![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Commodore_lease-renewal_happy-2025.jpg\")
(L-R) Kelly Buttermore, Justin Peters, Kevin Michalski, John Lasavath, and Matt Walker. Credit: Kelly Buttermore \/ The Commodore<\/p>\n(L-R) Kelly Buttermore, Justin Peters, Kevin Michalski, John Lasavath, and Matt Walker. Credit: Kelly Buttermore \/ The Commodore<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, the creators of Tampa\u2019s beloved Commodore<\/a> saw the rundown old pool hall and thought 811 E 11th Ave. was too good to pass up<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe definitely leapt before we looked,\u201d Kelly Buttermore told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. \u201cWere we ready? Absolutely not. But, you know, \u2018if you build it, they will come, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Still, people didn\u2019t immediately start coming. There were many shows where the comedians onstage outnumbered people of the audience. Buttermore is grateful that those paying customers didn\u2019t walk out.<\/p>\n Turns out the vision and ambition of that first team team\u2014including John Lasavath, Kevin Michalski, Justin Peters, and Matt Walker\u2014has been more than enough. This weekend, the improv comedy space that evolved into so much more celebrates two years of laughs.<\/p>\n As Buttermore explains it, running a business like The Commodore involves a lot of leaping and being ready to adapt and evolve ideas you might\u2019ve had. Her spot turned that corner last year, when. they realized the shop was more than an improv theater.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile comedy (and improv, especially) will always be at the heart of what we do, we\u2019re a performance venue now.,\u201d she said, noting the burlesque, poetry, concerts and more that happen there. It\u2019s a fine watering hole, too.<\/p>\n More than anything, the New York native added, is that the team there stands for Tampa, a weird a beautiful city that was meant to have a venue like this one.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always been our mission that what happens here embodies what makes Tampa so great. We want to hold up a mirror to Tampa and its residents and reflect the best of this city back to itself \u2014 while hopefully making people laugh along the way,\u201d Buttermore added. \u201cIt\u2019s taken a hell of a lot of work, on the parts of so many people, to get to this point, but\u00a0it matters\u00a0that we\u2019re here. And we can\u2019t wait to have one hell of a party this weekend to celebrate.\u201d<\/p>\n That party includes Saturday\u2019s Wreck Fest<\/a>, a more than 12-hour comedy marathon that kicks off at noon that includes nearly 60 acts. Sunday includes a 90-minute year in review where Buttermore & co. will recap the year with lists and dumb its. <\/p>\n And anyone who wants to get started early can join the team for happy hour on Friday, Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m. ahead of the next edition of the now beloved \u201cSalud and Happy Days\u201d <\/a>event (this week featuring author and journalist Craig Pittman), and a special presentation of the AI v. Improv series \u201cElectric Sheep.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n More information and tickets are available via commodorecomedy.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Commodore-Photo-by-Ray-Roa.jpg\")
The Commodore in Tampa, Florida on Nov. 5, 2024. Credit: Ray Roa \/ Creative Loafing Tampa Bay<\/p>\n