Comedy Works facts for kids
Comedy Works is a famous stand-up comedy club. It has two locations in the Denver, Colorado area. The first club opened in downtown Denver in September 1981. It's located in a fun area called Larimer Square. The second club opened in September 2008. It's in Greenwood Village as part of The Landmark development.
The Story of Comedy Works
The club was first called the Comedy Shoppe. In 1981, the owners George McKelvey, Doug Olson, and Edd Nichols changed its name to Comedy Works. They moved it to a basement spot in Larimer Square. In September 1981, Comedy Works became the first club in Denver to offer professional comedy shows all the time.
Over the years, Comedy Works has grown. The south club in The Landmark area has a restaurant, a lounge, and a ballroom. Many famous comedians have performed at these clubs. These include Colorado-native Roseanne Barr, Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock, George Lopez, and Lewis Black. Roseanne Barr even started her stand-up career at a Comedy Shoppe open-mic night in 1980.
Some comedians have recorded their comedy albums at the Larimer Square club. Kathleen Madigan recorded Shallow Happy Thoughts for the Soul in 2002. Dave Attell recorded ... for the Memories in 2003. Josh Blue recorded Good Josh Bad Arm in 2005.
Who Owns Comedy Works?
The current owner is Wende Curtis. She started working at a Comedy Works location in Fort Collins, CO as a waitress. After finishing college, Curtis became a manager for that club. Later, she managed a Comedy Works in Tampa, FL and helped it become very successful.
She returned to Denver in 1993 to manage the Larimer Square club. In 2001, the company faced money problems. Curtis and two partners bought the business. By 2003, she had bought out her partners and became the sole owner.
Other Parts of the Business
Comedy Works Entertainment is another part of the company. It is led by Mike Raftery. This group organizes comedy shows in bigger places around Denver and Colorado. They also help manage comedians, like Josh Blue.
