Comedian Dave Stone will headline the TRP Comedy Club event during Ringgold’s 1890s Day Jamboree May 25 and 26
photo by TRP
The Ringgold Playhouse add a new wrinkle the city’s 1890's Day Jamboree entertainment lineup this year by offering improvisation and stand-up comedy shows at the historic Depot during the two-day event.
TRP, which usually showcases traditional theatre productions, is launching its “TRP Comedy Club” show to not only offer a fun entertainment option during the city’s biggest event, but also to open up the door for new areas of performance art, said officials.
According to Executive Director Adam Cook, the event was been in the works for a while. “It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and we figured the city’s annual 1890's Day festival was a great time to launch it with thousands of people already downtown having a good time,” Mr. Cook said. “It also creates a creative outlet for actors in our company and the community who have an interest in performing improv or stand-up rather than acting in a play or musical.”
The two shows, which will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, will feature an improvisation team competing in classic improv games in the style of the long-running “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” TV show. Then, the night will cap off with traditional stand-up comedy from local comics and a nationally touring headliner.
“It’s a great chance to give our audiences a different type of show than they’re used to, and it gives other artists the chance to perform a style of entertainment that isn’t currently offered in Ringgold,” Mr. Cook said. “There aren’t any improv or comedy clubs in Ringgold, so it’ll be great for those performers to have a place to show their skills.”
The show’s headlining act will be comedian/actor Dave Stone, who currently lives in Los Angeles, Cali., but is from Atlanta originally.
Mr. Stone has appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and does extensive voice work for the Adult Swim TV show “Squidbillies”. He also co-hosts a paranormal podcast called “The Boogie Monster” with fellow comedian and friend Kyle Kinane.
“Dave is a hilarious guy, and just an all-around good dude,” Mr. Cook said. “I did some shows with him a few years ago and instantly became a fan of his comedy. He’s just a laid back guy with great stories, and I think the 1890's Day crowd is going to love him.”
Unlike most shows at the Depot, admission to the “TRP Comedy Club” will be free, as is admittance to the overall 1890's Day Jamboree.
“That’s one thing we decided to do; since the event is free to get into every year anyway, we wanted to keep in line with that and allow people the opportunity to come up to the Depot and see a great show on us,” Mr. Cook said.
Mr. Cook added that the plan after 1890's Day is to offer more comedy shows like this one between the playhouse’s traditional productions.
“We don’t have a set schedule for the comedy yet, but it’s something we want to start offering regularly,” Mr. Cook explained. “When we started the playhouse, we wanted it to be a destination point in Ringgold. With our regular theatre productions, and now the improv and stand-up, we want to make TRP a place that people come to for entertainment throughout the year.”
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The Ringgold Playhouse is located inside the historic Ringgold Depot located at 155 Depot St.
photo by TRP