Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle

I performed Standup at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle with success!   

This place is cool. The comedians are usually lurking about nervously beforehand in the foyer, scribbling gibberish and cackling.  Or they're quietly contemplating rudimentary quantum physics and how to get another free booze.  Maybe a stray fan?  

Meeting these people is one of the best parts- people striving to make laughter, share thought, earn a hefty "good job." They've already had so many stories to tell, success and losses that are all: sad, hilarious, and grand.

I prefer working on projects with people, collaborating but this is cool. This is teamwork. Everyone plays their own specific part, each works their own way to make the best of the night.  If everyone plays it right, everyone has that good time.  If something doesn't go completely right with the audience, as long as you don't piss too many people off with what you're doing, your peers will/can help pick you up: celebrate the doing, the process. 

My set involved: 

• Car Crashes
• Neck Problems of the Third Kind
• Wifeliness 
• Kittens and politics
  

A neat thing, the wall behind the stage is completely written on with loving, hopeful, or desperate missives. "I was here, this night of nights, washed in the ether of creative juice-stuff- I did it, way to go awesome, awesome me."  I'm not saying that that's what I wrote because it isn't, mine was much more eloquent and had the word butt in it.  (Actually, I didn't write on the wall but now feel very obligated to write the word butt all over that wall)

Another neat thing: there's a door with a peephole in the green room to spy on the audience.  

Another neater thing: no, I forgot, I can't talk about that. Never mind. (aliens)

Was I nervous? Yes. Timing things is rough.  Remembering things difficult. But these are good things.  Sometimes this is what helps endear the audience to you, letting them know you are human no matter how outrageous and weird your content may be.  Really we're all just trying to get to know ourselves, sharing our vulnerabilities consciously or subconsciously helps.

Anyway, an after party involving people and things was certainly had. The next time will come soon. Stay Tuned!