The only thing great performers love more than performing is seeing fellow artists do their thing – and that often goes double for comedians! Whether you’re looking for local improv or some of the biggest national acts, Dallas comedy clubs have a lot to offer. Here are four venues to catch a show and maybe even get your feet wet on stage.
Dallas Comedy House
Of all the Dallas comedy clubs, the DCH offers one of the best combinations of homegrown comedy that’s still delivered professionally. The friendly, communal attitude fostered by the classes offered at DCH also filters down to the pricing structure, with tickets costing a mere $5-10. Drink prices are reasonable and the food gets decent feedback as well, which pretty much makes it Michelin-star quality by comedy club standards.
In addition to the well-regarded classes, DCH supports up-and-comers with scheduled open mic nights for stand-up and improv jam blocks where anyone can join in. These nights can be good networking opportunities for newbies to build relationships with like-minded performers, as regulars will see each other often.
Hyena’s Comedy Nightclub
Want to laugh like the cartoon version of one of nature’s most famous scavenger animals? Some would say you can act like a disgusting beast at home, but since we’re talking about Dallas comedy clubs here, you might as well go to Hyena’s.
With a good mix of local and better-known national comedians, Hyena’s keeps it real by offering open mic every Wednesday night with drink specials. The last part is likely appreciated even more by nervous first-time standup comedians than the thirsty patrons watching them.
Backdoor Comedy
This tiny club is located in the corner of a Doubletree Hotel; it’s basically a conference room, but instead of PowerPoint presentations on maximizing synergy and choosing icons in cornflower blue, you get to watch comedians up close and personal!
Backdoor lists Johnny Hardwick as an alumnus, and if that name is unfamiliar, then you may know him by his voice acting alter ego, Dale Gribble on King of the Hill.
Fairly cheap shows, open mic nights, and available workshops round out the reasons to go to this Dallas comedy club. Moreover, the content of the comedy shows has been described as funny, but also family-friendly. So feel free to bring Grandma and the kids.
Addison Improv
Falling under the aegis of the nationwide Improv™ chain, Addison Improv features big names and correspondingly big ticket prices. If you want to see that guy your friends keep sending YouTube clips of or maybe just a familiar face from a funny TV show, Addison Improv is your place.
Like a lot of Dallas comedy clubs, they have a zero tolerance policy toward heckling. Normally, this would be a good thing, but Jamie Kennedy has been known to play the club and if you were to hurt his feelings enough, you just might give him material for another anti-heckling documentary and be immortalized therein. Win-win for you and Jamie, but you’d probably be thrown out before you could even get going.
Whether you want to be a comedic actor, improv performer, or stand-up comic, these five clubs can give you all the inspiration you need in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Does the idea of adding your name on the list for open mic night or jumping up on stage for an improv jam with no preparation intimidate (or even terrify) you? If so, it might be worth working with an experienced acting coach beforehand. Your instructor can teach you the tricks and techniques to boost your confidence and have the time of your life on stage. Good luck!
Photo by Allen Sheffield, Backdoor Comedy Club Facebook page
Suzy S.