Stand Up for the Troops,” a comedy show, features three veterans and three civilian stand-up comics at The Capitol on Nov. 10. With Veteran’s Day upcoming, this show will provide a tribute to the resilience and strength of veterans. It’s a night of laughter that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the power of humor.
The show is the brainchild of new stand-up comedian Dylan Gaffney, who admits that this side of production has been brand new to him.
“I’m producing the show,” Gaffney said, “…this is my first attempt at it and I would love to keep putting these on – it’s kind of an exercise in finding our audience,” he shared.
Gaffney, who served in the Army for six years, is no stranger to the hardships of military life. His comedy is a reflection of his journey, and that of so many others like him, through laughter. “Reintegrating into the community is something that veterans can have a hard time with. Comedy has helped me to process and communicate better, and I’m having a lot of time with it,” said Gaffney.
Gaffney will be joined by a dynamic cast of veterans from various branches and some civilian comedians, each with tales to tell and comedic styles to share. “I started doing stand-up locally earlier this year,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know a couple comics who are veterans as well and thought this show could be good for our community,” Gaffney continued, “I pitched the idea to Fredrik Rydlun and Aaron Johnson with a couple civilian comics I think are great. They are all young and we should watch out for them,” he said.
From musings on the military to the issues of civilian life, no subject is off-limits. This event provides a rare opportunity for veterans and civilians to connect, share and listen to unique experiences of those who’ve served. “I want veterans there. I want academics there and skaters, I want everyone there, this is something that we all can laugh at and connect over,” Gaffney said.
This article appears in Source Weekly November 2, 2023.
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