The Joke Joint Comedy Club in Lilydale, Minnesota
In a strange little strip mall designed to look like a wild west theme park, comedians gather every Wednesday evening at The Joke Joint Comedy Club in Lilydale, MN to help each other make comedy. Anyone from seasoned comedy pros to first-timers are welcome to show up and try out their lastest material. Some of it works, some of it does not. But that’s the point, the workshop is a chance to get constructive feedback from fellow comedians – to find out, “is this funny?”
Michelle Mildred has been honing her comedy skills for about two years and tries to make it to The Joke Joint every Wednesday night. She says the workshop is, “a really good place for somebody who is thinking about trying comedy to kinda dip their toe in the water…with no risk. It’s a really good place to just see what it’s like.”
Garrett Preussner has been on stage four times. He says he still gets very nervous but he keeps doing it – he says he needs to know, “if I’m really as funny as my friends think I am.”
The evening is usually filled with very serious discussions about completely ridiculous things – a secondhand market for condoms, popsicles, restaurant bathrooms. It turns out, it’s a lot of work to make people laugh but this is one time where ‘seeing the sausage made’ is also pretty interesting.
The Joke Joint will be located in the strange little strip mall at least until the end of April 2018 when a new housing development will take its place. The club is currently looking for a new location. The free comedy workshop happens every Wednesday evening from 5:30pm to 7pm. If you want to participate, just show up and be ready to work.
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