Photo: Milwaukee Improv - Facebook
Milwaukee Improv
Though open mic nights for aspiring comedians and established comics looking to hone fresh shtick occur at many locations throughout greater Milwaukee, not many offer the possibility to become a headliner at the same venue. But one of the area's newest open mics offer gives at least a glimmer of that prospect.
“We’re always watching to see who has a well-developed set and who may be ready to host a show here at the Improv," says Marketing and Events Manager Aly Mitchell of the famed comedy club chain’s Brookfield location (in The Corners of Brookfield), “but the main focus is to build a community where talent can develop among their local comedy scene and community; we don’t view it as an Improv audition, per se.”
That community has been developing since the location’s first open mic on Oct. 28, 2021. It continues to develop its culture most every Thursday, evening at 6:15 p.m. “unless otherwise noted on our website,” stipulates Mitchell of the weekly event in The Improv's smaller, more intimate space called The Lab.
Smaller, Intimate Space
Of the 100-sear sort of venue-within-a-venue, and its function for the open mic held there, Mitchell offers, “The Lab is a smaller, more intimate space, and everyone attending an open mic knows that the comedians on stage are working out new material or honing in on their set. The crowd reactions are honest, but everyone’s there for the same reason. Many of the comedians know each other, so they may egg them on or poke fun if something doesn’t land; but it’s all from a place of support.”
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Though The Lab’s open mic is one of the rare, dedicated comedy club events in the area open that’s not only free to attend as welcomes all ages, that doesn’t mean its participating talent need not feel restricted to material that would kill at a family buffet in Branson.
“While the event is open to people under 21, we don’t limit the potential subject matter of comedians,” Mitchell explains. And she adds, “Given the main focus of an open mic is working on material and developing new talent, we wanted to make sure anyone who wanted to come and get stage time could.”
‘Bucket Mic’
While attendees won’t necessarily know the kinds of comedy they will encounter at The Improv's Lab any given Thursday, they can avail themselves to special food and drink deals. The comedy accompanying whatever drinking and dining attendees engage in comes in no set order. Thank the bucket for that.
As Mitchell clarifies, “We run our night as a ‘bucket mic.’ Each comic gets a four-minute set, then the host pulls a new name and the next person comes up. It’s a fairly quick process, and we’ve been able to get 20-plus people on stage a night.”
Stand-ups playing and comedy lovers attending The Lab’s open mic may not only be surprised at the order comics go on stage, but what else The Improv may offer while they’re there. Mitchell promotes the possibility of the unexpected when she says, “We’re always looking for new ways to promote our venue and our events, so you never know what we might come up with or offer on a particular night!”
