It is no secret that the 2016 presidential election cycle has been perhaps the most bizarre race in the history of our country. Whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump earns the necessary votes needed to ascend to the presidency, one thing is for sure: after the year we, the people, have had, we need — nay, deserve — some laughs. Fortunately, one of the biggest powerhouses in local comedy is there to provide it for us all night long.
‘Progress and Congress’ is the perfect comedy show for Election Day
Eddie Finn
On Tuesday, Nov. 8 (appropriately Election Day itself), the unique and hilarious recurring show “Progress and Congress” will take to the stage at the Good Good Comedy Theater in Chinatown. Continuing the newly-opened theater’s streak of highly-successful shows, “Progress and Congress” is a heavily interactive show that allows the audience and comedians alike to intermingle and — quite possibly — agree on things all night long.
“The audience writes laws, which the comedians on stage vote on,” host and show creator Alex Grubard explained. “And these turn into ‘show laws,’ basically. One time, they voted to change the whole background to a picture of John Goodman. Another time, everyone decided that people were allowed to heckle, but only in Spanish.”
“Progress and Congress” is nothing if not a democracy — from the very beginning. Each month, the comedians who are slated for the show actually have no idea that they are going to appear on it until just a few days prior. On their personal Facebook profile pages as well as the show’s page itself, the comedians ask their friends and fellow comics to vote for them to appear.
The unpredictable nature of the show, where literally anything can happen, is almost the perfect commentary on the 2016 election season as a whole.
“Progress and Congress” will not be the only politically themed show at Good Good Comedy Theater on Election Day. As the state election results trickle in one by one from across the country, “Progress and Congress” will be followed by the storytelling show “Schooled: Student Council” and a special “election edition” of “Party Lines” to close out the night.
