Sounds of music and cheers blast out of venues between campus and downtown, but students are starting to hear more laughter echoing from the doors thanks to Blue Duck Comedy.
Blue Duck, a comedy-oriented production company, hosts its monthly feature show at Chelsea’s Café on Friday. This Friday’s event will feature comedian-writer Joe Faina from Austin, Texas.
The monthly event often draws in big name comedy acts from out of state, which Bryan Wooldridge, the owner, co-manager and University alumnus, said plays a large role in drawing in more attendees.
“The local talent is awesome, but we want to keep this show as fresh as possible with rising stars from around the nation,” Wooldridge said in an email. “And in doing so, we also make connections that could help our [local] guys get booked elsewhere.”
Blue Duck Comedy began as Salami Vice Productions, but in 2011, Wooldridge said he thought the company needed some rebranding and reorganizing. Wooldridge, who took the helm of the company in 2009, explained the new brand was more appealing and easier to promote.
“I had a friend once ask me about Salami Vice, but he unintentionally referred to it as Sausage Pajamas,” he said.
“At that point, I knew I needed an image that would stick in peoples’ minds.”
Along with producing and booking comedy shows, Wooldridge said Blue Duck attempts to support comedy as a whole in the area. The group records some shows for performers to use. His managing partner Andy Ledford said along with attending and supporting other local acts, the group wants to encourage people to begin their own comedy, because “everyone is funny.” The two also hope to start a blog to showcase and update Baton Rouge residents on local comedy news.
“We go to a lot of shows produced by a lot of other people,” Ledford said. “Comedy’s on the up and up in Baton Rouge.”
The group’s weekly open mic night at Boudreaux and Thibodeaux’s offers a free opportunity for anyone to take the stage, Ledford said.
“Whoever shows up can workshop a lot of their jokes,” he said. “These are kind of testing grounds so people can work on their material.”
Ledford himself hosts these events, which take a different type of comedic tenacity.
“You have to grab the audience right off the bat and get their attention,” he said. “Usually we can incorporate the audience in [to the bit].”
Wooldridge, on the other hand, takes a “behind the scenes approach” as owner and manager. He hosts some shows, but usually just helps coordinate and book Blue Duck events, while Ledford handles the operation of shows.
Through Blue Duck, Wooldridge has formed friends and spent time with people he’s found hilariously talented.
“So I genuinely enjoy being a part of this community and helping to make it even better in any way I can,” he said.
As one of these funny friends who takes to the stage, Ledford gets a certain satisfaction out of making people laugh.
“I think people are at their best when they’re laughing,” he said. “There’s no way I could tell what kind of day someone’s had. It’s kind of an escape your creating, a pretend way for people to get away.”
Friday’s event at Chelsea’s will begin at 9 p.m. and cost $5 for entry. Guests with a party of five will only have to pay $15 total.
