New comedy flag to start flapping
It’s no secret the Flappers Comedy Club is nearing its opening date of Sept. 11. The 1920s-inspired marquee is up and turning quite a few heads on the corner of Magnolia Boulevard and First Street, according to partners of the new dining and comedy performance venue.
“The signage is so large, people think we own the whole block,” quipped Barbara Holliday, co-partner of the venture with Dave Reinitz. “It feels perfect. People are driving by commenting that we look old school — like we’ve been here forever. The 1920s theme and Art Deco period, which is what we are basing our design on, it really fits in Burbank, like City Hall.”
The partners are going for a comedy club that serves up great entertainment and menu devised by a first-class chef that will be set an affordable price, Holliday added. They will also have classes for people wanting to become comedians and shows geared for children.
Talent scheduled for opening night on Sept. 11 includes headliner Joey Medina, who is from the original Latin Kings of Comedy.
Master of ceremonies is Samuel J. Comroe, who is managed by Holliday and Reinitz. Comroe has Tourette’s syndrome and plays it up in his comedy act, Holliday said.
“He came into a comedy class Dave was teaching,” she said. “He had Tourette’s syndrome, but he wasn’t talking about that at all, so Dave and I helped him develop that. Now he’s winning every comedy contest in the county of Los Angeles. He’s on fire right now.”
Holliday and Reinitz chose Comroe to be master of ceremonies on opening night because they believe he has a lot of potential of becoming a professional headliner some day, Holliday said.
Comroe called being the master of ceremonies for the grand opening “amazing.”
“When Barbara and Dave told me, I was really honored,” he said. “It’s crazy. I think the club is going to be fantastic and will be here a long time. To be a part of the opening is a pretty cool experience.”
The comedy club features three performance areas — a main showroom where the headliners perform that seats 225 people; the bar and patio area that accommodates 60; and the Yoohoo Room for 50 people.
The main showroom will have comics performing at 8 and 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. The Yoohoo Room will have improv shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
All three areas will serve food and alcohol.
“We have an ambitious menu for a comedy club,” Holliday said. “We have our own chef, Andrew Doyle, from the Smoke House in Downtown Los Angeles. There will be a wide selection of food.”
Food will cost between $4 for French fries and go up to $18 for steak or salmon. Drinks will run from $4 to $13, she said.
“It is definitely an upscale experience at an everyman price,” she said.
Audience members can also linger in the bar and patio area, have a drink or something to eat, after the show.
The business owners also want to partner with local charities on fundraising events. On Sept. 9 the Burbank Boys & Girls Club will be receiving a portion of the two evening shows’ ticket sales, as well as the children’s Two Milk Minimum show on Sept. 11, Holliday said.
Upcoming headliners include Craig Shoemaker — the Love Master — booked for Oct. 8 and 9, and Christopher Titus, who is in for New Year’s Eve.
“People have been asking us how we are going to get the comics, but that’s the easiest part,” Holliday said.