'Females of comedy.' Canton art gallery is home to jokes, including Galentine's Day show

CANTON − When Lydia Carmany moved to Canton from Los Angeles during the pandemic, she hoped to perform in a local comedy scene like she sometimes did at open mic nights in California.

"I found that it was something that I found fulfilling and just a great creative outlet," she said. "And I just love that feeling of making a room full of people laugh and just experiencing joy with everybody."

But she didn't find a venue in Canton. And COVID-19 restrictions made finding a place to be funny on stage even harder.

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Carmany is now at the forefront of a comedy scene in downtown Canton, where she has started the "Females of Comedy" at Patina Arts Centre, 324 Cleveland Ave. NW.

"I knew so many talented local comics," said Carmany, a 2010 graduate of Malone University. "And I wanted to create space for them."

Performing with several other women, both veteran comedians and newer ones, the group is hosting a Galentine's Day (when female friendships are celebrated) comedy showcase on Friday featuring adult content and love and relationship themes. Tickets are $10 for the 8 p.m. show at Patina. Refreshments will be served.

Proceeds go towards stage and performance space improvements in the basement event center at Patina, which seats up to 100.

Performing will be Carmany, Samantha Archual, Kristin Curry, Gabrielle Fashbaugh, Jacquie Gray, Amanda Elam, Amy Wyler, Nicole Knight and Megan Hill. Comedy routines will be five to 10 minutes each. Comedians are both from Stark County and other parts of Northeast Ohio.

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Comedy performances have been scheduled periodically at Patina since the first "Females of Comedy" show in July. Open mic shows are at 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month. Those shows are free and open to all genders. Sign-up starts at 7 p.m.

More events are being considered and planned at Patina, including children's comedy and family-friendly shows.

"I think there's really something to be said about creating something out of virtually nothing," Carmany said. "And it feels underground, but it feels exciting.

"... There's a hunger for a comedy scene," she added. "We've had some interest from some other venues in Canton, as far as getting some comedy on stage there."

Here are five things to know about the "Females of Comedy":

1. Female comedians are showcased

"When I began meeting the women who would make up the 'Females of Comedy,' I realized that we had something special here," Carmany said. "And this group has created a community of support for one another that extends beyond the stage at Patina.

"While we absolutely welcome anyone and everyone to perform at our open mic nights, I wanted to also give a platform specifically to the amazing and hilarious women I know here," she said. "And they continually yield high-caliber showcases that really stand out in an industry that has historically been dominated by men."

Archual, 28, of Massillon, has been practicing standup since 2017, including winning first place at a few comedy competitions. She performs in Akron and elsewhere in Northeast Ohio.

"The shows always have such an energetic, welcoming atmosphere from the crowd, and it's exhilarating to be part of such an impressive, all-woman showcase," she said. "I can tell you that showcases like this are very rare in the male-dominated field of standup."

"… These crowds are hands-down some of the best crowds I've ever performed for, and I think Canton ... is on a trajectory to become a new, much-needed comedy hub in our community."

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2. Best and hardest parts of standup comedy

"The best feeling in the world that I get during comedy is looking out at the audience and seeing everybody smile, knowing they're laughing, they're releasing endorphins, and for a moment, everyone's joyful," Carmany said.

"The hardest thing ... is the vulnerability," she said. "Anything anybody ever says is an emotional risk, and standup comedy especially, because it tends to evoke a specific emotion."

3. This comedian is camera shy

"I don't like being on camera but I love being on stage, and just the immediacy of the audience responses and being able, hopefully, to give joy to people in the moment," Carmany said. "There's something really special about that..."

And "there's a common thread of being just comfortable enough to get up on stage and be yourself," she added. "Even if your jokes aren't autobiographical, there's a vulnerability to the art of comedy that I've always admired, and now I am really grateful to be able to share."

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4. You won't find this in Los Angeles or New York City

"In comparison to other places that I've lived and experienced ... like the comedy scene in New York and Los Angeles, Canton has one thing that neither of those places have," Carmany said. "And that is plenty of opportunity to do your own thing and share it with others. There's so much opportunity here to create something, to create community and to grow it − it's not a big pond."

Of Patina Arts Centre open mic nights during First Friday events, she said: "This is the place to try (comedy) out; it's a welcoming environment, both amongst other performers and with the audience. And they are not alone if it's their first time."

5. This isn't a comedy club

"We're not a comedy club, we're not a bar or a restaurant," Carmany said. "We are a space for just shared laughter for performers and audiences alike, and it's a space that seats up to 100 people, but it feels intimate and it feels like you're there with friends."

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com

On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'Females of Comedy' in Canton gives platform in 'male-dominated field'