Hidden in the beautiful suburbs of Morgan Hill is one of the premiere comedy venues in the South Bay. Established in 2007 by San Jose State University graduate Wes Hofmann, The Playhouse is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after venues to perform in on Thursday nights.
Wes’ desire to bring comedy to town became an instant success, chiefly due to the uniquely welcoming atmosphere The Playhouse offers. It houses up to 200 guests in a theater setting, yet feels small and intimate. The absence of a formal bar and cocktail servers removes the leisurely element and puts the spotlight on the comedic talent.
In 2013 Wes recruited Sam Meeker to manage The Playhouse.
“When Wes asked me to take over the show, I was excited and nervous about it because I already run a weekly Wednesday show at Station 55 in Gilroy,” Meeker said. “I knew I would need help with The Playhouse show, so I asked Tommy Broome.”
Meeker and Broome, both of Morgan Hill, perform all over the Bay Area. Together they have built on Wes’ success.
“We’ve had local legends such as Larry Bubbles Brown and Steven Pearl but, really, the sky is the limit for this room,” Broome said. “You never know who might show up.”
Broome and Meeker credit their success to the incredible support they receive from the local community. The venue is largely supported by local businesses; they have flyers posted at local shops where people can buy tickets as they checkout.
“We have great local business sponsors here in Morgan Hill and they support us 100 percent,” Meeker said. “I believe it’s selling out because of word of mouth. If we continue to put on great shows, people are going to talk about it.”
The crowd is different at The Playhouse than other venues. They want to laugh, and they understand it’s through their contributions that the venue continues hosting talented comics.
“Since Sam and I have started producing it, we are consistently seeing a very diverse crowd that is hungry to laugh,” Broome said. “We’ve had people tell us they look forward to it all month.”
The future looks cheerful for The Playhouse. With a rising demand for more shows and more desire from comics to perform there, The Playhouse might not be a hidden gem much longer.
“Tommy and I talked about maybe making it a weekly show next year,” Meeker said.
When asked how it felt to be offered to manage the venue, Broome said, “It was too great of an opportunity to pass up.”
That sentiment holds true for anyone looking for a great night of comedy; The Playhouse is too good to pass up.
Downtown comedy nights are held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. the last Thursday of each month at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, 17090 Monterey Road. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Guests must be 18 years or older. For more information, call (408) 782-0008.
