The legendary Improv comedy club is finally landing in Wisconsin, where it will open a 13,049-square-foot club at The Corners of Brookfield on Friday, Aug. 20. The first lineup has been announced.
The club – with two stages for live performances and full food and beverage service – will be located on the lower level of The Corners, in the northeast side of the complex.
Expect the lineup to be a mix of comedians from around the country and around the Milwaukee area. It plans to host open mic nights, showcases and spotlight performances to give young talent a shot.
The first performance announcements are:
- Steve Byrne: Opening Weekend Aug. 20-22
- Dusty Slay: Aug. 26-29
- Melissa Villaseñor: Sept. 3-5
- DL Hughley: Sept. 10-12
- TJ Miller: Sept. 17-19
- Steve Rannazzisi: Sept. 23-25
- Sam Comroe: Oct. 1-3
- Tim Dillon: Oct. 7-9
Tickets go on sale June 22, with a pre-sale on June 18. Details at Improv.com/Milwaukee.
“We know the greater Milwaukee community and beyond has been anticipating our opening since we first announced our debut in Wisconsin, and we’re thrilled that the time has finally come to open our doors,” said Alireza Ghaemian, CEO of Improv owner Levity Live, in a statement released Tuesday.
“If there was ever a time for the community to come together for abundant laughs over great drinks and delicious food, it’s now, and we can’t wait for our neighbors to experience Improv.”
Jayk Burczyk – who has worked at Boone and Crockett, Hacienda Beer Company and Fuel Café – is the club's general manager.
“Improv adds an all new entertainment offering to the area with a caliber and variety of shows that I think all will enjoy,” said Robert Gould, CEO of Brookfield Corners LLC.
“The team is finalizing an amazing opening lineup of talent for the Wisconsin debut and we’re thrilled for the community to soon see celebrity and soon- to-be famous comedic talent at The Corners.”
Improv Milwaukee is the 25 location in the national chain. Other venues are located in cities like Los Angeles, Irvine, San Jose, Chicago, Houston, Pittsburgh, Raleigh andWashington, D.C.
The Improv – which was founded by Budd Friedman in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in 1963 – has booked everyone from Richard Pryor to Andy Kaufman to Billy Crystal to Eddie Murphy to Jerry Seinfeld to Jay Leno to Chris Rock to Sarah Silverman to Ellen DeGeneres to Jamie Foxx to Adam Sandler to Dave Chappelle and beyond.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
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