Tuesdays are for great laughs from local comedians at the weekly comedy show at The Midnight, a downtown Gainesville pub boasting local brews and great food.
Every Tuesday evening, The Midnight gives both professional and local comedians the opportunity to entertain a crowd and deliver their material. The Midnight holds a comedy workshop at 7:45 p.m., but those who want to perform better have their names on the list by 8:30 p.m. because spots are limited.
The motley crew of comics will take their turns on the stage from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., and people can attend for free.
The comedy workshop is available to give comedians from amateurs to professionals some instruction and delivery tips. The workshop takes place before the shows from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
Along with an entertaining show, those who are 21 and older can enhance their evening with a drink. During the event, The Midnight offers a special deal: 25-ounce tankards of beer for $4.
In the past, the venue has featured appearances by nationally touring comedians like Clifton Cash. Sporadically they have themed comedy shows such as the Florida Snowpocalypse Show that happened Jan. 2. Tuesday’s show did not have a specified theme, so comics brought their most original material.
Tom Crenzo, a 22-year-old UF alumnus, is a regular performer at the Tuesday Stand-up Comedy Show. He originally heard about the Gainesville comedy scene through a friend in class sometime in the middle of his sophomore year.
“He told me that he was convinced by his friend to try stand-up about a week earlier and actually had a pretty good experience, so naturally I wanted to know where and when the show he went to was happening,” Crenzo said.
It was then Crenzo became connected to another veteran of the Gainesville comedy scene, Micaela Fagan.
“Micaela had already been quite involved with the scene, and so she gave me a list of all the stand-up shows and open mikes that happen around town,” he said.
Fagan, a 22-year-old UF telecommunications alumna, said she has been doing stand-up comedy in Gainesville since the show was held at what was once the 1982 Bar on West University Avenue. Since then, Fagan said, the show has bounced around different locations in town.
“Jen Vito hosted that show, and I followed it as it transformed to 8-Bit Bar, then moved to Market Street Pub and Cabaret, and finally settled at The Midnight,” Fagan said.
Fagan added that while open mikes are notoriously known for being difficult, the environment at The Midnight created a great vibe.
Even though she has been doing stand-up since she graduated high school in 2014, the Gainesville community really stuck out to her for its positive atmosphere.
“My first time performing here, I was immediately struck by how friendly and welcoming the Gainesville comedy community was,” she said.
She continued to say she believes the Gainesville comedy community is great for comedians of all levels to grow and perform.
“We all encourage each other to keep getting better, and as much as we like making fun of each other, I seriously feel like we all like everyone's stuff,” Fagan said.
Crenzo had similar sentiments of bonding at the show.
“Here, all the comedians sit in the center of where the crowd will eventually fill, happily workshopping each other’s material and giving advice on how to improve to the newcomers,” Crenzo said.
He said the environment of the Tuesday Stand-up Comedy Show helped ease his nerves and relax him, which led to a great performance.
“The show’s creator, Jen Vito, was more than happy to introduce me to everybody and get me started, and before I knew it the nervousness that had controlled me when I first arrived had melted away into a sense of belonging,” Crenzo said.
If you are a comedian that is interested in performing at one of the shows, then get in contact with the show's producer, Vito. She can be reached via the Tuesday Stand-up Comedy Show Facebook event page.
