It’s not the first time that the Sunset Center in Carmel scheduled a comedy act. But it has been a while.
The facility developed a standup series in 2019 in partnership with Central Coast native-turned-Brooklyn comedy producer, Reed Kavner. It was called XYZ, drawing performers from the three generations closing out the alphabet. Then Covid hit, and the full stop also put a temporary end to something else that made the evenings unique: location.
As opposed to the Sunset Center’s intimidating and monumental auditorium or its perfect-for-afternoon-jazz garden, Studio 105 is a cozy venue in the lower level of the center. With only 100 seats, it is an intimate and interactive space for slam poetry, improv and small concerts.
XYZ Comedy is back and so is Studio 105, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.
Sunset Center Artistic Director Christine Sandin explains that the space was a former gymnasium, which makes sense as the center was constructed as a school. “We use it for special kinds of performances that are experimental and don’t necessarily need all the lights and other things.”
In 2016, Sunset Center started a cabaret series that soon grew to a size they couldn’t manage. “It was really big and it was too much,” Sandin says.
This time the Gen X, Gen Y and Gen Z comedy comes not from New York, but the West Coast – a menu of five young comedians, who Sunset Center presents as fresh young superstars of comedy that will be performed in Studio 105 through June 9. Expect strong language, with no topics being off limits.
Joey Avery is the next comedian scheduled to perform. He will be followed by Leah Bonnema, Marcella Arquello and Irene Tu.
“The first comedy special I modeled myself after was Eddie Murphy,” he says. Avery took to standup in South Africa, as a student for a semester at University of Cape Town.
Avery believes that 2024 is going to be a great year for comedy.
“The social media era can be exhausting with the pressure to constantly put out content that performs at a high level,” he says. “But it is amazing to feel like you can take things into your own hands without waiting for industry gatekeepers.”
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