Join host Manny Petty for an evening of laughs at our all-star comedy showcase of talented stand-up comedians from all across the U.S., hand-selected by industry expert Randy Lubas.
HOST
MANNY PETTY (he/him) is a Chicago-based Stand-Up Comedian and Musician somewhere between Tom Petty and a Mani-Pedi. He is a first-generation Sicilian-American, happily gay-married househusband, and former punk rocker turned clown. Manny is the writer and performer of Thirst Trap Salon at the Newport Theater and has headlined shows at The Laugh Factory, Laugh It Uptown, Laughs at Atmosphere, and The Comedy Clubhouse. He will host the first all-star showcase on Friday at 5:30pm.
FEATURED COMEDIANS
Alex Kaufman is a standup comedian currently living in Bozeman, Montana. After contemplating the heat death of the universe while studying for a physics PhD, he realized telling jokes was more fun than solving real problems. Now he can be found performing across the Northwest United States. Alex has hosted at Spokane Comedy club, is a regular feature at Last Best Comedy, and participated in the Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival.
Alex Taylor (A.T.) began stand-up comedy five years ago in Cincinnati, OH and appeared in Cincinnati's Brew Ha-Ha Comedy Festival. He went on to move to New York City where he was able to work alongside prominent comics. He appeared on a show featured in the New York Comedy Festival, as well as being passed by a few acclaimed New York Comedy Clubs.
Beto DurOn is a former Wall Street investment banker. He found his true calling in comedy after moving from the bustling streets of New York City to the heart of the Midwest. With a background rooted in the US-Mexico border, he brings a unique perspective to the stage, blending sharp wit with insightful observations about life and culture.
Bill Chadwick has been telling stories from the pulpit for nearly fifty years, and from comedy stages for the past five years. Bill has recently sold out shows at Excelsior 318 Café and Music Venue, and at The Hive Collaborative in St. Paul. In addition, he regularly provides entertainment at churches and housing communities. He is the author of Still Laughing, Still Learning (Still Looking for a Good Title): Mostly True Stories of Family, Friends, Faith & Foibles. It was awarded the Silver Medal in the category of Non-fiction Humor by the Midwest Book Awards, and recently was named “Best First Book” by the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
Bryan Jacobson got his start at the famous Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret and has been a fixture at Twin Cities comedy clubs and open mics. He won Strike Theater’s Story Slam, and does storytelling and comedy on topics, such as being dragged into age 50, becoming the world’s best parent, and committing petty arson as a teenager. He’s 49, has an ancient dog, a kid, and a wife. She’s from Bulgaria. It’s a country. It’s in Eastern Europe.
Cianna Violet is a Latina comedian from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born and raised in the Twin Cities area, she developed a love for comedy early on, and has always found joy in making people laugh! Cianna is sarcastic and observant; she finds humor in everyday situations and loves sharing those stories with audiences. She has performed in clubs and theaters around the country, and hosts and produces concept shows in the Twin Cities. In 2023, Cianna was selected as one of Racket MN’s Comics to watch, and has worked with headliners such as Caitlin Peluffo, Gavin Matts, and Josh Gondleman.
Jamal Coleman is a tour-de-force comedian, actor, producer, freestyle rapper, and improviser. He is also a radio show producer and founder of the "Silly Ass Podcast." An idea on a napkin that he landed on the legendary Kevin Smith's "Toad Hop Network." He's worked with prominent outlets such as Mother Jones, LA Talk Radio, Jeff Garcia’s podcast, and Da Breaks Podcast. On top of his impressive comedy resume, Jamal has won comedy freestyle rap battles and performed on ABC, CBS, and VH1. Now with a residency in Vegas, Jamal is delivering the funny weekly at LA Comedy Club.
James P. Connolly has appeared on America’s Got Talent, Comedy Central, HBO, in the Netflix series, “Larry Charles: Dangerous World of Comedy, and can be heard daily on multiple Sirius XM Comedy Channels. He attended Harvard University on a Marine Corps ROTC Scholarship and, while serving in Desert Storm, was ordered to write jokes for his Colonel. Arriving in Hollywood, James began to perform at LA’s major comedy venues and soon popped up on television, commercials, and in small films. He has a new Dry Bar Comedy Special “Acceptable Loss” streaming now on the Dry Bar Comedy App and on YouTube.
Jess Misitano hails from the windy city of Chicago, where she honed her comedy skills at some of the city's best clubs, including Zanies, Comedy Bar, and The Laugh Factory. She's opened for some pretty big names in the comedy world, including Uncle Lazer, Sam Tallent, and Ari Shaffir. Jess has also taken her comedy chops to the Austin scene at the infamous Creek and the Cave, Comedy Mothership, and The Vulcan. She's also done Zanies in Nashville. But don't let her goofy demeanor fool you, Jess's comedy can be dark, twisted, and oh-so-satisfying, like a great night out with a chocolate-covered scorpion.
As a married parent of twin daughters and a graduate student in mental health counseling, Jessica Phillips isn't afraid to laugh at life's most awkward moments and share hilarious stories that everyone can relate to. With quick wit and a friendly vibe, she finds humor in everyday situations that make us cringe. Jessica comes from a diverse performance background in improv, theater, and film, and she brings a refreshing twist to the comedy scene.
In Joe Tidd's short journey through comedy, he has headlined clubs including The Market Lounge, Decibel at On the Roxx, and The Drop Comedy Club, and has been featured at the Waulegan Comedy Festival, World Series of Comedy, Co-host of "Mic Night with John and Joe", and Co-Founder of DIY Comedy Café in Elkhart, Indiana. He is widely known as a cornerstorm of the Michiana comedy scene. Joe has featured for comedians such as Kevin Farley, Jeff Webb, Chris Kattan, and many other national headliners. Joe has performed in two countries and has even done comedy during a tornado. His comedy is a mixture of storytelling and shock comedy.
Nicole Swisher is a Nashville-based comedian. Nicole produces and hosts a monthly standup comedy show, Cheaper Than Therapy, at Third Coast Comedy Club. On August 22, Cheaper Than Therapy will be featured at the Lab at Zanies Nashville. In her spare time, Nicole is still a lawyer.
Patrick Bean grew up in New Jersey and quickly developed a sharp sense of humor. Always seeing the world a little differently than everyone else around him, Patrick started sharing his humorous thoughts on stage at the age of 16, performing throughout the NJ/NY/PA area. Although he now resides in Arizona, the east coast temperament comes out onstage while sharing his observations and telling stories from his life. He has opened for Rich Vos, Joey Kola, Don Jamieson, and Mike Marino. Patrick is also one of the comedians featured in the "Zen Comedy," a comedy special streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Phil Kolas has been a comedian for over 13 years in Minneapolis. He's featured and headlined shows, he's performed in a few festivals, mostly around the midwest (Minneapolis, Des Moines, Cleveland, and even one in Anchorage), and he's even won 1st in a few roast battles. He wears mostly metal band t-shirts, and took 19 years to complete a philosophy degree. Which basically just means he has a mind for super nerdy useless facts, and also wishes he was a singer in a band.
Todd Skoda blends sharp observational humor with a touch of absurdity, with a knack for turning everyday situations into laugh-out-loud moments. He has been a runner up in both Acme’s and House of Comedy’s Funniest Person contests. He has witty takes on relationships, technology, and the quirks of daily life. His performances are marked by clever wordplay, relatable anecdotes, and a delivery that keeps audiences engaged and laughing from start to finish.
Waddling all the way from Nebraska, Zach Krueger delivers one-liners about life as a big guy and experiences working in healthcare. His dark observations and off the wall analogies are guaranteed to have the crowd in stitches. A wizard of wordplay and unique descriptions of the mundane have audiences howling across the Midwest.
