x
Breaking News
More () »

Max Pryce had an idea-gather a group of incredible people and make you laugh

This Friday at Alpha Brewing Company, Pryce hosts an evening with award-winning (and hilarious) comedians. Come on out and support comedy.
Credit: Brenden Ingram

ST. LOUIS — No matter the times, everybody needs some comedy in their life. Pandemic, pre-pandemic, post-pandemic, or the thing you do before the late night Taco Bell run; a few good laughs have to be there. Max Pryce aims to help with that.

This Friday, the local comedian is hosting the standup comedy event at Alpha Brewing Company--because nothing goes better with a joker than a good, potent adult beverage. "Alpha King Do It Live!" promises a night of comedy and craft beer, stuffed with award-winning comics: Dwight Simmons, Rafe Williams, Nathan Orton, and Pryce himself.

Credit: Brenden Ingram

Pryce, who hosts the event, won St. Louis' Funniest Person award last month at Helium Comedy Club in Richmond Heights. Dwight Simmons won the 2018 Indiana's Funniest Person winner, while Williams took home the award at Helium in 2016 and Orton won in 2017. If you could assemble a murderers row of funny minds, this would be it.

For Pryce, it's another step towards relaunching the comedy scene with St. Louis entertainment seekers after the last year and a half nearly crippled it. He also hosts a Best of STL showcase for The Funny Bone, in addition to featuring on big headliner gigs. Those big draw shows are slowly coming back, just like the entire STL comedy scene.

Like movie theaters, live events were pretty much shuttered once COVID-19 took hold of the region. All Pryce could do was practice the same mentality that Williams brought to The Improv Shop: just keep practicing.

Comics can't afford to be off people's attention spans for too long. A period of off-time can spell disaster for a creative trying to make a name for themselves in a crowded arena. But it's the passion and willingness to put yourself out there that endures someone to strangers.

While some think people merely get up on a stage and unleash made-up fables in order to collect laughs, it doesn't exactly work that way--at least not long term. The comics who stick around are the ones who go for broke up there with truth. Think about George Carlin, Patrice O'Neal, and Richard Pryor. All bets are off, and the laughs arrive. Pryce-along with Simmons, Orton, and Williams-aren't holding anything back this Friday.

You shouldn't either, and that starts with a short drive down to South City and laying out the same amount of cash you were paying for a poorly-mixed beverage at some bar down off Washington Avenue.

Instead, get a pint and prepare to see the truth up on stage. Or four guys who would rather do nothing else except tell honest stories for your pleasure. For them, it's the healthiest drug available.

Alpha Brewing Company off Fyler at 8 p.m. Head over to Eventbrite for tickets, which are $10 apiece. If you show up at 4310 Fyler Avenue to buy tickets, it will be via cash or Venmo.

Before You Leave, Check This Out