For anyone feeling overwhelmed by class registration and upcoming finals, Comedy Corner is offering a solution that will make you laugh out loud.
The 17th Annual Southwest Intergalactic Comedy Kermis (SICK) Comedy Festival, being held tonight at 7 p.m. in Social Sciences room 100, will feature several different comedy troupes including Arizona State University’s Barren Mind and Farce Side, in addition to the UA’s Comedy Corner.
Media arts senior and Comedy Corner member Katie Gault said the SICK Comedy Festival will have something for everyone, including intelligent humor, sight gags and physical humor. “”Whatever kind of humor you like, you’re gonna like what you see on Friday,”” she said.
Even so, it’s not easy to stand up in front of strangers and make them laugh, media arts senior, Amy Wieseneck said.
A typical Comedy Corner member puts in eight to 10 hours a week.
“”We write and do a sketch show every Friday,”” she said. “”So we have quick turnaround time where we have a show on Friday, write on Sunday, rehearse on Monday and Wednesday.””
The group also has to find time to practice improv for their hour-long, weekly, Wednesday improv show held at 9:30 p.m. in the Cellar Bistro, Wieseneck said.
Daniel Kirby, an interdisciplinary studies senior and Comedy Corner producer, said he saw the shows as a freshman and wanted to join.
“”I really enjoyed it, it was funny and I thought it was awesome our campus had something like this … one day, I decided I wanted to try it out too,”” he said.
Gault said she joined the group to make friends after she transferred to the UA from a two-year college.
No matter their reasons for joining, members said they’ve gotten a lot out of the group.
“”I aspire to be a writer after college and I aspire to do comedy after college so Comedy Corner is a great way to develop that skill set,”” Kirby said.
Gault said her stand up experience has helped her for whenever she has to write and come up with ideas in her classes.
“”I’m already like ten steps ahead of everyone else,”” she said. “”My brain is set that way because of Comedy Corner.””
Still, Comedy Corner members said they aren’t just in it to prepare for life after college.
“”I really just love making people laugh. That’s always the best part,”” Gault said. “”When I get a laugh or something, a huge laugh from the entire audience, that’s always the best thing and a really good feeling.””
Wieseneck said the SICK comedy festival is “”going to be guaranteed laughs.””
“”There’s nothing else like it that would ever come to UA,”” she said. “”There’s no other big student comedy performance like it.””