the judged contest. Venues for the showcase, in which 32 comedians are whittled down to a final elite group, range all around Puget Sound—from Vashon to Bellingham. Per the SICC Web site, the final round runs Tues. Nov. 25 to Sun. Nov. 30. That last event is at the Comedy Underground.
Two years ago, I followed the 27th such event for a story on the local comedy scene. That piece included some talented locals who'll again be competing this year: Geoff Brousseau, Daniel Carroll, and Emmett Montgomery. Add to that list some other local jesters, like Justin Rupple, Drew Barth, Kortney Shane Williams, Blaine Reeder, and Susan James. (Nice to see more women this year.) Other comics come from Canada and L.A.; a few you may recognize from late-night TV (or at least YouTube). And all are looking for, yes, their big break.
Local comedy has struggled since the great '70s into '80s boom that gave us Steve Martin, Robin Williams (at the Paramount Dec. 5-6), and Jerry Seinfeld. Even if not every joke scores during this month-long laugh-off, there's much to admire in the contestants' sheer determination. It's a bit like amateur theater. Most everyone has a day job, and they tell jokes at night for the love of performing, not the big paycheck. And, trust me, their material gets better and their confidence grows palpably with a fuller house and engaged audience. It's a lot more participatory in that regard, and often more fun, than your average night of theater.
Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer St. (Seattle Center), 923-7000 and www.brownpapertickets.com. $25 (all-ages show). 8 p.m.
Topics: Stage
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