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The future of comedy is female

Leah here, co-owner of Comedy Cafe Berlin. Also, conveniently, a woman. Today, on International Women’s Day I feel moved to give my two cents on women in the arts, more specifically women in comedy.  I get to write from a somewhat unique perspective here; both deeply involved in the comedy scene, its growth, its well being, and its creative struggles and triumphs but also peripheral to the inner-workings of it all.  For those of you who don’t know me, I am a co-owner of CCB together with my husband Noah. I am involved with the business on several levels; emotional support, sounding board, co-sandwich maker, volunteer organizer, enthusiastic audience member, etc. While I also work professionally as a performing artist I am not (necessarily) a comedic performer. However, because of my proximity to the scene and the close relationships I have developed with many of its key players I have found myself harboring strong feelings and opinions about the Berlin Comedy Scene, and in general comedy as a form.  It is inspiring to watch the scene grow, to watch the community build long lasting relationships and see them coalesce. To watch people hone their craft and create amazing, daring and hilarious art. I have to say though, with the exception of increasingly successful grilled cheese sandwich sales at CCB, few things have made me happier than watching the strong female presence grow and take ownership inside Berlin’s comedy scene.

I never fully understood the claims that women aren’t funny or that women have no place on the comedy stage. (I have always thought that I’m hilarious). I didn’t even fully recognize how insidious or prevalent this sentiment was until I became more personally involved in the comedy scene. It still baffles me that anyone feels this way because it is just so clearly NOT TRUE. However, it is sadly unsurprising when you look at the overall representation and landscape of women in the arts.

I am a dancer. As a younger dancer I, like I imagine many people do, often looked at the dance-world as a place where women actually dominated. Only more recently did I begin to recognize that sure, many women are employed as dancers but very rarely are women in positions of authority within the greater mechanism.  We know now, all too well, that this happens across many spheres of the arts: Hollywood, the music industry, authors, etc. (A most recent and most irksome example: hiring a male choreographer for the recent remake of Suspiria, where the entire plot is built around a central coven of strong and powerful female choreographers à la Pina Bausch. A huge missed opportunity and just one of so many similar examples. UGH!)

I digress… my goal here isn’t to remind people of the inequity that exists. My goal is to applaud the strong emergence of women in Berlin’s comedy scene. I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing to do in a male dominated realm that has been historically unwelcoming to women. I am thrilled to continuously see more women on the stage at CCB, more women running open mics, more female improv teams, jams, and sketches. More women hosting and roasting and writing and pitching and acting and making people smile and laugh. More women dismantling more stereotypes.  

One personal example is a fond memory I have of my first time watching It’s That Time of the Month, a comedy show entirely produced and performed by women.  They were undeniably entertaining, obviously, but it was so much more than just funny. It was poignant in unexpected ways. It was refreshing to hear previously under represented perspectives on a comedy stage. I felt proud. I felt proud because they are my friends. I felt proud to be in the presence of important art. I felt proud because they’re women. I felt proud to be a woman.

I encourage the good work to continue. I encourage more diverse voices to feel empowered to be heard, and for more space to be created for these voices. Let’s continue to widen our understanding of comedy, of art, of expression. Let’s continue to challenge who “gets to” participate and what qualifies as good or valuable. Dear Berlin comedy scene and beyond, let’s keep going!

– Leah

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A spotlight on visiting acts

 

Keeping things fresh

We pride ourselves on putting up shows that are constantly changing and never exactly the same twice. Whether it’s the very nature of an improvised comedy show or a Saturday night stand-up act, the comedians we spotlight are committed to keeping things fresh.  

Part of that commitment is also bringing in talent from abroad and showcasing comedy we don’t otherwise see in Berlin. In the coming months we have booked some of the most exciting acts from the UK, Sweden and the States and not to mention an entire 2 weeks of EdFringe Previews in July.

Berlin as a comedy hub

3 years ago Berlin would never have seen so many visiting comedians from outside of Germany as we see today. Today, however, we (all of us) have made Berlin a veritable force in the comedy world. Not just from the comedians we’ve homegrown but also in the dedication we’ve put to putting up high quality shows and the deep interest shown by you, the audience.

Support the scene

That growing interest in comedy has made itself shown and we are hopefully answering the calls. So don’t let us down! Bringing in acts from abroad is never an easy endeavor and we’ve done everything in our power to keep the shows interesting and affordable (10€ to Asperger’s Are Us? Yes, please!). Come out, support the scene and see something different.


Upcoming visiting acts

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Wrapping up 2016

It’s our last week of shows for 2016!
Come hang out with us, we’ll be celebrating all weekend!

But first! Some news:

Learning to be funny

 CCB and Hive Improv have announced comedy courses for January! 
There are currently 3 classes on offer:

  • Intro to Improv on Monday evening with Jakob Grotewohl
  • Intro to Improv on Friday afternoon with Noah Telson
  • Stand-Up Comedy on Saturday afternoon with Caroline Clifford

Early bird rates apply to anyone who signs up before January 1st!
Also a great gift idea!

For more information check out
http://www.hiveimprov.com/courses/


We’re giving away 10 free tickets for FRIDAY NIGHT IMPROV with CCB at the MOVIES!
Take them until they’re all gone!
First to act gets them!
CLICK HERE


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A few words on the comedy community.

Since we opened just shy of one year ago, one of our main visions was to create a community of comedy-lovers who share in our mission of spreading laughter. By offering classes through Hive Improv and providing an open stage for them to perform in front of an audience, we’ve seen the devoted community grow like rapid fire and it’s incredibly heartwarming.

This Fall we have over 60 students taking improv, stand-up and sketch courses. This Fall we’ve been able to offer workshops by professionals from arguably the most renowned comedy institutions. And this Fall we have expanded opportunities for everyone:
For improvisers to get on stage by making the CCB Improv Jam a weekly event! For the first sketch group, The Weird Show, formed from a Hive class, who will debut their monthly show this October! And for budding stand-ups this November when we unveil the biggest stand-up open mic night in Berlin!

But it doesn’t end there! We have big plans!

We are throwing a big one year anniversary party October 28th and you are invited!
To celebrate we’re kicking off a second round of crowdfunding at the party!

What are we crowdfunding for?
To expand operations and increase comfort.

More soundproofing: the theater is solidly built. In fact, it’s so solid that we almost qualify for after 10pm shows. All we have to do is improve the floor, get it tested and we’re golden. This means we can do multiple shows in an evening allowing for us to get even more creative and bring in even more acts!

Ventilation: we’ve got a beautiful space that we’re super proud of and when so many people come to enjoy that space with applause and laughter the windows get foggy and the air gets hot. It’s time to fix that! We aim to install a ventilation system that can keep the air in the bar and theater fresh.

Watch this space.

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Full Steam Ahead!

It’s been almost one year since we opened and just over a year since we first announced to the public and launched our Kickstarter campaign, letting everyone know we was a’comin’.

It’s been a year. Holy shit, it’s been a year!

If you’ve been following us you know what’s up. If this is the first you’re hearing about us, WTF?! Catch up!

Like any 1 year anniversary we’re looking back and reflecting on all the things we’ve gone through – remembering the lessons learned, the battles won and lost and HOPEFULLY making the right decisions to keep us going forward and growing. Those decisions, we realize, often mean (to borrow from the startup world) pivoting and boy we’ve done that! Remember pretzels?

So in the spirit of improvement and looking forward, here’s what’s in store:
 

  1. CHAIRS – You won’t believe it but we’re ditching the theater stools (well most of them) and getting foldable chairs that you can all lean back on. They’re ordered and on the way.

  2. BARROOM – We’ve rethought the layout with space and comfort in mind. This means the big square tables are gone! So kick off your shoes and relax your socks. This is still a work in progress and you’re likely to see things continue to change here.

  3. DRINKS – We’re adding some new items to the menu including another tasty keg of Vagabund beer. A DOUBLE IPA KICK IN THE GODDAMN FACE. Get ready.

  4. FOOD – Here’s a doozy buried in the 4th bullet point: We’re closing The CCB Kitchen starting this week. Casper and Rich have decided to move on to other adventures and it’s a good opportunity for us to explore more exciting food options. We thank them for all the efforts they put into their tasty sandwiches! For now CCB is focusing on the drinks, the comfort and as always, the laughs.

  5. THE LAUGHS – Shows continue to kick ass and we will continue to bring in outside acts (see La Carpe Haute this Friday!) as well as cultivate local talent. We’ve already unveiled most of the Fall program which includes solo shows by Paul Salamone (Robot Suit), Chris Davis (The Wandering Barman, this Saturday!) and Josh Telson (Happy F*cking Birthday). And we fully intend to make an improv tournament (like the August Offensive) a regular event. Tickets are already, as always, available online.

  6. CROWDFUNDING – That’s right! One year down the road and we’ll be once again appealing to you lovely supporters to help us finance some of the projects we don’t have the cash flow for just yet i.e. ventilation (y’all know what I’m talking about), further soundproofing (for the theater floor so we can do midnight showssss!) A second round Kickstarter will naturally tie into…

  7. A ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY PARTY – October 28th – Mark your calendars. Details to come soon!

And there you have it! A lot to do!

Thank you all for your continued support and we hope to see you around soon!

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The CCB State of the Union

The CCB State of the Union

In many ways this summer has been very challenging for us at CCB. Weathering the storm of the Ordnungsamt was just the tip of the iceberg, it was immediately followed by beautiful scaffolding engulfing our building (everywhere is a bike rack!) plus stupid EURO2016 distracting our audiences, oh, and it just being summer and hot and nice outside (GAAWD) and YES we get that our air conditioner isn’t most well functioning device for the theater. AND YES, we knowthat the neighbor situation sucks! No one hates the “quiet outdoors after 10pm” situation more than us. The list goes on.

Though we are indeed weathering the storm, they feel at times like pyrrhic victories (victories won at too high a cost — I’ve been watching lots of Jeopardy lately).

BUT all the stress and uncertainty vanish when I see the crowds file in through the door to watch a show. I hate to say I’m proud because I’m part German and pride is a shameful thing — but something inside me ticks and I feel like somehow the struggles and challenges have been and are worth it.

Here’s what I mean:

The past two weeks we’ve held host to some of the world’s finest comedians as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews. Amazing! A tip of the hat to all the performers and especially to Damien of the Plague of iDiOTs. And just a week week before that I hosted the monthly CCB Improv Jam, where anyone can sign up to perform improv on stage with other complete strangers. Roughly 50 people attended with 35 signed up to play. On a Sunday. In July. That. Is. Humbling. Period. There were new faces and familiar faces, there were family and friends. It was so great to see, especially after the last 2 months. AND then there was that week prior when 2 improv teams, Hot Box and Guillotine, and The Weird Show a sketch group, all formed from Hive classes, packed the house with their first shows ever. Gosh dangit.

Like a little oasis in the desert.

The CCB State of the Union is strengthening and our resolve is strong. We’ll keep trudging on; providing a stage for this growing scene.

So now what?

We’re back to semi-regular programming with some exciting new SCHTUFF! New shows and new programming and, of course, Berlin’s very first improv cage match tournament, The August Offensive! 8 teams, 3 Saturdays, 1 winner.

We’re excited to see you there, being a part of it all!

– Noah

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Edinburgh Fringe Festival Previews

People of Laughland — this is important! The EdFringe Preview at CCB starts tomorrow!

What does this mean? It means some of the funniest acts are coming through Berlin to preview their acts before bringing them to the world famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this August. This is a great chance to see something completely new and we’re kicking it off with a bang! with Zach & Viggo previewing their show Thunderflop which just won the best act at the Brighton Fringe Festival. And it only gets better from there:

Tickets are available online WITH NO PROCESSING FEES! That’s right! No additional fees to buy your tickets online!

All preview shows are in English! 
Show start: 8:00p
Door: 7:30p
Tickets: 8€/6€

As always come early for food from The CCB Kitchen.

Just another reminder! We’ve changed our opening hours.

They are as such:
Wednesday – Friday: 6:00p – ??
Sunday – Saturday: 11:00a – ??

Mondays will be open for select shows.

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Happy Hour Beer Special – This week only!

We’ve updated the menu, let’s drink.

Introducing the Happy Hour Beer Special!

In preparation for warm weather we’ve added some new items to the menu, including Yoyo’s Dark & Stormy and Mellen & Katz Gin & Tonic. Let’s celebrate this change and the arrival of Spring with a good ol’ binge drink. This weekend only!

Happy Hour Beer Special!
From end of show to 11pm, all bottled Pils are €1,50.
Just present your show stamp* to the bartender and say “BEER ME”. 

*You have to buy a ticket to the show to be eligible.

So buy a goddamned ticket and see a goddamned comedy show.

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Introducing The Komedy Kindergarten!

Comedy Café Berlin is expanding its business into childcare with The Komedy Kindergarten.

Here at CCB we believe that being funny is a skill that can be learned and what better way to ensure an innate and intimate knowledge of humor than learning young? They say children who learn multiple languages grow up speaking fluently and with a greater capacity to absorb more knowledge. Beyond languages, we see a similar phenomenon in physical learning like Karate and gymnastics. And let us not forget the numerous examples of violin and piano virtuosi who began their careers just barely out of the womb. The advantages to young learning are infinite and we’re so excited to apply this same concept to joke-telling. 

Our staff of highly trained comedians have spent the last 6 months researching and fine-tuning joke-telling methods for the young and impressionable mind. From basic humor skills for newborns to more complex joke structures for the 5 year olds.

The Komedy Kindergarten skill module includes:

  • Key dangling for newborns
  • Peekaboo for the uninitiated
  • Poop and fart jokes
  • Dealing with clowns and hecklers
  • The double punchline

Starting this month, CCB will be opening up registration for babies and toddlers between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age. Registration is limited to just 20 spots. We expect a long list so please act quick as we operate on a first come, first serve basis.

For a full prospectus and pricing information please visit our special Komedy Kindergarten page:

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March Madness!

Spring is almost here!

To celebrate like pagans, we’re giving away 1 free ticket to each show this weekend!

Use the discount code i-promise-to-bring-friends when ordering online for any show this week (Except Sunday – it’s free anyways). First to act gets it. EASY. 

Thursday (Comedy Reise – German Stand-Up with Daniel Wolfson)

Friday (Friday Night Improv with GOOD LUCK BARBARA!)

Saturday (Stand-Up Saturdays! with Chris Davis)

~

And, as always, come early for food from the CCB Kitchen or just grab a tasty Vagabund American Pale Ale.

Spotlight on March shows:
 

ORDER TICKETS NOW!