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Boston Comedy

With a number of popular comedy clubs, cities like Boston and New York City have been on the forefront of the ever-evolving stand-up comedy genre. The Boston comedy scene manages to find an effective balance between more established, nationally known acts, while still fostering young and local talent.

History

The city of Boston has a proud and vibrant comedy history. The art of stand-up comedy is a fairly new form of entertainment, evolving from the vaudevillian style popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s into the more risqué style popular today. With a number of unique and independent comedy clubs throughout the city, Boston has been at the forefront of the ever-changing style of stand-up comedy.

The comedy scene as it currently exists in Boston emerged in the 1980s when clubs like Nick’s Comedy Shop and Dick’s Beantown Comedy Vault replaced nightclubs and supper clubs as popular comedy venues. The stand-up of show business mainstays like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld in the 1980s lead into the 1990s when younger comedians, who came up in the Boston comedy scene, began to make a name for themselves.

A number of prominent comedians have made Boston their home over the last thirty years, a number of them coming up and establishing their reputations in the Boston comedy club scene. Stand-up stars Denis Leary and Steven Wright both attended Emerson College while Saturday Night Live alum Amy Poehler studied at Boston College. Other well-known celebrities include: Dane Cook, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Steve Carel.

Notable Venues

There are a number of unique, independent and vibrant comedy clubs across the city of Boston. With so many different comedy venues, there is not simply an emphasis on one brand or type of comedy. There are clubs which spotlight national talent, local talent and there are a number of improv clubs around Boston as well. There is something for everyone in the Boston comedy scene.

Nick’s Comedy Shop markets itself as the oldest comedy club in the city of Boston, with a lengthy history dating back almost thirty years. Comedy legends like Steve Allen and Phyllis Diller have headlined at the club. Nick’s is still popular today, with contemporary comedians famous and unknown featured as headliners.

Dick’s Beantown Comedy Vault is a great venue to check out the local, burgeoning comedy talent coming out of Boston. The popular, yet intimate comedy club is located just off the Emerson College campus and offers performances seven nights a week as well as reasonable ticket prices.

Those looking for a more established act can check out The Wilbur Theater. The historical Boston theater draws many nationally known acts as headliners, such as Chelsea Lately, Gilbert Gottfried, Lisa Lampanelli and Craig Ferguson. The theater is located on the Emerson College campus and on the edge of Boston’s famous Theater District.

Fans of the improv scene have a number of options around Boston. Improv Asylum is a well marketed club located in Boston’s North End. Not only does the venue offer shows six nights a week, but Improve Asylum also offers comedy classes for those interested in learning the tricks of the trade. The tiered classes begin with the most basic improv techniques and work up to advanced levels in which students perform in a public comedy revue at the culmination of instruction.

For those interested in the history of comedy, Boston based Emerson College is the home of the American Comedy Archive. The first of its kind, the Archive was established in 2005. Emerson alumni Bill Danawas the driving force behind the establishment of the archives. Those interested in researching at the archive can make an appointment by calling (617) 824-8679.

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Boston Comedy