By Troy Brooks
Appalachian alumnus and stand-up comedian Ryan Brown will return to the High Country next week for a witty show at Lost Province Brewing Co. alongside fellow comedian Tom Simmons on Nov. 24 at 8:30 p.m. Since developing his stand-up career at App State and expanding it at his current home in New York City, Brown has grown as a comedian and has become a fixture on the west coast comedy scene.
Entry is $5 at the door and people can call ahead to reserve entry. The team at Lost Province is excited to be hosting the show.
“It’s going to be a night of comedy,” said Lost Province Manager Carolyn Ward. “We’re hoping that this is an event we can offer on a monthly basis. We’re excited to be bringing comedy to Boone as it’s not that prevalent right now in the area. It’ll be a great opportunity for people to come enjoy an evening with great food, beverages and great humor.”
Brown started his stand-up career in 2007 in a talent show during his senior year in high school. Brown then moved to Appalachian State and spent four and a half years expanding his knowledge of stand-up comedy performing around Boone. Upon his graduation, he moved to New York City where he now spends time performing at bars and clubs, including Comic Strip Live, New York Comedy Club and The Stand. During the day, he works as a copywriter.
“My time at App State gave me a greater sense of how to write jokes and be a comic in general,” said Brown. “Around 2010, there was a bar near where the Mellow Mushroom is now located called Koncepts, and that was an important place for me in developing my skills as a comedian.”
Brown has already achieved a lot in his few years on stage. He was a finalist in the 2011 Ultimate Comic Challenge and Carolina’s Funniest Comic 2012, performed for the House MC and was featured at Goodnight’s Comedy Club and the 2015 Cape Fear Comedy Festival. He has also had the pleasure of working with comedians including Dave Attell, JB Smoove, Charlie Murphy, Carl Labove and Steve Rannazissi.
“I just do it for how good it feels to perform in that moment with a room full of people,” said Brown. “They don’t need to be willing to laugh but just listen. The ones where they just take in what I say are just as meaningful. With me, I’m a clean comic. My stuff isn’t that dirty, it’s just how I am.
I draw from my own personal life and experiences and a lot of what I do on stage is figure things out about myself, my life and world around me. Many comics say tell it as it is. For me, I often wonder as it is.”
Boone has been a regular stop for him in the past and he’s looking forward to visiting his old college town again.
“Boone has a special place in my heart thanks to my college years. It’ll be a home coming of sorts,” said Brown. “Plus, I’m a lot better now in my routine than I was back in my college days.”
Brown will be performing alongside fellow comedian Tom Simmons at the show on Nov. 24.
“Tom’s great. Our two styles are very similar and I think we’re a good pairing,” said Brown. “He’s very personal with his comedy while not being preachy either. He can really make you think about a variety of different issues.”
Brown admits that he often misses his old college town at Boone but is always looking forward to what the future has in store for him.
“I’m hoping to balance my foundation while making some inroads in New York,” said Brown. “The scene in New York is huge. You really can’t get much bigger than this and it’s only ideal that I continue to branch out more in the future.”
For more information on Brown, visit his website at www.ryanbrowncomedy.com.
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