It’s a sound that comedians across the state have waited a long time to hear — an audience laughing at their jokes.

But like so many other entertainment venues, comedy clubs have been closed for the past year, leaving comedians like Ken Krantz to find ways to show off their talent.

“I didn't perform for about four months and then last July, the outdoor shows started opening up," says Krantz. "So you just pivoted to doing shows in tents and fire escapes and parking lots."

But for him, performing in outdoor spaces just wasn’t the same. He says the laughs just don’t hit the same like when he is performing in a club.

What You Need To Know

  • During the pandemic, comedians performed in outdoor venues

  • Laugh It Up! relocated to the old Bananas Comedy Club, where owners say comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Jimmy Fallon were discovered

  • Laugh It Up! will host shows every weekend

Krantz says outdoor shows are great, but comedy is meant to be heard indoors, in small rooms like the Laugh It Up! Comedy Club.

But the wait was over for Krantz after he received the phone call that so many comics have been waiting for. The owners of the comedy club, Kal Getter and Dan McRitchie, called Krantz, asking him to be their headliner.

“Getting a hold of cannons and letting them know, you know, hey, we're, we're coming back, we're going to be back in action, and we would love to have you as our first grand opening show, you know," says Getter. "It's just very, very meaningful."

With a little bit of anxiety and excitement, Krantz and his fellow comics hit the stage and let the audience have it, hearing the sound that every comedian is addicted to: laughter.

“It was a blast," says Krantz. "Crowd was great. Club set up great. It was a lot of fun to be back indoors doing a headlining set. I think the crowd came ready to laugh and started getting back to normal.”

Laugh It Up! relocated to the old Bananas Comedy Club, where owners say comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Jimmy Fallon were discovered.