Philly comedians find more laughs with an expanding indie stand-up scene

It’s hard to ignore Philly’s influence in the comedy world.

Superstars like Kevin Hart and Quinta Brunson have broken barriers in Hollywood, while Upper Darby native Tina Fey shined for years as a Saturday Night Live cast member and writer. Late comedy legends Bob Saget and David Brenner helped establish the city’s signature raw, cheeky, and unfiltered comedic style. But comics Tyler Wolf and Manny Brown say the city has yet to fulfill its potential.

For years, Wolf said, Philly has had fewer opportunities for comedy compared to cities like Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and Chicago. The Mount Airy native, who started Next in Line Comedy shows with Brown in 2021, said there aren’t enough shows, open-mic events, or paid gigs for many local performers to pursue full-time careers as comics.

“The weekends, which is ideally when shows are taking place, are pretty barren in Philly outside of the comedy clubs, but those other mid-major cities might have five-plus independent shows on any weekend night,” Wolf, 30, said.

Brown said there’s still much to be desired, but the rise of independent shows and small, DIY-style comedy stages are filling the void. There are established clubs like Helium Comedy Club and Punch Line Philly, but the West Chester native said comedians are also renting out local restaurants, cafes, breweries, and bookstores for more stage time, consistent pay, and a longer leash of creativity.

“We’re moving toward this larger independent comedy scene,” Brown, 34, said. “That’s a win-win for the comics because they get more stage time and become better comics, and it’s also a way for audience members to see really good comics for not a lot of money.”

Many independent comedy shows in Philadelphia cost between $5 and $20, and expose audiences to observational, deadpan, dark, or slapstick wit.

Part-time performer Kinjal Dave — who has produced shows in the backyard of Bindlestiff Books — said hosting events at venues like Tattooed Mom, Fergie’s Pub, and Second District Brewing also gives more Philly comedians an outlet to sharpen their skills when other comedy shows have full lineups.

“[These spaces] are really important if you want to get diverse voices, perspectives, and life experiences on stage,” Dave, 27, said. “I think in mainstream comedy, a lot of it is about stereotypes, and you have little time to get the audience’s attention. But if you have your own show, you have a chance to have a different conversation or opportunity to express yourself.”

Kristen Scopino, who has organized comedy shows at Stir Lounge, Dahlak Paradise, and other venues in town, said the comedy scene has opened up, and is offering more women-led and LGBTQ-centered events since she first began hosting shows in 2018.

“There were so many lineups with all men, but there’s been a few different LGBTQ showcases around the city in the last few years,” Scopino, 31, said. “A lot more people around the city are more open to putting on different comedy events, some even for the first time, and checking out how it works in their place.”

Comedian Jay Yoder, 39, said the rise of independent shows and small-scale events is a product of the pandemic. Many comedy clubs closed, leaving performers without a creative outlet, and unsatisfied in a genre that relies on a live audience.

When the switch to virtual performances flattened their hopes, Yoder said, he and other comics turned to whatever spaces were willing to host weekly nights of comedy, which continued for three years. The once makeshift stages have become routine comedy stops, and helped Yoder, a part-time teacher in Chester County, jumpstart his comedic career.

“Restaurants were primed for it,” said Yoder, who hosts monthly comedy shows at Tuned Up Brewing. “They had space that needed to be filled and it was just another reason to get people back into the building. It was sort of natural, and it worked out beautifully.”

Since the pandemic, Prateekshit Pandey, a regular performer at ComedySportz Philadelphia, said some comics have begun producing small shows inside their apartments as a way to cut costs and provide more intimate settings.

“In Philadelphia, especially after the pandemic, people have been doing that a lot because it’s cheaper to get those audiences, set it up, and perform for a smaller audience,” Pandey, 28, said. “You don’t have to pay for the price of renting out a bookstore or a cafe or anything like that.”

Alongside the rise of DIY-comedy shows, long-standing clubs are welcoming changes in the local scene.

Amanda Kyser, who oversees comedy operations for Live Nation, said Punch Line Philly is focused on drawing in different brands of comedy beyond typical stand-up.

“This is a moment where our definition of comedy is changing,” she said. “We’re embracing more types of comics from traditional stand-up comedians to podcasters and YouTube stars which are bringing new voices and new perspectives. It’s exciting.”

While the comedy scene is expanding, Pandey said there’s still a lack of diversity at local improv theaters, and certain comedy clubs are harder to break into than others, especially for comics of color.

“There are spaces and venues in Philly that are hard to get into because the gatekeeping comes into play,” he said. “Some are either geared to who knows who, and sometimes they don’t feel very comfortable going to regularly, at least not enough to be able to become part of the community.”

Dave said independent shows, open mics, and pop-up stages are creating more opportunities for comics of color.

“I want different immigrant communities that are in Philly to be represented in the comedy scene because there’s just a little bit more breathing room and hopefully the communities turn up and show out for these kinds of experiences,” she said.

With more outlets available, Wolf is confident the city will become a more viable spot for comedians to shine.

“This is not a zero-sum game,” he said. “More comedy just breeds better comedy, and there’s a big appetite in this city.”