FACES TO KNOW
Get to know some of the veterans and up-and-comers on St. Louis’ growing comedy scene.
Mychael Anthony
Anthony got his start performing at the Westport Funny Bone in the late 2000s. After a couple years, he made the jump to Los Angeles to pursue comedy and acting professionally. There, he continued honing his craft and worked for TMZ. Anthony returned to St. Louis in 2020. Since then, he’s become a staple on the scene. “Now we have a city that is thriving with stand-up. People can get up multiple times on multiple nights to get better at the craft,” Anthony says. “I’m just grateful to see my city thriving… It’s exceeded my expectations in how great the city has gotten with stand-up, comedy, and entertainment.”
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Meredith Hopping
Hopping’s entrance to comedy came as a response to feeling out of control. She says that, while dealing with postpartum depression and the craziness of the 2016 election, she turned to comedy to make sense of things. Her material is “unapologetically herself,” and while nothing is off-limits, things rarely go beyond PG-13. She’s also at the forefront of ushering more women into the spotlight, hosting the monthly The Future Is Female showcase at the Heavy Anchor.
Precious J Dorsey
Dorsey has been performing around St. Louis for the past decade, but her star got even brighter when she won St. Louis’ Funniest Person competition at Helium in 2020. Dorsey not only makes audiences laugh but also connects with them through relatable stories. She is currently touring with 2023 Funniest Person Tonerio Brown.
COMICS ON COMICS
“ Tonerio Brown just won Helium’s Funniest Person in St. Louis 2023, and we started our own tour together. He’s really flourishing right now.” –Precious J Dorsey
Rafe Williams
A gifted stand-up and improviser, Williams has made a name for himself here and beyond. He recently joined The Rizzuto Show and has appeared in several local commercials. Williams’ 2020 album, Young Grandpa, offers a strong sampling of his material about his life, specifically the comedy that comes from being a 40-year-old grandfather.
JC Sibala
Sibala has been doing stand-up across the metro area for the past 12 years, originally coming up through the Funny Bone in Westport. He can be found performing at many venues, including hosting Wild Card at Platypus alongside Ronaldo Mercado and appearing on such local showcases such as This Is Casually Happening.
Will O’Donnell
Hailing from Louisiana, Missouri, O’Donnell first came on the scene in 2016 and won Helium’s Funniest Person in St. Louis title in 2022. O’Donnell has performed all across the Midwest with Greg Warren. He also hosts the podcast Riff, Laugh, Love with Ronaldo Mercado and Aaron Porter.
Tina Dybal
Dybal started off taking classes at the Improv Shop in 2015. Within that first year, she was hosting a weekend of shows at the newly opened Helium Comedy Club. That was just the beginning, though. “I feel like every year, every show, I am peeling a layer back and getting closer to what I want to do on stage,” Dybal says. When she first started, Dybal notes that the only real comedy club was the Funny Bone, but she’s seen the scene blossom in the intervening eight years. “Whether people know it or not, the scene has grown exponentially,” Dybal says. In addition to performing stand-up, Dybal also hosts the Slop City podcast with fellow comedian Libbie Higgins.
Bobby Jaycox
Jaycox is a fixture on local stages, primarily mining stories from awkward experiences in his life, his time working as a firefighter and EMT, and absurd daily moments. In addition to regular appearances around the city, Jaycox served as head monologue writer on Up Late St. Louis.
Purdy Bee
Bee started doing stand-up in her mid-40s and has forged her own path. Bee has performed all over St. Louis, appearing as part of The Future Is Female in summer 2023, Wild Card, and opening for fellow St. Louis comedian Will O’Donnell at Helium.
Ellie Kirchhoefer
Kirchhoefer only started doing stand-up in February 2022, but she is already a buzzed-about name. Less than a year into her career, she made it to the semifinals of Helium’s 2022 St. Louis’ Funniest Person competition.
Greg Warren
The veteran comedian is on the road a lot, but St. Louis is his home base. While he’s spent years on stages across the country, he would often perform at the Westport Funny Bone’s open mic nights while in town. “To me…the lifeblood of the St. Louis comedy scene has always been the Tuesday night open mic at the Westport Funny Bone,” Warren says. “That’s where I’ve built three specials’ worth of comedy.” This summer, Warren released The Salesman, a special directed and released by fellow comedian Nate Bargatze, detailing his time as a peanut butter salesman for Procter & Gamble. “You just gotta surround yourself with funny people,” Warren says. “I know the local comics, and when you’re just around a bunch of goofballs and misfits, you just start to get funnier.”
COMICS ON COMICS
“It takes a long time to get good at comedy, but I see a lot of potential: Tara Garrett, Emily Zell, Ellie Kirchhoefer… I was preceded by people who were really great, too: Kathleen Madigan, Lavell Crawford, Cedric the Entertainer.” –Greg Warren
NOW ON STAGE
From small showcases to storied stages, these local venues welcome some of the best in comedy throughout the year.
Performance Spaces
The Fox Theatre • 527 N. Grand
When it opened in 1929, the Fox was billed as “St. Louis’ largest and most magnificent temple of amusement.” Nearly a century later, it remains among the region’s most storied venues. More than 200 performances and special events take place at the theater annually, and millions have filled its seats to watch the nation’s top entertainers. CHECK OUT: Funny Girl, January 23–February 4.
The 3,100-seat Stifel Theatre is one of St. Louis’ most significant landmarks, having hosted some of the biggest names in comedy, music, and theatre since 1934. It’s a must-visit for any comedy fan. CHECK OUT: Kathleen Madigan, November 4; Chris Tucker, December 4.
The Pageant might be known primarily as a music venue, but its comedy shows are just as noteworthy. Located in the Delmar Loop, this 2,000-capacity theater has hosted countless touring comics. CHECK OUT: Ari Shaffir, November 12; Tom Papa, November 18.
The Factory • 17105 N. Outer 40
While it’s only been open since 2021, the popular venue at The District in Chesterfield is quickly becoming one of the region’s most popular venues for music and comedy. CHECK OUT: Fortune Feimster, December 1; Karlous Miller, December 16.
City Winery • 3730 Foundry, Suite 158
With its signature food and wine options, as well as its intimate atmosphere, City Winery is one of the most unique performance venues in the city. Touring comedians often make stops at its cozy stage. CHECK OUT: Patton Oswalt, November 3.
Showcase Spots
The Heavy Anchor • 5226 Gravois
This quintessential dive bar is also a key venue for local comedy. The Comedy Shipwreck open mic is held every Monday night, and showcases are held every month, including Sorry, Please Continue and The Future Is Female.
The Golden Hoosier • 3707 S. Kingshighway
Each month, This Is Casually Happening, hosted by Mollie Amburgey, features a lineup of great local comics and occasional touring performers.
The Cola Lounge • 2834 Cherokee
Every third Friday of the month, St. Louis’ first private cannabis lounge hosts the Best Medicine comedy showcase. Culinary duo Rooted Buds provides food during the shows.
Apotheosis Comics & Lounge • 3206 S. Grand
The comic book shop and event space puts on a weekly comedy showcase, South City Comedy Series, hosted by comedian Tom Brown.
The Grove bar’s two monthly comedy showcases, Wild Card Comedy and Double Dare Comedy are all about spontaneity, featuring improv, audience interaction, drinking games, and absurd challenges.
Comedy Clubs
Helium Comedy Club • 1151 Saint Louis Galleria
Located at the north end of the Saint Louis Galleria, Helium hosts renowned touring and local comics every week, as well as opportunities for newcomers, such as a Wednesday-night open mic and a six-week Stand-Up Comedy 101 course. Helium is also known for its yearly St. Louis’ Funniest Person contest, where hundreds of comics deliver original material for the chance to win $3,000. CHECK OUT: Lavell Crawford, November 22 and 24–26.
Funny Bone • (Westport and St. Charles) 614 Westport Plaza and 1520 S. 5th, #107
Since 1982, the Westport Funny Bone has been one of St. Louis’ premier spots for touring comics and local talent. The Streets of St. Charles location opened in 2021 and has quickly built a similar reputation. Both host weekly open mic nights for amateur and veteran comics to hone their craft. CHECK OUT: Greg Warren, November 16–19 at Westport; Kenny DeForest, November 30–December 3 in St. Charles.
Dedicated to encouraging performers to form lasting relationships through the art of improv, the Improv Shop hosts weekly shows that are mostly centered on long-form improvisation, during which performers improvise for roughly 25 minutes based on suggestions from the audience. CHECK OUT: Very Real People, a showcase for character work hosted by Logan Short, November 4.
Open Mics
Hosted by Andrew Gaffigan and Ronaldo Mercado every Wednesday, The Comedy Cauldron is billed as St. Louis’ only freestyle stand-up open mic. Comics are encouraged to practice the art of riffing by pulling a topic from a cauldron and then trying to make it funny on the spot. Audience members can watch the hilarity unfold while enjoying Eat Crow’s selection of drinks and bar food.
Spine Bookstore & Cafe • 1976 Arsenal
Head to this cozy indie bookstore and cafe on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month to hear from a featured comedian before watching brave comics take center stage for the open mic—or grabbing the mic yourself.
Steve’s Hot Dogs • (South Grand) 3145 S. Grand
Held every Thursday, the Hyaaah’s + Haha’s! open mic at Steve’s Hot Dogs might be the only place in the city where you can enjoy a hot dog while watching local comedians refine their material. The venue also hosts a monthly showcase.
Too Much Sauce St. Louis • 5247 Delmar
Hosted by comedian Charles Pruitt, the Wing It Wednesdays open mic at Too Much Sauce St. Louis is named for—you guessed it—the venue’s endless selection of hot wings. Wing specials are available all night, along with plenty of laughs, courtesy of local talent.
Funny Girls
ST. LOUIS HAS PRODUCED SOME ICONIC COMEDIANS, BUT MAKING IT AS A WOMAN IN COMEDY REMAINS A FIGHT IN A MALE-DOMINATED FIELD.
Comedy is often a boys club, but some St. Louis women have fought their way to the top. We can lay claim to Phyllis Diller, Kathleen Madigan, and Nikki Glaser. Then there are the rising stars: Tina Dybal, Cori Stewart, Mollie Amburgey, and many others. But it’s not an easy climb.
When Nikki Glaser started out in the mid-2000s, she was often the one young woman in a pack of middle-aged men. When she encountered other women, there was competition, as slots on bills for them were—and often still are—scarce. “When they only have one woman per show and people go, ‘There’s room enough for everyone,’ I’m like, Literally there’s not.” says Glaser.
These days, most of her best friends in comedy are women who fought the same battles. “Once we all make it and we feel secure, it becomes a really tight-knit group,” says Glaser. “We have a bond that other people don’t really understand.”
Glaser questions why women in the field need to be defined as “female comics” at all. “I only really recently became OK with defining myself as a female comedian, because I feel like it undercuts it,” she says.
Precious J Dorsey has similar feelings. She’s spent the past decade working stages around the region, including snagging Helium Comedy Club’s 2020 Funniest Person in St. Louis title. “I wanted to make sure I was one of the female comics who wasn’t being booked because I was cute… I had to kick that door down and say, Hey, I might be cute, but I’m funny, too. Pay attention.”
Dorsey still hears young female comedians struggling with the same experiences she had while starting out. “They still have the same complaints I had, about how the guys try to push up on them, or they don’t always give them opportunities,” she says. “It’s an ongoing thing.”
For Meredith Hopping, it wasn’t enough to find a place for herself on local stages. She needed to make room for other women, too. To that end, she started The Future Is Female, a showcase at Heavy Anchor highlighting female-identifying comedians. The first event sold out, and the crowd took over the bar. It’s been a consistent sell-out since. Hopping has more talent than she knows what to do with. “I can’t book people more than once a year out of our local scene, or I miss out,” she says. “And that’s such a frustrating but amazing problem to have. It’s a joy.”
While there are still fewer opportunities on stages for women, Hopping says local audiences can help change that. “I think people are rightfully very excited about Nikki Glaser and Libbie Higgins and Tina Dybal, who have all come out of St. Louis and are just forces of nature,” she says. “But you can go see those folks before they’re that. They’re not going to become that without you.”
COMICS ON COMICS
“ Greg Warren is famously so generous with his expertise, giving back to younger comics and nurturing their growth. He’s like a big brother for all the comedians on the scene.” –Nikki Glaser
Mad for Madigan
THE ST. LOUIS–BORN STAR IS BRINGING HER BOXED WINE & TINY BANJOS TOUR TO STIFEL THIS FALL.
Kathleen Madigan’s early résumé reads like a greatest hits of growing up around St. Louis. She graduated from McCluer North High School; spent some time at UMSL; finished her degree at Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville; and worked for the St. Louis Blues, the Suburban Journals, and the Missouri Athletic Club. She got her start in comedy hitting local open mics.
Madigan’s most recent special, Hunting Bigfoot, is streaming on Amazon Prime, and she hosts a weekly podcast, Madigan’s Pubcast, from her home in the Ozarks, in which she features “weird stories that I see on the internet that I think should headline on the nightly news. Lester Holt should come out and say, ‘If you’re in Dallas, some stoner’s cobra has escaped, and it’s 11 ½ feet long!’”
On November 4, she will make her way home to visit the Stifel Theatre as part of her Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos tour, which she says will feature a mix of old and new material. “I like to throw a few oldies-but-goodies in there, along with the new stuff,” says Madigan. “I know there are lazy comics out there who basically do the same thing for 10 years in a row. And I’m like, How do you not get bored?”
When asked how she hopes people leave the theater after her performance, Madigan says she hopes it feels a little like the 1981 film Arthur: “It was super funny, and I didn’t learn anything,” she says. “I may not remember it, but I know I had a really good time.”
Navigating the Invasion
EACH YEAR, FLYOVER COMEDY FESTIVAL WELCOMES SCORES OF PERFORMERS TO STAGES IN THE GROVE AND BEYOND FOR WHAT THE ORGANIZERS CALL A “COMEDY INVASION.” REFER TO OUR HANDY GUIDE DURING THE FEST—THIS YEAR HELD NOVEMBER 9–11—TO SEE WHICH SHOWS AND EVENTS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU.
READ MORE: Don’t miss these must-see shows at the 2023 Flyover Comedy Festival
