April 2, 2026, by Sean Ulman for the Seward Folly
Maybe you’ve heard… After a fun (and funny) winter that saw many locals take the stage, Seward suddenly has a stand-up comedy scene.
Bravely testing out new material every Wednesday at the Yukon’s Open Mic, hosted by Braden Rollins, prepared 10+ local comedians to deliver laughs at three recent, packed shows held at The Yukon, Seward Alehouse, and the Breeze Lounge.
Locals Ron Marsh and Charisty perform for a packed crowd. Photo by Sean Ulman
Add standup to the established improv troupe – Tangled Lines – and the new Changing Tides Variety crew that debuted with a sold-out show this fall, as well as the revival of Port City Players, and Seward appears to be well-positioned for a bright future in the performing arts.
Showrunners from outside of Seward also play a key role in the growing Seward comedy scene.
The AKB4uDie Festival delivered a hilarious evening at The Yukon on Saturday, March 28, with four excellent performers – two from Anchorage and two from the East Coast.
Unfortunately, a second AKB4uDie event at The Yukon, planned for April 4, was canceled, along with a few other festival dates, likely due to low ticket sales.
Not to worry. The Tidewater Taphouse, with its tiered seating and on-point acoustics, will ring in its season with a comedy show on Wednesday, April 8, featuring nationally touring headliner Kirk McHenry.
“Kirk has had numerous television appearances on BET’s Comic View, One Mic Stand hosted by Kevin Hart, and Jamie Foxx Laffapalooza; as well as several touring engagements throughout the United States and abroad.”
Opening for McHenry will be locals Shannon Ryan and Karl Mechtenberg, who’ve both delivered memorable performances this winter.
Local comedian Karl Mechtenberg performs at the Yukon. Photo by Sean Ulman
Continuing a major week of comedy here in Seward, Jessica Michelle Singleton will perform at the Gateway Hotel on Friday, April 10.
“Jessica is a paid regular at the world-famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles & is the breakout star of ‘Iliza’s Locals’ on Hulu, produced by Iliza Shlesinger.”
Attending one or more of these shows contributes to our local comedy scene in several ways.
The more people that turn out for events, the more likely promoters are to continue bringing high-quality shows to Seward.
The chance to open for professional comedians is quite an honor for our local joke tellers. It’s a reward for putting in work. And it motivates us to keep picking at the puzzle.
Seeing big acts in our hometown is a gift. All the aspiring comedians taking their swings at the Yukon can learn and get inspired by being in the crowd.
And the biggest boost to our scene concerns the audience. A night of laughter and surprise may seem like a single serving of insightful joy. But every person who attends a show increases their chances of becoming a regular supporter.
And the audience is the key piece to a thriving scene.
Thank you for coming out to support comedy in Seward this winter and I look forward to laughing alongside you at an upcoming show.
(Quotes about comedian biographies are from these pages…)
Links to show descriptions and ticket sales below:
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