It’s rare to find a comedy show at a furniture store. It’s just as rare to attend a comedy show at a recycling center or inside a treehouse.
“We don’t tell you who’s going to be on the lineup. We don’t even tell you where it’s going to be. We’re trying to do shows in pop-up locations that are nontraditional,” said Brett Kushner, the COO of Don’t Tell Comedy.
DTC, which was started in 2017 by Kyle Kazanjian-Amory and his crew in Los Angeles backyards, had its first show in Madison in 2019. Now, an average performance draws about 60 people in some of the last places you’d expect to see a comedy show.
Audiences learned the day of the show where to go for Don’t Tell Comedy’s January event, which was held at Wisco Barbell Club.
In December, Don’t Tell Comedy took over the Kiln Shed, a clay studio on Madison’s east side. This month, they played Wisco Barbell Club. Organizers do not have a firm date yet, but the next show is scheduled to take place in the second half of February or early March. (Sign up for DTC’s newsletter at donttellcomedy.com for a tip-off.)
Audience members don’t know the location of a show until it’s sent to them on the day of the event. They also don’t know who is performing at the show until they arrive at the secret venue and comedians step on stage. The shows are sporadic, and there’s usually not more than one a month.
“That anticipation makes everyone very excited,” said Gerald Donnel, a recent Madison transplant who performed at Wisco Barbell Club. “People want to know a secret. They want to be in on it.”
Gerard Donnel performs at the Wisco Barbell Club with Don’t Tell Comedy at its January event.
“It’s the ultimate cool show,” added Ben O’Connell, a stand-up comedian who produces DTC in Madison.
One of the cool things about DTC is that anyone can show up. An internationally touring comedian, like Ralph Barbosa, might be in town to perform at Comedy on State. Then, they might also stop by a DTC show at Boulder’s Climbing Gym or the records room at WORT, the community radio station, where DTC has held shows in the past.
“Madison has this great boon of really talented comedians living here,” said Sasha Rosser, a Madison comedian who performed at the Kiln Shed. “People who are coming through doing club work who will pop in to do a DTC show because they figure it’s worth their time, it’s going to be a fun show.”
Ben O’Connell is a stand-up comedian who produces Don’t Tell Comedy in Madison.
Sculpting a bit
At a recent show inside the Kiln Shed, bags of raw clay were stacked against the wall. Behind the makeshift stage were diagrams of how to turn that clay into beautiful pieces of art — perhaps a metaphor for sculpting a bit? DTC’s comedians had to be careful not to bump into a big white vase that towered next to the microphone.
Onstage, Rosser turned the Kiln Shed into a laugh workshop. Her set tackled everything from her own appearance and the distinct sound of her deep voice to what a hungry baby and President Donald Trump have in common.
“When people see a baby playing with Legos, they’ll say stuff like: ‘Oh, he’s going to become an architect!’” she said. “When I see a hungry baby grab a boob without warning, I’m like: ‘Oh, he’s going to be a movie producer!’ And if he’s really ambitious he can run for president.”
Unlike most comedy clubs, there’s no drink minimum at DTC shows, and shows are BYOB. “It’s more affordable, hopefully,” Kushner said. “It’s also more of a grassroots, community, local feel in general.”
Comedian Mike Atcherson performs in a Don’t Tell Comedy show at Wisco Barbell Club.
There’s no cost to business owners; in fact, DTC sometimes pays a small venue fee to help cover staff time. After-hours visitors to the Kiln Shed or Wisco Barbell might sign up for a pottery class or a gym membership.
O’Connell remembers a comedian who performed at Atwood Atelier, an art studio in Madison, and later became a live model for them.
“We’re not only highlighting some of the great comics that we have. We’re also highlighting those really fun businesses in Madison. Building out those connections in the community is such a fun, unique thing,” he said.
Tickets for Don’t Tell Comedy shows cost $25. To stay in the know, follow DTC Madison on Instagram at @donttellmadison.
Adam Szetela is a Madison local who writes for The Washington Post, The Guardian, Newsweek, and other publications. His first book, That Book Is Dangerous! How Moral Panic, Social Media, and the Culture Wars Are Remaking Publishing, is available for pre-order.
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