Chicago Comedians Are Great in Nightclubs

Paul Frisbie

Clubs
Entertainers start out in nightclubs, get very good at it, and most continue to do some nightclub work even after they've moved on to more lucrative venues. Nightclubs are fun. We'll gladly canvass our acts to see who is interested in playing your nightclub, and you'll be surprised at the caliber of the talent that will turn out to be available. The routing may work -- he or she was going to be in the area that week anyway. Maybe there's a big audition coming up, and the act wants to be as rehearsed as possible. Entertainers will pick up a gig just so friends from the old neighborhood can come see them. They'll do it to test a few bits of new material before they take it to TV -- and you get the rest of the act at bargain rates. Never settle for weak entertainment -- the serious professionals are far more available than you might think.

Bear in mind that we won't send our people out to do hell gigs. A comedy or magic show show isn't like hiring a DJ or band. It's a show -- like a play -- and it must be presented that way. We can't work with you if your audience won't be seated and paying attention. Everyone in the show room must be able to see the stage. We'll expect you to shut down your pool tables, turn off your televisions and ask your employees to lower their voices. If your bar is a place where you can't do these things, then we can't send you professionals. You'll have to make do with the amateurs who are still happy to get the stage time. (They don't care if it's a disaster -- they want the practice.).

Do your show on a night that would otherwise have been slow. If Friday is already rocking, why change it? You're already making money. Choose a slow night where you need to build business. You won't be interfering with existing sales. Instead, you'll be creating a whole new revenue stream.

And don't be shy about asking us for advertising and promotional advice. If you're planning to start a comedy night, for example, talk to us about what it takes to get it off the ground. We've been doing this a long time, so we'll gladly coach you about cost-effective strategies that will help you get the word out.