Enthusiasts work to bring comedy to local venues

 

Posted: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 11:00 pm

Enthusiasts work to bring comedy to local venues By Rob Hanson Leader-Telegram staff Leader-Telegram | 0 comments

Despite its growing popularity, local comedian Rio Hillman considers comedy to be the “lowest on the totem pole” of Eau Claire arts.

But Hillman is one of a few area comedy enthusiasts who is trying to change that.

Hillman, who has worked in the comedy business for years and runs a small booking operation, has been bringing nationally touring comedians to the Silver Dollar Saloon in Menomonie and Sammy’s Pizza Palace & Pub the first Friday and Saturday of every month.

The quality of the acts is an aspect many people are unaware of, Hillman said.

Ian Salmon, who has toured the world as a comedian and has acted on the hit CBS TV shows “CSI: NY” and “Chaos,” will headline both shows this weekend.

Many of the performers Hillman has brought in since he started having regular shows in October have been featured on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” or Comedy Central’s “Stand Up Showdown.”

Hillman said Eau Claire is a prime location for luring quality comedians because it’s conveniently located on most routes from Minneapolis to the southern part of the state.

“A lot of times they’re coming through the area, so either they’re going to Minneapolis or Milwaukee and they’re like, ‘I’ve got these dates off this weekend,’ ” Hillman said. “So I try to piece it together like that.”

And Hillman isn’t the only one bringing laughs into town.

Fanny Hill Dinner Theatre, 3919 Crescent Ave., has hosted comedy shows the first and third Wednesday for the past six months.

Don Hodgins, Fanny Hill director, said the shows have been quite popular so far.

“Nobody’s done it on a regular basis until we started doing it,” Hodgins said. “We were looking for something else to get people out here, and it’s worked very well.

“We get a whole lot of different people out here for the comedy, a much younger demographic … yet still maintaining some of our dinner theater crowd.”