Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle

Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, MI
Address	310 S. Troy Street
Location	Royal Oak, Michigan
Coordinates	42°29′16″N 83°08′31″W / 42.4877°N 83.1420°W / 42.4877; -83.1420
Owner	Mark Ridley
Type	comedy club
Capacity	400
Opened	1979

Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle is a famous place where people go to watch stand-up comedy. It is located in Royal Oak, Michigan, which is part of the Metro Detroit area. This club has been a home for many comedians, from new talents to very famous stars.

History of the Comedy Castle

Mark Ridley opened the Comedy Castle on January 4, 1979. It first started in the basement of a restaurant in Bloomfield Hills. Mark Ridley had a great idea for comedy shows. He created a special way to organize performances. Each show would have three parts: an emcee (who introduces the acts), a feature performer, and a headliner (the main comedian). This helped make sure everyone got enough stage time.

In its early years, the club moved six times. But in 1990, the Comedy Castle found its permanent home in Royal Oak. This new spot has 400 seats. It is the oldest comedy club still open in all of Michigan.

Helping Others: Philanthropy

The Comedy Castle is not just about laughs; it also helps many people. The club hosts special events to raise money for charities. These events allow different groups to collect funds for their important causes.

Every year, the Comedy Castle works with The Salvation Army. They help raise about $40,000 for the Bed and Bread Club. This program helps people who are homeless. The club gives the space, food, and helps pay for the comedians. Other groups that have benefited include the American Cancer Society and shelters for people and animals. All the money raised at these events goes directly to the charities.

Comedy on Television

The Comedy Castle has been featured on TV many times. It has hosted tapings for shows like Showtime Comedy Club Network and HBO's Comic Relief. A&E's Comedy on the Road also filmed there.

In 1991, the club even produced its own TV show. It was called “Funny Side of the Street.” This show won an Emmy Award, which is a very important TV award. The show featured comedians like Tim Allen.

The club also helped with Kathleen Madigan’s 2013 comedy special. It was called “Madigan Again” and was filmed nearby.

Comedy Festivals and Classes

Mark Ridley, Kathleen Madigan, and Lewis Black at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle.

The Comedy Castle has hosted big comedy events. In 2008, it held the first Detroit International Comedy Festival. The next year, Mark Ridley filmed this festival for people to watch at home. In 2010, famous comedian Lewis Black was the main star of the festival.

The club also puts on an event called Laugh-a-Palooza every year. This festival features many new and rising comedians. They come from all over the United States and Canada.

If you want to learn how to be a comedian, the Comedy Castle can help! They offer a [stand-up comedy class]. In this class, you can learn how to write jokes. You also learn how to perform in front of an audience. A local comedian named Bill Bushart teaches the class.

Famous Comedians Who Performed Here

Tim Allen during a surprise set at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle.

Many famous comedians have performed at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. The very first headliner was Mike Binder. He called Mark Ridley to ask if he could be the first main act. Bob Saget also performed there early in his career. He even met his future "Full House" co-star, Dave Coulier, at the club. Dave Coulier is a comedian from Detroit and often performs there.

In the 1990s, Bill Engvall recorded two of his comedy albums at the Comedy Castle. These albums were called “Here’s Your Sign” and “Dorkfish”. Both albums sold millions of copies!

Kathleen Madigan is another famous comedian. She usually performs in big theaters. But the only comedy club she will perform at is Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. This shows how special the club is to many comedians.

List of Notable Performers

Many comedians have performed at the club. Here is a list of some of the well-known performers: