INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Pumping out the laughs

If you’re looking to catch live comedy on stage, Indianapolis has lots of options. Four comedy clubs and a well-regarded improv troupe are pumping out the laughs on a weekly basis and a handful of ancillary players regularly sprinkle the calendar with a variety of other offerings. Comedy Sportz (721 Massachusetts Ave., 951-8499) The team-oriented improv ensemble celebrated 10 years in business this last year, redecorated their Mass Avenue theater and continued to offer one of the most varied playbills in town. The Comedy Sportz improv show is a weekly all-ages staple. The group also offers more adult-themed improvisational shows on a rotating basis. Woody Rau has produced a number of his stage shows for Comedy Sportz, the most recent of which, The Indy Star Lite Express – an improvised musical based on the news of the day, was a good example of the creatively quirky pieces for which he’s become known. Although there is never a strict schedule, Rau can counted on to come up with something unexpected each year. Consistently at the apex of the Comedy Sportz calendar are the long form improvised soap operas from Circle City Secrets. Creative director Chris Bauman doesn’t just push buttons; he tweaks Hoosier icons and sensibilities to full comic effect. The group aims for four soaps a year and the next installment should appear early this fall. Comedy Clubs With four comedy clubs, the laugh market in Indianapolis is saturated. Although it still isn’t nurturing a lot of homegrown talent, Indy has become a frequent stop for top touring comedians. Somewhat surprisingly, Indy is home to a handful of top national acts. Scott Long, Dan Davidson, Kevin Burke and Troy Davis are all home-teamers who frequently perform in town. Dave Dugan, Mel Fine, Eric Shorts and Mary Armstrong are other names to watch for if you are interested in seeing local comedians at the top of their game. Crackers (6281 N. College Ave., 255-4211 and 247 S. Meridian St., 631-3536), with locations in Broadripple and downtown, is the 800-pound gorilla of local comedy clubs. General manager Ruth-Anne Herber-Bunting, knows her business and Crackers continuously pulls in the biggest names and brightest stars to play Naptown. The Funny Bone (3625 E. 96th St., 844-0300), which opened last November, is the newest comedy club in town. Like a lot of things on the North side, the club is a little too spacious and a little too sterile, but generally evokes high quality. Names to look for include: Heywood Banks (Sept. 18-21), a Bob and Tom regular, has appeared on A&E’s Evening at the Improv, MTV’s Half Hour Comedy Hour, CNN’s Hollywood Minute, Caroline’s Comedy Hour, and the 12th Annual HBO Young Comedians Special. John Caponera (Oct. 2-5) is the former star of his own sitcom, The Good Life and the host of the Comedy Central sport show Jocks and ESPN’s Talk II. Caponera does spot on impersonations, including former Cubbie broadcaster Harry Carey. One Liners (50 Airport Parkway in Greenwood, 889-5233), progeny of local funny guy Dave “The King” Wilson, has more character than any other club in town. Always worth the drive south. High points on the coming schedule include: Wild Bill Bauer (Sept. 24-28), is another Bob and Tom favorite. Will Bill touches on some extremely dark and taboo topics in his act, but does it profanity-free. T.P. Mulrooney, the “Golf Comic,” (Nov. 19-23) has been performing for 18 years, with most of that time spent holding golf by the ankles, shaking it until all the laughs fall out of its pockets. Dow Thomas (Dec. 3-7) offers a gumbo of stand-up, role playing and music that includes Christmas carols and masks. Indescribable, so I won’t try. See for yourself. Up and Comers There are a smattering of amateur nights and open mics around town including Mondays at the Melody Inn (3826 N. Illinois Ave., 923-4707) hosted by sharply-dressed and staunchly positive otto. Crackers in Broadripple boasts one of the longest running amateur nights in town every Tuesday. The Funny Bone also hosts an open mic night on Tuesdays. Odd and Ends Emens Hall on the Ball State campus is hosting legendary sour-puss George Carlin on Sept. 18. On the heels of Bob Newhart’s splendid show at the Murat this summer, comes another track from comedy’s greatest hits album: Tim Conway and Harvey Korman are appearing at the Murat on Oct. 26. Australian diva Dame Edna will be at the Murat from Nov. 4-9 with her stage show, A Night with Dame Edna.