28 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Portland after dark meaghan maurice Lewiston’s Dawn Hartill hosts an all- male lineup on a recent Wednesday night. One regular, Jamie Roux, regales guests with details of his last date, quipping that the next time we see him, he’ll “probably be single.” Despite the small crowd, the room soon fills with energy. Laughing Matters What better way to wind down your week- end than in the company of some of Port- land’s most comical residents? The doors open at 8 p.m. for Sunday Night Stand Up! at Empire. Though more frequently recog- nized as a music venue, Empire’s comedy events draw increasingly large crowds. “Originally we started comedy at Em- pire as an open-mic night in 2015,” says Lu- cas Salisbury, Empire’s general manager. “Last year, we switched to showcases and named it Sunday Night Stand Up!” Empire also hosts First Friday Comedy, a nod to Portland’s First Friday Art Walk. I’m halfway through my drink when host Ian Stuart jumps onto the stage. A self-described “giant white dude with a booming voice,” Stuart’s stage presence is at once commanding and lightheart- ed. Stuart, who credits Portland’s now- defunct Comedy Connection club with starting his career in comedy, has orga- nized and hosted Sunday Night Stand Up! since its inception in 2016. Of the closing of Into the Bullpen O n Wednesdays at 8 p.m., head upstairs at Bull Feeney’s for Portland Comedy Show- case to get your farcical fix midweek. The fast-and-loose stand-up show, founded in 2013 and run by come- dian Mike Levinsky, “is the longest running comedy series in Portland,” says Mark Turcotte, who often per- forms there. “There are few opportu- nities elsewhere in the state, especially for newer comics who need to get on stage and work out material. The thing I appreci- ate most about the Portland scene is the pas- sion. You can see it in the quality and pro- duction of the shows,” he says. “Stand-up is the only art form that needs to be developed in front of an audience. With opportunities to perform or take in a show just about ev- ery night of the week, I think it’s working.” steadily. “We’ve been near or at capacity for every show in the last two months, which isn’t bad for a secret bar,” says Nielsen. “We’ve hosted many comics who’ve done shows like Conan, Kimmel, and Comedy Central Presents.” W hile performers need co- medic chops to kill a set on stage, Tepler claims comedy is not a solo act. “The audience can make a show.” And armed with the five-dol- lar drinks menu, the crowd at Lincoln’s is “always great.” At 8 p.m. on a recent Thursday, Lincoln’s is teeming with guests. By the time the show starts, it’s standing room only. Tepler is the host, introducing us to a varied mix of come- dians. First up, a young Boston-based wom- an who finishes her uproarious set with a ukulele song about politics and Tinder dates. Next is a soft-spoken man who quips about Maine weather, followed by the tuna fish jok- er from Monday night with a revised set, which now delights this audience. “Portland is a very liberal place in the US, which is, so far, the worst country in the world on every level.” –Anders Nielsen “Living in Portland, you have one of two experiences.You’re either eating lobster rolls and getting your driveway shoveled, or you’re making lobster rolls and shoveling someone’s driveway.” –Connor McGrath