The spring edition of Local Grins lists upcoming tour stops by national stars and digs into the flurry of shows featuring West Michigan comedians at varied locations. It’s your one-stop shop for laughs.
‘Laughter in the Face of Fear’: ‘High Score Comedy’ delivers plenty of laughs for attendees. (Courtesy Photo/Beats by Mae)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Local Spins regularly rounds up area comedy news and upcoming shows with “Local Grins,” a spotlight on the region’s comedy scene compiled by writer and comedy maven Virginia Anzengruber.
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Email comments, questions and show additions virginia.anzengruber@gmail.com. View full comedy show listings across the region online here.
“Alright boys, just like the captain said… nice and cheery.”
Keen readers might notice this is the first Local Grins column in months. It’s not for lack of funny folks or events in West Michigan. It’s honestly not even for lack of trying. Seemingly every time I’ve opened my computer lately to dedicate time to writing about laughter, a new horror crosses my screen.
Domestically and abroad, news feeds are filled with war, shootings, political discord, humanitarian disasters and pain.
I gotta be honest: a lot of times doing comedy feels like being a jester right now.
Do you remember in “Game of Thrones” during the Battle of Blackwater, when Dontos the Fool was in the hold with the women juggling to entertain them while the walls around them shook with war? It’s kind of like that, only I’m nervously laughing on stage asking a room full of Americans if they think their GLP-1 farts will be a more cost-effective way to fuel their cars when gasoline eventually becomes a premium in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Juggle, spin plates, eat fire, shoot yourself out of a cannon, swallow your sword. The world may be burning, but this is fine, right?
The truth is that laughter is still a source of joy for me. Something I feel guilty over often. Why should I be so lucky as to be paid to make folks laugh when there are so many fresh hells we bear witness to each day? When absolutely nothing is funny, how do you find the funny? When the bleakness of reality is too heavy to distract yourself from it, how do you find light in the darkness?
I, for one, have started using my sets as small forms of protest. No melting jack-o-lantern candle of a dictator-president will take my laughs from me. Every time I can set up a joke and get to the punchline without bursting into tears is a tiny stand against fascism. Every time I get to tell jokes in a room full of friends and folks from my city, the energy we create in that room will never exist again, and we’re all creating it by being together – not just the comics on stage, but the audience sticking with us through it all. The sheer humanness of what it is to find joy amidst despair is a battle cry from those of us who have the capacity to hold the tension points together. Yes, the walls might be shaking, but watch me juggle and laugh with me in the face of fear.
So, we have a lot to cover today.
Comedy Scores High at The Pyramid Scheme – When longtime booker and producer Nate Dorough took on the role of talent buyer at The Pyramid Scheme, he knew a few things: he wanted to activate the front room with more than just pinball machines, he wanted to expand The Scheme’s footprint outside of their flagship downtown Grand Rapids bar and collaborate with larger venues in the city, and he wanted to bet big on something unexpected for the longtime music venue: more live comedy.
Rory Scovel (Photo/Virginia Anzengruber)
A veteran of the music industry, Dorough has forged a career and flourishing family life in Michigan, and the proof is in the comedic pudding: He’s brought dozens of industry heavyweights to Grand Rapids and beyond. Dorough’s resume includes names like Hannibal Buress, Tig Notaro, Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker, Reggie Watts, Leslie Jones, Brian Posehn, Welcome To Night Vale podcast, Henry Rollins, Kyle Kinane, Samantha Bee, Rory Scovel, Denis Leary, Tony Hinchcliffe, Chris Gethard, Jen Kirkman, Grace Helbig, Jim Norton, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, Bobby Bones, Lil Dicky, Tape Face, Puddles Pity Party, Doug Stanhope, Trae Crowder, Todd Barry, Mega64, Potterless Podcast, Off Book – The Musical, Podcast About List, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, Jimmy Dore, Daniel Thrasher, Neil Hilborn, Michelle Wolf, Piff the Magic Dragon, Matt Braunger, Kurt Braunohler, Robert Kelly, Stavros Halkias, Beth Stelling and Dustin Nickerson.
The show closest to his heart? The recently revamped free monthly showcase, “High Score Comedy,” hosted by Local Grins (Virginia Anzengruber), New World Comedy and A La Carte Comedy. This free show highlights local and regional comics making waves in West Michigan and beyond while allowing folks a unique opportunity: The last 15 minutes of each show are dedicated to 60-second slots that cannot be pre-scheduled; you show up, sign up, go up. The format of the show gives audiences two different experiences, more seasoned and senior comics doing 7 minutes each with the excitement and improvisation of minute-long sets from folks who might have never told a joke on stage before.
“High Score Comedy has been such a cool thing for The Scheme to kind of get back involved on a grass-roots level with the West Michigan comedy community,” he says. “As the world has changed and independent businesses have to shift strategies to keep the lights on, The Scheme had sort of lost touch with local comics, and it’s been great to use this as a connection point, hopefully leading to a clear path for those that are doing well with High Score Comedy to open for some of these bigger name comedians, not only at The Scheme, but at the Wealthy [Street Theatre], Big Room [at Silva], and Fountain Street Church.”
High Score Comedy: Alastair Watt at a recent show. (Courtesy Photo/Beats by Mae)
He adds: “The idea of a ‘ladder’ is a major goal of any promoter, to help artists (whether musicians or comedians) take steps in growing their careers. Not to mention, it’s just fun to get together and tell/listen to jokes, and comedy’s more important than ever as the world burns.”
Folks can check out the free-admission High Score Comedy monthly in the front room at The Pyramid Scheme, with the next two shows on Thursday (April 2) and May 17. The shows start at 8 p.m. West Michigan comedy fans can rejoice because The Pyramid Scheme is taking jokes very seriously. Check out their upcoming comedy schedule online here, with more shows announcing soon:
● April 2, High Score Comedy at The Pyramid Scheme (Free)
● May 17, High Score Comedy at The Pyramid Scheme (Free)
● October 17, Beth Stelling with Virginia Anzengruber at The Pyramid Scheme
● November 19, Dustin Nickerson at The Pyramid Scheme
Kalamazoo Comedy is Having a Pizza Party – The Kalamazoo comedy scene has long been fostered by the hilarious Bob Fredericks. The comedian and producer is a veteran of local comedy, and recently has been thinking about a new format for jokes. At 8 p.m. April 23 at Old Dog Tavern, Fredericks launches Pizza Party, “a monthly comedy residency that feels less like a performance and more like a house party. It’s a return to the basics: great people, cold drinks, and shared laughter. With free slices and a free show, it’s the ultimate low-risk, high-reward night out. Whether you’re a comedy die-hard or just hungry for connection, pull up a chair and join the Pizza Party. The revolution starts with a slice.”
Producing a free show that gives its audience free pizza (limited, on a first-come first-served basis) in the middle of our current economy is more than just a unique business model: It’s a bid for comedy as connection.
“I’ve spent 15 years producing and attending shows, and I always told myself that if I started something new, it had to be more than just a comedy night,” Frederik explains. “Looking around this familiar space with people I’ve known for years, I realized what I’ve been craving since 2020. A place to truly belong. That’s the heart of Pizza Party. It’s a dedicated third space for us to connect, laugh and perform, regardless of experience level. We’re offering a bit of mystery, a lot of community, and plenty of free pizza to bring us all back together.”
Fredericks hopes to bring the pop-up nature of Pizza Party to more venues around Kalamazoo, creating community one laugh and one slice at a time. Follow Pizza Party Comedy on Facebook for upcoming show details.
Out Loud Comedy Returns for a Supersized Second Year – After a sold-out inaugural event in 2025, the organizers of Out Loud Comedy, a fundraiser show in support of The Grand Rapids Pride Center and The Grand Rapids Trans Foundation, knew that they needed to do something bigger in their sophomore year. Comedians Gwen Badgley and Zach Jacobs (and team) are expanding to a full weekend event this year, with Out Loud Comedy 2026 happening on June 5-6 at The Comedy Project at 540 Leonard St NW B in Grand Rapids. You can follow them on Instagram for the latest updates including lineup announcements and ticket links.
Man V. Machine Pits Human Comedians Against AI Competitors – Bob Dekker and Evan Koons are both humans. Or so they say. Dekker is the founder of Man V. Machine, “a Grand Rapids improv troupe staging monthly live comedy battles between human performers and artificial intelligence, with the audience voting on who wins.” Koons performs alongside Dekker (and a group of merry humans) each month, and together with the audience, they’ve created something “unlike anything else happening in West Michigan right now.”
Koons explains: “The show runs one Friday a month through June at Dog Story Theater. AI is already writing screenplays, generating pop songs, and passing bar exams. But can it make a room full of people laugh? Grand Rapids improvisers decided to find out and make it a fair fight. Here’s how it works: A live ensemble improvises a full 30-minute story built from three audience suggestions — an emotion, a location and a prop. Those same three prompts go to Gerald, our AI cast member (a mannequin-turned-digital dramatist), who generates his own 30-minute play. The actors perform Gerald’s script cold — teleprompters, stage, no prep. When the curtain falls, the audience votes in real time via QR code. Human gut versus machine logic. Every show, one winner.”
Simple right? Dekker isn’t so sure. “Dog Story Theater seats only about 40 people, and audiences have been growing show to show. The votes have been tight every time — Gerald isn’t just a gimmick. He’s genuinely testing the mettle of some of West Michigan’s most experienced performers, and audiences are split on who’s winning the future of comedy.”
The ensemble cast for Man V. Machine includes Bob Dekker — Show creator, 30-year River City Improv veteran; Mary Jane Pories — Second City Detroit alum, teacher, award-winning improviser; Evan Koons — Actor/writer (Camp Manna, NBC’s Chicago Fire, Chicago PD) Josh Heller — Co-founder of Plant-Parenthood, cast member and instructor at The Comedy Project; Saxony Matousek — Comedian, improviser, Second City graduate; Shane Sievers — The Comedy Project instructor who plays Gerald, the AI cast member, and member of comedy group Pants; Russ Roozeboom — River City Improv alum, Actors’ Theatre and Circle Theatre alum, Comedy Project Revue cast member.
Upcoming Dates: Friday (April 3), May 8 and June 5. All shows are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and more information are available at manvmachine.net.
Sober Comedy Returns to Scorpion Hearts Club – Perfect for fans of stand up comedy who prefer sober spaces, the Scorpion Farts Club Comedy Show at Scorpion Hearts Club coffee shop in Grand Rapids is the perfect antidote to late-night bar shows. I (Virginia Anzengruber) host this monthly showcase of the funniest comics in the state, featuring a fun comedy themed drink special to accompany each show. The perfect date night or sober hang. Come laugh and support local comedy in one of the best coffee shops in Grand Rapids.
Upcoming shows and lineups: Wednesday (April 1), Brianna Blackburn, Brittany Melvin, Nicole Gilbert; May 6, Nicole Melnyk, Emily Clark, Sean Francis; and June 3, Sam Rager, Juliana Loera-Wiggins, Donovan Tesin. More information can be found by following Virginia Anzengruber on Instagram. All shows at 7 p.m. Tickets are just $7 and available on Eventbrite.
Big Names and Big Laughs Rolling Through West Michigan – While the local comedy scene is always brewing with hilarious regional talent, Grand Rapids will also say hello to some pretty major acts when they stop by on their respective tours this year — including a couple stars firing up the new Acrisure Amphitheater. Check out the non-comprehensive list of national acts swinging through West Michigan and click the links for tickets and show details.
● Saturday (April 4), Daniel Tosh at Devos Performance Hall
● April 11, Stavros Halkias, GLC Live at 20 Monroe
● April 16-18, Derrick Stroup, Dr. Grins Comedy Club
● April 17, Kathleen Madigan, GLC Live at 20 Monroe
● April 18, We Them Ones Tour ft. Mike Epps, Van Andel Arena
● April 23-25, Jay Jurden, Dr. Grins Comedy Club
● May 28-30, Sam Tallent, Dr. Grins Comedy Club
● June 18-20, Erica Rhodes, Dr. Grins Comedy Club
● July 3, Weird Al Yankovic, Acrisure Amphitheater
● August 1, Nate Bargatze, Van Andel Arena
● September 12, John Mulaney & Friends, Acrisure Amphitheater
Local Grins is assembled by writer and comedy devotee Virginia Anzengruber. Email comments, questions and show additions to virginia.anzengruber@gmail.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
The Comedy Project – The Comedy Project (TCP) is a comedy theater and moonshine bar in Grand Rapids’ vibrant Westside Business District, Joe Anderson and Kristin Kendall helm TCP and foster an incredible community of comedic performers and writers right here in West Michigan. Anderson, a veteran of improvisational theater training, created The Comedy Project’s Training Center Program, which “provides training in Improvisation, Sketch Comedy and Stand-Up Comedy.” They host private events, and their slate of weekly sketch and improv comedy shows can be found at https://thecomedyproject.com/shows/.
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