The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase (AACS), founded in 1984 by Roger Feeny and Kirkland Teeple as the Mainstreet Comedy Showcase, continues to bring quality entertainment after 40 years of laughter.
The AACS is one of the city’s longstanding businesses that has hosted comedians of every generation from the early days of Tim Allen, Joe Rogan and Ellen DeGeneres to household names today like Aziz Ansari. Located at 212 S 4th Ave, the Comedy Showcase features 12 to 16 comedians each month. According to Christopher Boroff, the Box Office and Sales Manager, their key to longevity goes beyond laughs and giggles, but building trust among its comedians and the city.
“We aim to bring consistency, quality, and a real sense of community. Our longevity speaks for itself, but we’ve never taken it for granted — we listen to our audiences and care for our performers,” Boroff said. “Our leadership in the comedy scene comes from decades of cultivating talent, elevating the art form and investing in the long-term health of the comedy community. We’ve helped comedians take their first steps and given veterans a place to reconnect with a real crowd.”
While performance is the name of the game for The AACS, their work goes beyond telling jokes, as over the past 40 years, Boroff said the club has remained a consistent voice in the philanthropy realm of Ann Arbor, hosting fundraisers, awareness campaigns, and benefit shows supporting veterans’ organizations, homeless outreach programs, local food banks and educational initiatives like their Comedy for a Cause program designed to provide homelessness support. Boroff calls the club “a place where laughter meets purpose. While our primary offering is comedy, our deeper mission is connection.”
“Many don’t realize that we’re more than just a weekend stop for comics — we’re a true incubator for comedy talent. Some of the biggest names in stand-up got early stage time right here,” Boroff said. “Beyond the spotlight, we’ve quietly supported local causes, offering space and talent for fundraisers and donating tickets to area nonprofits and schools. We’re also known for offering discounts to students, first responders and military service members—because we believe everyone deserves to laugh. If you’re passionate about supporting great causes, we would love to hear from you.”
For those who have never attended an AACS show, it’s typical to see three comedians throughout the night. An emcee (host) introduces each act and engages the audience between sets, the feature act heightens the comedic energy and the headliner closes the show with a 45–60 minute performance.
“We focus on the craft of stand-up. Our club is curated with care, booking acts based on talent rather than trends, and we provide a professional, respectful environment for comedians to do their best work,” Boroff said. “It’s not unusual to see seasoned comics sitting in the audience supporting newer voices. We’ve kept our club intimate and affordable—You’re not paying for a bottle service scene or a flashy nightclub vibe; you’re paying for a genuine, belly-laughing good time.”
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Regarding the show, Boroff said that no matter the time, AACS is a great nightlife experience. Welcoming everyone to an atmosphere that invites people to unplug and enjoy the moment.
“We want people to know that laughter is for everyone. Whether you’re celebrating, grieving or just getting through the week, we believe in the power of a good comedy show to lift your spirits. We’re so grateful to be part of this city and will continue doing our part to make Ann Arbor a little brighter—one show at a time.
The AACS box office is open Wednesday – Friday from 4-8pm and on Saturday from 4-10:30pm with showtimes at 7:15pm, and a second show on Saturday at 9:45pm. For more information, visit their website at www.aacomedy.com or call 734-996-9080.
Antonio Cooper is a freelance journalist from Detroit, Michigan. His coverage of music festivals and interviews with local celebrities appeared in The E-Current Magazine, The Detroit Metro Times, XXL Magazine, RichMagDigital, The Ann Arbor Observer, and Pop Magazine.
