ComedyCity’s 26-hour marathon promises nonstop laughs — and caffeine intake

Written by
KENDRA MEINERT
kmeinert@greenbaypressgazette.com

The plan at ComedyCity this weekend is to keep the energy drinks coming and the laughs going for 26 hours straight.

The improv troupe’s own version of March Madness, the 26.2 Hour Comedy Marathon, kicks off Friday, and there’s a direct correlation between Red Bull consumed and humor dispensed in the hours that follow.

Keeping caffeinated is critical for the 20 to 25 troupe members who will take turns making audiences laugh around the clock at The Sports Corner in De Pere, where the sketches, songs and games have a way of getting crazier the later — or earlier — it gets. Last year’s “Grand Theft Auto’’ game somehow ended up being played in a convertible out in the parking lot in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

“There’s some really amazing stuff that happens,’’ said Gary Radke, the marathon’s co-coordinator.

What started out as little more than a publicity stunt 11 years ago has transformed into a funny event for a serious cause: raising money for childhood cancer. For the past five years, ComedyCity has worked with De Pere-based Families of Children with Cancer Inc. and Green Bay’s Angel Fund for Children with Cancer Inc., donating more than $20,000 to local patients and families affected by the disease.

“That’s what really drives us,’’ Radke said, noting that meeting some of the families over the years has given the marathon “much deeper meaning.’’

The comedy in the marathon is completely improvised, but planning begins well before the first of the year for the logistics of pulling it off, from making sure all shifts are covered to securing 30 raffle packages to bouncing between three different rooms within The Sports Corner throughout the weekend.

Troupe members will get assists on stage from ComedyCity alumni and a slate of special guests scheduled to perform during themed improv hours. The “Green Bay Alderperson Throwdown’’ at noon Saturday will feature Brian Danzinger battling Ned Dorff — each paired with ComedyCity players — for audience laughs. At 1 p.m., Crystal Osman of Downtown Green Bay Inc. takes on Cheryl Detrick of the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce for a battle between cities. WFRV, Channel 5’s Tom Mahoney and Dayton Kane of 95.9 KISS-FM are among the local celebs expected to participate in “Media Mayhem’’ at 2 p.m.

Sleep will be at a premium for ComedyCity performers once they go on the clock at 7:30 p.m. Friday, but it’s not totally out of the question.

“There’s definitely some napping involved,’’ said Radke, who expects to catch maybe four hours all weekend. “Every year, there’s a handful of folks who try to make it the full distance, but the veterans know as much as we think we’re hilarious being sleep-deprived, the audience doesn’t always think so.’’

ComedyCity’s regularly scheduled shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday tend to be full houses, but crowd numbers rise and fall throughout the rest of the marathon. In 11 years, Radke said the performers have never not had anyone in the audience. There’s usually a handful of supporters, quite often people who have been touched by cancer, who vow to spend all 26 hours on site, he said.

The Sports Corner makes sure the performers fuel up with a hearty breakfast on Saturday morning. This year, the restaurant is also donating 10 percent of all food and beverage sales during the marathon to the charities.