The Denver comedy scene is dead. Long live Denver comedy!
Encouraged in part by the success of the Grawlix troupe and its — — some of the city’s best, most experienced comics have fled Denver over the past year for Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere.
That’s not surprising, given the lack of national entertainment-industry machinery here. But it has created a vacuum of veterans and a flood—of farewell shows, as well as opportunities for young comics who have been attracted by the city’s vibrant, competitive stand-up scene.
“We already knew we were in for a lot of change,” said Karen Wachtel, executive producer of Denver’s . “Everybody was holding their breath to see what was happening, and now it feels like the second wave is ending.”
To be sure, stand-up can feel like an insular club. Outside of “A rooms” like Comedy Works or The Denver Improv, many would-be fans know it only from Comedy Central and late-night TV.
But thanks to the stand-up and podcast boom of the 2000s, Denver comics have not only infiltrated the aforementioned venues and networks, they’ve also cultivated a sustainable crop of young, hip, local audiences who support live comedy—the way they would live music or theater.
