Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Neely.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Danny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been performing comedy for six years — three in college, and the three since I moved to Dallas. (I’m from Kansas City originally.) I started performing improv comedy in college, which gave me the confidence on stage to try stand up (about six months in.) I had actually written my first stand up set while I interned in Green Bay, WI the summer before starting improv. I was the only intern under 21 at the dairy company I was working for. I was also in a hit and run my first weekend there, so I spent every weekend car-less, hanging out alone at the dormitory where we stayed while everyone else went to the bars. When my (now) wife and I moved to Dallas in July of 2015, I knew I wanted to start performing improv right away. We knew 0 people in Dallas, and the improv community is where we met all of our friends. It’s a welcoming environment that supports creativity in a way you don’t really find in most circles. I started at Dallas Comedy House, and I’m happy to see that the community has grown and more theaters have opened.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think anyone has a truly smooth road in comedy. If you haven’t had bumps, they’re coming. The sooner you learn to deal with them, the better off I think you are. It’s like getting chicken pox in that way. (Of course, dealing with struggles now doesn’t mean you’ll avoid them later.)
Moving to a new city makes everything tough. You have to start over. You have to develop a good reputation with a whole new group of people, while still trying to grow and learn for yourself. That applies to comedy and life in general.
Of course I also have moments when I question everything:
“Why did I just drive an hour each way to do a show for six people and not get paid?”
“What is my goal in doing any of this?”
“Should I stop doing this?”
But then there are also moments of such feverish joy that you can’t help but keep going. And, if I stop and think about it, what else would I do? This is what I’m interested in. This is what I care about. I’m not going to become a guy who loves fixing up cars or something if I stop doing this.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Danny Neely – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I host a monthly show at Dallas Comedy House called “Pipeline.” It’s an experimental comedy show that serves as an outlet for the performers at DCH to try new material and ideas that don’t really have a home. I call it “an open mic for bits.”
In the two years that the show has been running, we’ve had song parodies, PowerPoint presentations, dubbed childhood videos, poetry readings, puppetry, PSA’s, and dozens of other weird, fun performances on stage.
I love this show and I believe it provides real value to the comedy community. Having a place to just try something, where you don’t feel like you’re auditioning or putting your reputation at stake necessarily — that’s important. True creative freedom often comes when the stakes are lowest.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
When you get super into comedy, the destination cities you always hear about are New York, LA, Chicago, and sometimes Austin (the letter ‘y’ of comedy markets). No one ever throws out Dallas as a comedy hub. I didn’t have high hopes when we moved here for my wife’s job.
I’ve been so surprised by the amount of comedic talent and infrastructure that’s here. The improv community is super supportive and creative (that’s the world I know better), and there are open mics for stand up all over the metro area every night. People still complain about show attendance and opportunities here sometimes, but compared to other markets that fall outside of the vaunted 3-4, I think we have something pretty special.
I do agree that there seems to be a demand for “high-end” arts in Dallas. You get the impression that people would rather pay $50 for a ticket to go see a name than $10 to go see local talent. That’s frustrating, but it’s a common problem.
Pricing:
- Pipeline is a free show
Contact Info:
- Address: Pipeline happens monthly at DCH
Dallas Comedy House
3025 Main Street
Dallas, TX 75226
Image Credit:
David Allison
Paco Giurfa
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