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Best Places To See Stand Up Comedy In Detroit

It's a hot summer night and you're in the mood to see some stand up comedy, but where should you go? Check this list for the best in the metro area.
Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle
310 S. Troy St.
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 542-9900
www.comedycastle.com

Mark Ridley opened his Comedy Castle in January of 1979, and some of his first Open Mic Night performers were Tim Allen and Dave Coulier one month later. Jerry Seinfeld, Rosie O'Donnell, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart and more have graced the Castle's stage. Ridley still chooses his club's talent by hand, and uses a "three-tier comedian format" that includes an up-and-coming talent as an evening's opener, a "seasoned" middle act, and a "nationally recognized" headliner/third act. Open Mic Night is every Wednesday night ($5); Thursday shows are $10-$27; and Friday/Saturday shows are $18-$33. You must be 18 to attend any show at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle.

Joey's Comedy Shop
36071 Plymouth Road
Livonia, MI 48150
(734) 261-0555
www.facebook.com/JoeysComedyShop

Joey's Comedy Shop is located on Plymouth Road between Levan and Wayne Road It was voted the #1 comedy club in Metro Detroit in 2012 and 2013. The club also has "dinner and show" packages, where you can see a show and grab some dinner, and birthday packages as well. Joey's has an Open Mic Night for aspiring comedians and also more seasoned performers.

Holly Hotel
110 Battle Alley
Holly, MI 48442
(248) 634-5208
www.hollyhotel.com

The Holly Hotel is no longer a hotel, but a restaurant, and on the weekends it hosts a stand up comedy club. The club was founded in 1983 when only two professional clubs existed in Michigan; since then, the club has seen performers of the likes of Pat Paulsen, Bill Mahar, Tim Allen, Soupy Sales and more. If you're a member of the Holly Hotel Dining Club, you can also receive discounts/free passes to the Comedy Club, and currently the restaurant offers buy one, get one free tickets for certain shows on its website. The Comedy Club is located in the lower area of the Hotel.

Related: Best Professional Improv Theaters in Detroit

Go Comedy! Improv Theater
261 E. 9 Mile Road
Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 327-0575
www.gocomedy.net

Go Comedy! was opened by a group of friends, and is located on 9 Mile Road near Woodward. This is improv theater, which is stand up comedy of the best kind: it's completely improvised, which means you never know what's going to happen or be said. The theater has no minimum age to attend its shows, but most of the shows are "rated" PG-13 or R, with the shows later at night being more of the R-rated sort. Free parking can be found in the lot next to the building, as well as the courthouse parking lot (after 5pm only), or if those are full, there is metered parking across the street.

Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
212 S. Fourth Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 996-9080
www.aacomedy.com

The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase is located in downtown Ann Arbor, on 4th Street between Liberty and Washington. It opened in 1984 above the Heidelberg as the "Mainstreet Comedy Showcase," and in 1987 it moved to a new location, under Seva restaurant on Liberty; most recently, it has moved to Fourth Avenue. Stars such as Tim Allen, Rosie O'Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, Rita Rudner and more have performed at the showcase, and the name of the business was changed in 2001. Shows are at 8 p.m. during the week and 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and you must be 18 or older to attend. If you have a birthday coming up, you and three guests can attend a show for free (general admission only), and requests must be made by 5 p.m. the day before the show you want to attend.

Related: Best Comedy Clubs in Detroit

Liz Parker is a freelance writer and a University of Michigan graduate with a degree in Creative Writing and Literature. Her work can be found at Examiner.com and yesnofilms.com.
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