Former DCC Now a Standup Comedian
by James Muñoz
KENS5.com
San Antonio and Austin have a few places to work out comedy material, but comedians may have to wait a few hours just to get five minutes. Now there’s a new place to practice, and it’s convenient for comics in both cities.
Suzanna Brown started doing standup comedy five years ago, and now she’s hosting her own open mic in New Braunfels at Buffalo Wings & Rings. About five to 10 comics show up, so each one has up to 15 minutes to work the audience.
Brown is a mother of three, and now that she has taken some time off to have her third child and to care for her ailing parents, it’s time to get back on stage.
“I do comedy to get out of the house. It’s a decent excuse for not having the dishes and laundry done,” she said. “Comedy is a wonderful break for me. I hope I’m a better mom and wife because of it.”
“The greatest thing about comedy is the instant feedback. It was either a funny joke or not. You don’t have to wonder. It’s the purest form of entertainment. Everytime you get on stage you put yourself on the line, but that’s the fun of it.”
Brown is a former high school cheerleader and a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, so performing before a crowd is nothing new.
She said performing standup is different in that the crowd expects you to make them laugh from the very start.
“I like to check the audience out, size them up a little bit before I go out on stage,” Brown said. “That’s what they’re doing to me when I walk on stage, but no matter the crowd I’m still just me doing my routine.”
San Antonio has about 40 working comics with more and more women willing to try it out. Brown said women do have to work harder.
“I do think that many times women are overlooked for comedy jobs,” Brown said. “Women are smart though and many are taking charge and making their own opportunities happen. There are more women getting involved in the comedy scene in San Antonio. I’m glad because women are so creative and naturally funny.”
No matter the pay and no matter the size of the audience, Brown plans to perform as long as possible.
“I love to do comedy: write it, create it and perform it,” Brown said. “It would be a nice bonus if I made enough money to pay someone with better skills than me to cook and organize my house. I feel blessed to get to do something I love.”
The open mic at Buffalo Wings & Rings is every Monday at 7:30 p.m. The restaurant is located at 983 Loop 337. Brown also has a showcase once a month at Mangia Pizza in Austin.
Brown’s next show is at Tabooze off Hildebrand in San Antonio this Friday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m.
