Feel The Byrne
McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre is stepping up our game this week with fun entertainment, top-notch comedians, and extra events to knock your socks off! Not only is this week looking good, we have our year planned and want to highlight some upcoming artists that will be joining us in the course of the next few months. Get your calendars ready and save these dates because you’re not going to want to miss what’s happening, only at McCurdy’s!
Danny Bevins Jan. 15, 16, & 19
Sometimes we arrive by taking the long way around, and in Danny Bevins’ case, his route was full of material for his future as a comedian. Danny came from a Jesus freak and a Green Beret and has been making waves since he first appeared on this planet. Somewhere between being arrested, fined, fired, beaten up and excommunicated, Danny saw the humor in it all. Now he shares that astounding sense of humor with all of us when he performs on elite stages like Gotham Comedy Live, Billy Gardell Presents Road Dogs: Chicago, Red Light Comedy: Live From Amsterdam, TBS’ Sullivan And Son, Comics On Duty: We Love You Mrs. Bevins. As producer of American Wiseass and Winner of the 2000 San Francisco Comedy Competition, Danny brings funny to a whole new level. Catch him Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday this week at McCurdy’s!
Steve Byrne Jan. 17 & 18
Versatility is an important quality in entertainment, and Steve Byrne has it in spades. Born to a Korean mother and Irish father, Steve’s life has been defined by versatility, providing material for his first television show, TBS’ Sullivan and Son. From his documentary film “Always Amazing” to the feature film he wrote and directed, “The Opening Act,” and with four stand-up specials released, Steve is currently one of the industry’s most innovative and sought-after comedians. After beginning his career in local New York City comedy clubs, he won the 2006 TBS cutthroat comedy competition, Stand Up or Sit Down Comedy Challenge and his career blossomed.
A true international comedian, Byrne has performed to sold-out crowds around the world. He has been a featured comic at the Just for Laughs Festival (in Montreal, Toronto and Chicago), HBO’s US Comedy Arts Festival in Las Vegas and the CanWest Comedy Fest in Vancouver. He has been part of several national comedy tours including The Jameson Comedy Tour, Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Tour, The Kims of Comedy, The Camel Cigarettes Sin City Tour, and his own national Myspace Comedy tour. Byrne even had the honor of opening for popular musical acts such as Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Modest Mouse, Puddle of Mudd, Spoon, Rev. Horton Heat and many more. As a big supporter of the US troops, Steve also headlined several USO tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan and Guam.
Catch the amazingly talented and always funny Steve Byrne on Friday and Saturday night this week at McCurdy’s!
Open Mic Night Jan. 15
On Wednesday evening, be sure to stick around in our Green Room Lounge after Danny’s show for our Open Mic Night. Beginning at 9pm, this show features 10 amateur comedians performing 5 minute sets. Some professionals even stop by occasionally to work on new material. This is a great chance to see raw talent in its early stages! There’s no cover or minimum purchase, but audience members must be 18 with a valid picture ID.
Beneva Fruitville’s Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza Jan. 19
After the Danny Bevins, stick around to play a little bingo… and enjoy big laughs. The Beneva Fruitville Drag Queen Bingo Bonanza is everyone’s favorite naughty show. As Sarasota’s longest running live show, these queens-of-the-stage know how to get the crowd going and include more than a few surprises along the way. Bingo games are called throughout the night, with prizes provided by Kinky Kitty. It’s a show that brings the laughter and cheekiness with it for a night you won’t forget! Join us Sunday night, Jan. 19, and see what makes this an experience like none other.
Upcoming Celebrities
Check out the amazing talent we plan to see in the next few months on our stage and make plans now to stop by for these incredible shows!
Mitch Fatel: Best Comedian at the HBO Aspen Comedian Festival and rave reviews for his Comedy Central debut earned Mitch several appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, and Howard Stern. Catch him later this month at McCurdy’s!
Shane Mauss: Combining stand-up comedy, science and psychedelics, Shane brings a unique and often trippy show to our stage in late January, including scientists and plenty of “Aha!” moments as well as “ha-ha!” ones.
Sinbad: With decades of stardom under his belt, Sinbad has been ranked by Comedy Central as one of the “Top 100 Greatest Standups of All Time.” From Disney Channel to HBO to Comedy Central, Sinbad is everywhere and this month, he’s at McCurdy’s!
Jeff Dye: The host of NBC’s show, Better Late Than Never, nationally touring comedian, actor, host, prankster and bigfoot enthusiast, Jeff Dye has been seen on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and finished third on Last Comic Standing, earning himself a Comedy Central Presents special. Check him out when he visits McCurdy’s in February!
Ryan Hamilton: Fresh from rural Idaho to the comedic scenes in New York City, this one-of-a-kind comedian has recently released his first stand-up special. Be one of the first to spread the news about this up-and-coming comedian when you catch him in February at McCurdy’s!
Maryellen Hooper: Named “Female Comedian of the Year” at the American Comedy Awards, Maryellen’s hour-long standup show about wifedom and mommyhood will have you laughing so hard you’re crying. Discover a bit of the material to be found on her new comedy album, “Maryellen Hooper… Help Wanted” when you catch her live at McCurdy’s!
Bobby Collins: After opening for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cher, Julio Iglesias, Tony Bennett and Dolly Parton, it’s a real treat to have Bobby Collins return to the McCurdy’s stage. Bringing his razor-sharp wit and apt observances of the human condition to a point of hilarity, Bobby Collins will be the highlight of your week.
Steve O: With a background in stunt training thanks to a detour between college and adulting via the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Clown Circus, Steve O got his start with MTV’s hit stunt-reality TV show Jackass. Find out what makes this physical comedian such a riot when you check him out at McCurdy’s this spring!
Off The Clock Interview Jan. 16
If you stop by on Thursday evening, you’ll enjoy a bonus treat when Les McCurdy joins the comedians on-stage for our Off The Clock interview. This 15-20 minute interview with the comedians is a great way for audience members to get to know them more personally. There’s also a Q & A portion with the audience, so bring your questions about who they are, where they come from and how they got started in comedy!
To learn even more about our past and present entertainers, be sure to check out our podcast, The Conversation. These backstage interviews with our favorite comedians is an awesome, candid glimpse into what they’re really like, what gets them excited about performing stand-up comedy, and where they’re hoping to go next. Our newest one features L.A. Hardy, Matt Price, Corey Allman, Les McCurdy and Mike Stevens, comedians who love their audiences as much as their audiences love them, talking about the nuances of their art.
This week, start the New Year off right! Come out to McCurdy’s and enjoy professional, inspiring and witty amusement that will make you think and keep you laughing. Stop by, enjoy your evening, and laugh the night away- you never know what will happen at McCurdy’s!
