Holiday Humor Roundup
Chief Comedy Critic Amy Martin on the laughs you shouldn’t miss in December, from sketch to stand-up to a Fun House experience.
published Wednesday, November 30, 2016
After this excruciating election season, conversations around the family holiday dinner table may be a bit tense. Prep yourself with a hearty dose of humor.
Fun House Theatre and Film wraps up their year of stage productions examining U.S. politics with the return of Jeff Swearingen’s The Ultimate Holiday Experience, with their trademark cast of young faces, some reprising their original roles. Santa gets lost, sets off defense radars and sets off the Cold War, ensnaring a group of Russian orphans and an American single mom just trying to cope. Remember Dan Quayle? The future of the planet rests with him.
Ultimate Holiday runs Dec. 2-10 in The Black Box Theater at Plano Children’s Theatre. The Dec. 4 show is Industry Night as well as a benefit for Gideon’s Feet, an aid organization for theater artists in crisis. Ultimate Holiday will be Fun House’s last show at that location.
Big fun unfolds December 9 when Ultimate Holiday takes a break and A Merry Night of Mirth and Improv from Fun House to You steps in. The free show, pitched as a gift from Fun House, features holiday themed improv and games with Unicorn Clearance. Spicing up the mix will be The Victims funny guys Kyle Eric Bradford, John Rawley, and Jeff Swearingen. Reservations here.
Sketching the Season
The Victims, Dallas’ longest running improv troupe, continues their mirthy ways with The Victims XXXmas Show! Expect naughty Santas and more at Cafe Bohemia Saturday, Dec 17. Rounding out the show are improv games from The Mash ’em Ups.
Dallas Comedy House serves up the How Santa Got His Groove Back, slicing and dicing family relations, culture wars, current events and more. It runs Fridays and Saturdays at 9 p.m., with a double feature on Dec. 23.
Closing out the Dallas Comedy House seasonal offerings is Grant & Christian’s Holiday Variety Hour at the late-night hour on Dec. 23. Expect much NSFW material and one helluva cathartic release.
Seasonal Stand-up
Should you be primed to pay close to $100 and up for a ticket, enjoy the comedy stylings of John Cleese and Eric Idle in Together Again At Last…For The Very First Time. At the Majestic Theater on Dec. 1 and 2.
Coming in at a more reasonable rate are two excellent shows at the Winspear Opera House. Jay Leno will work hard for your laughter on Dec. 6, ready to remind folks of the hot-shot stand-up that propelled him onto the talk-show hot seat of those many years ago. Mike Birbiglia brings his Thank God for Jokes on December 8. It was compelling, touching and hilarious when seen at Moontower a few years ago; it’s been even more tweaked and polished since. This tour is its last run.
Adam Sandler, David Spade, Nick Swardson, and Rob Schneider affirm the American need for low-brow humor in the Here Comes the Funny Tour at Verizon in Grand Prairie on Dec. 7. Indulge in some aggrieved catharsis with Jim Jefferies at the Majestic Theatre on December 9.
Or just save your money and treat yourself to top-flight regional talent with HaHa Holidays at the Addison Improv on Dec. 12. The happy-hour timed show includes Aaron Aryanpur, James Ponce, and John Tole. 
Original post at: http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/news/20161130091246/2016-11-30/Holiday-Humor-Roundup
