Comedy tour that started outdoors in pandemic coming indoors to Royal Oak
When the COVID-19 pandemic turned Los Angeles into a ghost town, two comedians brought their show outside. After about 40 outdoor performances across Southern California, they are bringing the show indoors Sunday in Royal Oak.
Comedians Paul Elia and Matt Rife started the Lowkey Comedy Show during the pandemic. Big indoor venues across LA had closed, Elia said, so they decided to bring the stage outside.
Sunday will be the second time the Lowkey Comedy Show will be held indoors, and it is the first event hosted outside Southern California.
“I think this type of vibe is something Detroit has never seen before,” Elia said.
The night begins with stand-up performances with five comedians coming from Los Angeles to Lebanon. At the end of the night, the entertainers will come together on stage for an “improvised conversation,” Elia said.
After a long break in performing due to COVID-19, many comedians were nervous to get back on stage, said Elia, who is originally from Detroit. The improvised conversation at the end is a more relaxed environment to perform in.
Here is a rundown of the comedians performing:
Elia started his career as a stand-in for Michael Imperioli on “Detroit 187,” according to the event website. He has appeared in dozens of shows, including “Conan,” “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Mixology.” Elia has also opened for comedians Dana Carvey, Jason Stuart and Chris Kattan.
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Comedian, actor, writer and co-creator of the Lowkey Comedy Show Matt Rife is best known for his standup at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. Rife was also a recurring cast member on three seasons of “Wild ‘N Out,” an improv comedy show.
Canadian comedian David Marheje played Dave Bechara on “Mr. D," a Canadian sitcom available on Amazon Prime Video, and was featured in an episode of “Comedians of the World,” a Netflix series. His album “Good Friend Bad Grammar” won the 2019 Juno Award (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) for comedy album of the year.
Nataly Aukar, born and raised in Lebanon, performed across New York City after writing at a production house in Lebanon through college. She has since opened for comedy stars like Mo Amer, Nimesh Patel and Gad El Maleh. Aukar also produced “Tickling the Ivories – a Comedy Show.”
Joe Dombrowski, or Mr. D, went viral in 2017 after an April Fool’s Day prank got him on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Dombrowski has since taken his comedy global on a world tour, “Indoor Recess,” and he is producing a podcast, “Social Studies.”
The show will be at the Stagecrafters Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette, Royal Oak, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Masks are required. Tickets can be purchased online for $35. VIP seats cost $55.
Contact Minnah Arshad: MArshad@freepress.com and follow her on Twitter @minnaharshad.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Comedy show featuring Detroit native Paul Elia comes to Royal Oak
