Hang out with Paulie & his friends on YouTube for LIVE-streamed music, improv, & stand up comedy! In February of 2016, my friends and I wanted to attempt stand up comedy in front of a live audience. We looked into local open mic nights and weighed the pros and cons of trying the scariest form of entertainment for the first time in an environment with so many variables. Of course, I always look for
ways to push artists, but I believe this should be done in a nurturing creative venue. That’s when the idea came - to host our own event. There would be improv comedy, live music, and of course - fresh faces trying stand up. We found a dance studio, sold cheap tickets, and invited our audience to bring their own lawn chairs, snacks, and beverages of choice. We set up some lights and speakers for “Paulie’s Picnic”, a.k.a. “A Thing In a Place With People” (February 13, 2016). Tickets sold out within hours, and we ended up doing two back-to-back shows that night. After the event, audience and cast members all agreed - this should be a regular thing. Over the next 4 years, we hosted 20 “Picnics” in dance studios, back yards, airport hangars, commercial spaces, and breweries. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought gatherings to a halt, we broke into the digital space with Paulie’s Picnic #21 [Paulie’s Online Variety Show] on March 21, 2020. Since the very beginning, this show has continued to push our performers, challenge our creativity, sharpen our skills, and expand our family of incredible supporters. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
- Paul Carganilla
