Figure draw comedians and laugh your ass off at LAUGH & DRAW

Local comedians Corina Lucas (2nd place, Portland's Funniest Person Contest), Elizabeth Selin (Finalist, Funniest Person with a Day Job at House of Comedy), Raj Uppal and comedic storyteller E. Ravi entertain while audience members draw them! 

It’s not that hard to figure draw comics while cracking up. Or is it? Artists and art lovers try to laugh and figure draw comedians at Laugh & Draw, the quirkiest comedy show in town. Comics hold poses for up to five minutes. The monthly show starts with a 15-minute figure drawing lesson from artist Michael Gaughan, and is hosted by comedian and art critic Alicia Kismet Eler. 

Laugh and Draw is my attempt at bringing together my two passions in life: Telling jokes and looking at art,” Eler said. “It’s pretty wild that this is all happening in the basement of an artist studio building in Minneapolis!”

Inspiration for the show came from Gaughan's drawing classes at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

“In my personal artwork and my classroom, I am always looking for ways to combine art and humor,” Gaughan said. “I love helping people feel empowered to express themselves through art.” 

Gaughan coordinated the first show at MCAD during finals week last April, and then took it to the public in May with a show at North Suburban Center for the Arts in Fridley (now closed). Eler performed on that show, too, and then asked if she could host the show and book the comedians. The two teamed up and brought the show back to Minneapolis, landing at q.arma underground, located in the basement of q.arma building, an artist studio building in NE Minneapolis.

As co-producers, Gaughan and Eler are very excited to have this month’s show at q.arma building once again. Thus far, Laugh and Draw has featured the local talents of Comrade Tripp, Devohn Bland, Lefty Crumpet (Justin Johnson), Aron Woldeslassie, Alexa Kocinski, Phil Kolas, James Stanley, Matt Dooyema, Cianna Violet, Ivy Evrard, and more!