By Coral Davis
Every Wednesday, you can find folks from the Stomping Ground Comedy community at Dallas’s Grapevine Bar for karaoke night. We asked our resident karaoke fairy, Coral, to share what makes karaoke night and the Stomping Ground Comedy community so special.
Karaoke night started when a group from the last musical improv cohort couldn’t get enough of each other and wanted to hang out after class. While they were still taking Level 1 Musical Improv, the group found out that The Grapevine Bar hosted karaoke on Wednesdays. What was supposed to be a one-off post-class hang quickly turned into a weekly ritual. Before long, they started inviting students from the Improvised Movie class that ran at the same time, and that’s when karaoke night really started to grow.
Now, months later, it’s become a full-on unofficial Stomping Ground Comedy hangout spot. Every Wednesday, you can find a rotating cast of improvisers taking over the section in front of the DJ booth. There’s a patio outside for anyone who needs a breather, friendly staff (shoutout to Kelsey and Santiago behind the bar), and the legendary DJ Bill Fleetwood (we know he is feeling that DJ booth, friends!) Both DJ Fleetwood and Kelsey have even come out to see shows at Stomping Ground Comedy, which makes the whole thing feel like even more of an extension of our theatre community.
Making friends as an adult is hard, and while improv creates a natural way in, karaoke night takes those connections even further. It’s a chance to spend more time with the people you laugh with every week, to deepen friendships, and to meet folks from other classes you might not normally cross paths with. Over time, it’s become this beautiful overlap of the entire community, a place where new and old friends mix freely, and just like in an improv class, the audience is always there to cheer you on.
I first got pulled in from the Improvised Movie class. After a few weeks of hearing everyone talk about karaoke night, I finally tagged along. It has honestly been life changing for me. Every Wednesday, no matter what’s going on in my life, I know I’ll have a few hours to dance, laugh, and be utterly ridiculous with some of my favorite people in the world. Somewhere along the way, I was dubbed the “karaoke fairy,” mostly because I never stop dancing, even when I’m refilling my water or walking to the bathroom, and because I can’t resist encouraging people to sing or to join me on the dance floor. I’m always inviting new friends from the theatre to come along, because I want everyone to feel the joy that happens there.
Every night feels like the new best bonding experience. Sometimes it’s a massive singalong where everyone’s voices blend into chaos and joy; sometimes it’s a quieter night that gives me a chance to connect one-on-one with someone during an overstimulation break on the patio. Either way, it’s always magic.
So if you’re ever wondering what to do after class on a Wednesday, or if you aren’t in class but you’re looking for a way to connect and make new friends, come find us. You don’t have to sing (though I will cheer you on if you do). Come join us, hang out, and be part of the ever growing community.