43
The Funny Farm Comedy Club reopens downtown
YOUNGSTOWN
The Funny Farm Comedy Club is back, and this time the staple of stand-up in the Valley is opening its doors in downtown Youngstown.
The newest iteration of the club will have its first show on the third floor of the Knox Building – 110 W. Federal St. – at 7 p.m. Oct. 6, with a follow-up show at 9 p.m.
A second location at the Quality Inn on South Hermitage Road in Hermitage, Pa., will have its opening night at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 5.
Dave Robich, owner of the Funny Farm Comedy Club, began the business in 1988, first in a Howard Johnson hotel in Liberty and shortly after in the former Holiday Inn Metroplex across the street.
After a few venue changes, Robich decided to retire, but a young comedian and his new business partner, Melissa Katsaros, convinced him to get back into the comedy game.
Now with Katsaros as a partner and two young, local comedians – Matt Onesti and Mike Kolenich – on board to help, Robich is ready to breathe new life into the familiar comedy venue.
“We’ll have our two shows on Saturday like we used to do, and then I’d like to have an open mic showcase on Thursdays and maybe improv nights on Fridays,” Robich said. “We’re also hoping to do some alternative and creative stuff here downtown.”
Robich said he and the comedians hope to incorporate the physical space of the building into customers’ experiences before and after the show. He imagined scenarios where planted comedians would do sketch comedy in the elevators with audience members on the way up and down to the club.
The Funny Farm is the latest creative endeavor to take up residence in Jacob Harver’s Knox Building, which is home to The Federal on the first floor, the Lemon Grove art gallery on the second, and the Youngstown Cinema on the third – a space it will now share with the Funny Farm.
“I was hesitant at first to move the club downtown, because I had a different idea of downtown from the younger people I’m working with,” Robich said. “But they convinced me, and now that I’m down here and seeing it for myself, I can’t be more excited to be here. This really is where things are happening now.”
The comedy club will occupy two rooms on the third floor, one that seats 100 people and a larger theater that seats 250. Most shows will take place in the smaller room, with larger- drawing feature shows in the larger.
Robich also hopes to draw in larger national acts that would require him to rent out space at larger venues, such as Powers Auditorium.
Harver and Robich see the Knox Building as providing an all-inclusive night out in downtown Youngstown – dinner and drinks at The Federal followed by a show at the Funny Farm.
“I’d like to work alongside other downtown businesses as well,” Robich said. “I think it would be great if we could work with the [Doubletree] hotel and put together a New Year’s Eve package with a room and tickets to a show.”
Tickets for most weekend shows will be $20, though Robich said there would be digital coupons available in the days leading up to opening night.