Funny Business {ColdTowne Theater}

World-class barbecue, legendary live music scene, and general weirdness

Words Abby L. Johnson | Photos Baptiste Despois

Austin is known for all of these, and improv comedy is joining the list of the city’s most notable characteristics with ColdTowne Theater adding to East Austin’s clever creativity in its new Eastside location.

For 15 years, ColdTowne Theater, one of Austin’s several top-notch improv comedy clubs, operated out of a beloved black box theater on Airport Boulevard. With the onset of the pandemic, they were forced to pause performances and, unfortunately, lost their lease; however, that didn’t put a stop to the fun.
After two and a half itinerant years of teaching classes to groups ranging from first-time improvisers, seasoned vets, and corporate groups, while also performing in various venues around town, ColdTowne Theater’s latest iteration opened its doors once again to Austinites last fall. The welcoming theater sits comfortably in the crook of East Second and Chalmers, snugly fitting into the warm embrace of the Eastside’s friendly cultural hub.

At the helm today are co-owners Dave Buckman, Rachel Madorsky, and Tauri Laws-Phillips. This trio brings passion for the art form and a love of community to the forefront of all operations.

“All of my heroes were comedians when I was a kid. And when I did more research, all of them came from this place called Second City. So when I finished college, I knew…I was going to go there. And so I moved to Chicago and took classes,” Dave shares. The distinct Chicago style remains a heavy influence on the club and their course offerings to this day.

For Rachel, her relationship with improv was not love at first sight. “I went to undergrad to be an actor, and I saw some improv and said, ‘I will never do that.’ It was so frightening to me, the idea of going on stage without a script. I thought they were nuts,” she admits. Rachel later became a psychotherapist, running her own practice, but soon found she needed a little levity in her life. She came across some informal improv classes hosted by UT and decided to give it a go, finding that the once nerve-wracking art was exactly what she needed.

Similarly, Tauri came to improv at a time when she felt disconnected from her community. “I moved to Dallas post-college, and it was a very rash decision, like, ‘Oh, I’m a grown up, I’m going to move.’ And then I got there and was deeply depressed, wondering ‘What did I do? I’ve got to go home, or I’ve got to go somewhere else.’” When she attended an improv show with her co-worker, she realized that her ‘somewhere else’ could be on stage, working hand-in-hand with other artists.

At ColdTowne Theater, improv shows occur Thursday through Sunday nights. Special performances pop up from time-to-time, including family-friendly shows. The intimate space blurs the lines separating the audience from the performers, the room crackling with energy. Many of the troupes have been working together for a while, and it is evident in their easy rapport, a highly specialized skill that, when executed well, seems so simple. It’s a joy to watch.

While the location and ownership have seen many changes over the years, much like its founders, the heart of this project remains resilient as they continue to “yes” their way through the years.

Contact:
(512) 814-TOWN
1700 E 2nd St.
coldtownetheater.com
@coldtownetheater