{"id":328693,"date":"2026-07-03T19:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T19:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/328693\/"},"modified":"2026-07-03T19:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T19:10:09","slug":"come-as-you-are-the-community-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/328693\/","title":{"rendered":"Come as you are – The Community Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orlando\u2019s comedy scene is getting a makeover as local comics replace old-school gatekeeping with diverse, community-focused shows in welcoming spaces. Performers and audiences alike are connecting, experimenting and getting vulnerable.\n<\/p>\n

Aimee LeCours<\/a> and Chandy Burke<\/a>, founders of the nonprofit Florida Comedy Collective<\/a>, aim to support and promote comedic arts in Florida by fostering community and inclusion. They create the spaces they want to see \u2014 spaces they said they needed when they began performing and that they believe are still lacking in Orlando\u2019s comedy scene.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, it felt like you could only do stand-up this one way, and if you don\u2019t do it like that, then you\u2019re not respected,\u201d LeCours said. \u201cFor me, that was really stifling.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

In reaction to that homogeny, LeCours and Burke created \u201cWrite Night<\/a>,\u201d an alternative to late-night comedy events held in bars. The beginner-friendly, clean comedy workshop followed by an open mic is held in Goodway Cafe<\/a> at Magnolia Yoga and Wellness Center<\/a> in Longwood. The hosts want participants to feel excited to write and perform rather than be intimidated.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sun is out, we\u2019re all smiling, we\u2019re having a great time, and they can try something new without the pressure of a crowd,\u201d Burke said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

LeCours, a licensed mental health counselor, touts comedy\u2019s mental health benefits during \u201cLaughology: A Comedy Wellness Workshop<\/a>,\u201d also held at Goodway Cafe<\/a>. The series is therapeutic, helping participants regulate their nervous systems and tune out everyday stressors with improv games and stand-up-style humor.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had people come in and not even mention comedy. They\u2019re there to emote,\u201d LeCours said. \u201cThey just want to be around other people and express themselves.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Both \u201cWrite Night\u201d and \u201cLaughology\u201d are inclusive, affordable (tickets are just $5) and low-pressure, attracting a diverse range of participants, especially first-timers. Play rather than perfection is what LeCours and Burke are after. These events promote participants\u2019 creativity and well-being, but the hosts themselves also feel the benefits.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cComedy in general has taught me that failing is OK,\u201d Burke said. \u201cIt really helped me with my anxiety in that way.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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Aimee LeCours, a comedian and licensed mental health therapist, leads \u201cLaughology: A Comedy Wellness Workshop\u201d at Magnolia Yoga and Wellness Center. (COURTESY OF AIMEE LECOURS)<\/p>\n

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The producers of comedy variety show \u201cMonday Scaries\u201d open the night with classic improvisation. (COURTESY OF MONDAY SCARIES)<\/p>\n

That sentiment is shared by the producers of the comedy variety show \u201cMonday Scaries<\/a>\u201c: Sarah Drew<\/a>, Melissa Harvard, Steven Mangold and Chris Trovador<\/a>.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI need this show,\u201d Trovador said. \u201cI need these people to help me get out of my own head.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMonday Scaries\u201d encourages performers to defy the comedic status quo in an unconventional performance space, Downtown\u2019s CityArts gallery<\/a>. Seasoned comedians and newbies alike present fresh, innovative work in virtually every genre.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not polished. This is not the best of the best. This is come out and try what you\u2019ve got,\u201d Drew said.\n<\/p>\n

The audience members, even regulars, never know what to expect, and that\u2019s exactly the point. \u201cIt gives you a chance to do something silly without being scrutinized,\u201d Trovador said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Though there\u2019s traditional stand-up and improv, the acts skew experimental \u2014 a barber appearing from the audience to shave a balding performer\u2019s head for the first time or an awkward middle school book report read aloud in character. The audience is nothing but supportive, no matter how unhinged acts might be, and cynicism is left at the door.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s this beautiful thing that happens when everybody\u2019s just committed to encouraging each other,\u201d Harvard said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

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The Kidney Stone Kids improv troupe performs an improvised song inspired by an audience suggestion. (COURTESY OF MONDAY SCARIES)<\/p>\n

LeCours, Burke and the producers of \u201cMonday Scaries\u201d<\/a> hope to see more inclusive, offbeat shows where comedians can authentically express themselves, as well as more venues willing to host those events.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMonoculture can ruin an ecosystem,\u201d Harvard said. \u201cWhen everything looks the same, it ends up not being great for the comedy sphere.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

As these dedicated performers continue showing up for their community, so do audiences, and maybe most importantly, rookies hoping to take the stage.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cFinding your voice in any art takes years and years and years,\u201d LeCours said. \u201cIf you\u2019re stopped at the gate, then we\u2019re missing out on so many different voices.\u201d\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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