ON FEB. 26, Comedy Cebu successfully welcomed the community to its first ever open mic show at Kukuk’s Nest Bar and Restaurant along Gorordo Avenue.
Comedy Cebu founder Gary Jackson hosted the event and also shared with the audience the history and objective of Comedy Cebu as Cebu’s first point-of-view standup comedy group.
Comedy Cebu is the first and only Filipino and international point-of-view standup comedy group in Cebu.
They bring in Filipino and international guest comics from all over the world monthly, to bring world-class comedy entertainment to Cebuanos and to also let the world discover more of Cebu through the experiences of visiting standup comedians.
Most comedy establishments and groups in the Philippines practice gay/insult comedy. Comedy Cebu aims to cater a different kind of comedy in Cebu, which has already been very popular for a long time now in other cities, not only in Asia, but also around the world. Filipino audiences used to only enjoy observational comedy through watching clips of their favorite standup comedians, such as Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, Russell Peters and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, on YouTube.
The goal of Comedy Cebu is not only to bring in guest comedians to Cebu but also to cultivate the local appreciation and talent for observational standup comedy.
Comedy Cebu, in partnership with artists’ haven Kukuk’s Nest, will be holding Open Mic Nights every Thursday at the same venue from 8:30 p.m. onwards.
Also, on the Thursday night preceding Comedy Cebu’s monthly performance nights on Friday and Saturday featuring international guests, the open mic will be considered a contest to search for the most promising comedian to join Comedy Cebu and be featured as opening act of the said special guests.
Everyone is invited to join, or just watch, the open mic performances every Thursday night at Kukuk’s Nest, 124 Gorordo Ave., Lahug, and have a great night filled with laughter with family and friends. The shows are open to everyone aged 16 and above.
For everyone who are thinking about trying the open mic stage, here are some guidelines for preparing your material:
Directly insulting or making fun of an audience member will not be allowed. Comedy Cebu practices point-of-view/observational comedy.
Every open mic-er is allowed 5-10 minutes (3 minutes for monthly contests), so participants are encouraged to prepare a tight set.
English is the preferred language to be used by open mic-ers onstage, but mixed Tagalog/Cebuano-English sets will also be allowed.
Participants are advised to refrain from using three of the easiest comedy subjects: Porn, masturbation and sex. Being “dirty” during sets is definitely not prohibited, but creativity without the heavy push of blue material will be appreciated.
Swearing or cussing will be allowed, but participant are also encouraged to rely minimally on explicit language so as to make them more resourceful when it comes to material writing and delivery.
For any inquiries, contact Iris at +639052487908 or email comedycebu@gmail.com. You can also tweet them @ComedyCebu or message them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ComedyCebu. Comedy Cebu’s regular comedy shows, announcements and radio interviews are also posted up on comedycebu.com. ADVT