April brings comedy shows
Lewis Black, George Lopez and others coming to Colorado
A “MadTV” veteran, an icon of apoplexy and a package tour in the style of “The Original Kings of Comedy” await Denver standup fans in April.
Here’s the best of the best in the metro area (and beyond) this month.
Power Move. Stand-up audiences rarely realize it, but booking, promoting and otherwise running a regular showcase is tantamount to running a venue. Denver comics Nathan Lund and Aaron Urist will celebrate 12 months of hard work on their “Power Move” showcase, which they co-host, with a lineup of local crushers including Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald (Animal Planet’s “Emergency Vets”), Janae Burris, AJ Finney, Derrick Stroup and Piper Shepherd. Show them the same love they show their rotating community nonprofits; your $5 suggested donation goes toward the music-focused Youth on Record. 8 p.m. April 5, Image
Craig Robinson. Whether or not his work on NBC’s long-running “The Office” will ultimately mark the high point of his career, Robinson’s keyboard-based musical comedy is still going strong at clubs, including a three-night stand at the spacious Comedy Works South. Get pumped for it by watching this “Hot Tub Time Machine” co-star on Seth Ro-
gen’s “Hilarity for Charity” special, which premieres on Netflix April 6. 7:15 and 9:45 p.m. April 13-14; 7 p.m. April 15, Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place in Greenwood Village. Tickets: $39-$50, comedyworks.com
Lewis Black. A tireless touring comic and Colorado favorite, Black has booked a quartet of Front Range shows for his new “The Joke’s on Us” tour (groan): An opener at Colorado Springs’ Pikes Peak Center (April 19), a pair of shows at Denver’s Paramount Theatre (April 20-21) and a farewell at Fort Collins’ Lincoln Center (April 22). Spittle bibs optional. Multiple shows April 19-22. Tickets: $25-$75, axs.com, altitudetickets.com or lctix.com
Ben Roy. The least-stoner comic imaginable is set to play 4/20 weekend in Denver, a hilarious bit of counter-programming to our unofficial weed holiday given that L.A.-based Roy — who came up in Denver’s comedy scene, and comprises one-third of The Grawlix team on truTV’s Denver-set sitcom “Those Who Can’t” — is a prickly punk. He also fronts the excellent punk band SPELLS, which is playing an early set at East Colfax Avenue’s Lost Lake on April 6. Various times April 19-21, Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place. Tickets: $16-$24, comedyworks.com Jim Breuer & Tom Papa. To celebrate its $10 million new amphitheater, Estes Park’s historic Stanley Hotel is throwing a grand-opening party with performances by former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Jim Breuer (April 20) and subtly brilliant Jerry Seinfeld pal Tom Papa (April 21). The 300-seat space and unusual backdrop ought to offer a unique setting for comedy. Multiple shows April 20-21, The Stanley Hotel, 333 Wonderview Ave. in Estes Park. Tickets: $40-$65, stanleylive.com The Comedy Get Down. Stand-up superstars George Lopez, D.L. Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer and Eddie Griffin — as well as the late Charlie Murphy — united for “The Comedy Get Down” tour in 2016, which led to a 10-episode show of the same name on BET. Despite Murphy’s passing last year, the surviving members are keeping the showcase rolling with an appearance at the Colorado Convention Center’s Bellco Theatre this month. If you like your laughs bundled and your names notable, this is a surprisingly good value. 7 p.m. April 28, Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St. Tickets: $49-$113, axs.com.