Rocky’s Sub Shop flooded with students 15 minutes prior to the 10 p.m. opening of a showcase of UR’s Stand-Up Comedy Club on Friday, Sept. 14.
The showcase was hosted by club president and senior Kathryn Baldwin, sophomore Kandie Kramer, and juniors Cass Domingo and Maude Hall-Skillern. Some performers had a comedy background prior to joining the UR Stand-Up Comedy Club — Baldwin interned at Vermont Comedy Club in 2017, and Kramer participated in open mics both on and off campus. When asked how they prepared for their sets, the club members said the jokes were inspired by their life experiences and conversations with friends.
When Baldwin first transferred to UR, she joined the newly-founded Comedy Club. The club provided Baldwin a platform with a means of spreading her love of stand-up comedy.
“I’ve always been surrounded with comedy, and it has always been important to me,” Baldwin said. Later, in March 2018, Baldwin became the first president to put on a showcase.
It was an all-female showcase called “Funny Women Welcome,” where both club members and local comedians performed. At the time, Baldwin wanted aspiring female comedians to have a place to perform, since many stand-up comedy shows are male-dominated. (Unlike this, the Sept. 14 showcase was not intentionally all-female.)
The members enjoyed the open nature of Rocky’s as a venue. — students could come in and listen to the jokes while waiting in line or eating. UR Stand-Up Comedy Club also gave out free chips and drinks to audience members.
The next showcase will be hosted on Oct. 19 at 10 p.m. in Starbucks. There will also be monthly showcases held in the Welles-Brown Room in Rush Rhees Library. Domingo said she is excited to bring her set to a “really fancy, silent, and serious room.”
When asked about his experience as a viewer, first-year Gerald Maqui, who had never before been to a stand-up event, was pleasantly surprised. “The jokes were racier than what I was expecting, but very funny nonetheless,” he said. “I know nothing about stand-up comedy, but I enjoyed it.”
