Corvallis has the chance to attract nationally-touring comedians on regular basis. That’s the hope of Dusty Smith, who started Corvallis Comedy Night with the Majestic Theater. If the first show on October 20 with Sara Schaefer and opener Mohanad Elshieky from Portland is a success, then Corvallis could become a regular stop for comedians.
After living in Los Angeles for ten years and seeing two shows a week at the many comedy venues in the city, Smith came to Corvallis. Once here, he noticed the lack comedians, but always wondered about the potential. After bugging his partner with the idea for a couple years, Smith finally decided to try and see if he could set up a show.
The Majestic was immediately open to the idea. Smith thinks it will be the perfect venue for touring comedians as it’s about the same size as a comedy club.
Smith is treating the first show with Schaefer as an “experiment.” If it goes off well and gets a good crowd, it would show that Corvallis could support touring comedians on a regular basis. At this point, Smith is thinking Corvallis could handle about one show every two months.
If it takes off, Smith wants to “find comedians that fit with the town.” Coming from LA, his template is venues like UCB Theater, Largo, and the Meltdown who get acts that are smart and a bit political, but still accessible enough to be funny no matter what.
While it’s easy to find almost any comedian online now, it’s not quite the same as seeing them live. “Laughter is infectious,” Smith told me, “being at a show in person can’t be replicated on TV or online.”
Let’s make this happen, Corvallis.
By Andy Hahn
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