Pauly Shore to headline opening of massive Woodlawn Comedy theater
Why it matters: The comedy theater aims to draw A-list talent and elevate the city's profile as a stop on national comedy tours.
The latest: Comedian Pauly Shore will christen the theater's stage on Saturday.
And the theater has already booked names like Michael Winslow, Steven Michael Quezada and Caroline Rhea.
Flashback: The Fredericksburg Road building opened in 1945 as a cinema. It hosted the premiere of John Wayne's "The Alamo" in 1960.
The building was most recently home to Woodlawn Theatre Company, which relocated to Wonderland of the Americas in 2023.
Behind the scenes: Co-owners Shane Quade and Keith LaRosa purchased the building in August and spent just over $1 million converting the space into a comedy venue equipped for live performance and filmed specials.
The main theater's capacity has grown from 450 to 985 seats. They've also added green rooms.
A new speakeasy-style bar, the 1920 Lounge, will host late-night showcases for rising comics in a cozy, after-hours setting.
The big picture: Quade says what sets the venue apart is its singular focus on comedy, unlike other theaters that split their calendars with concerts or plays.
"Our goal for the building is to always be filled with A-list comedians — people where everybody knows their name," Quade tells Axios.
They're collaborating with a national network of comedy club owners to route major acts through San Antonio.
Between the lines: Local comedian Danny Ingle will perform at Woodlawn Comedy on April 18 with Roman Garcia and Cleto Rodriguez for the "Tres Leches" show. He tells Axios he's performed in the building before and says the changes are "night and day."
Ingle points to the addition of green rooms as well as a much-improved sound system and lighting setup.
"Comedy is booming," he says. "Our city is growing by leaps and bounds. There are tons of comedians now, and the Austin comedy scene is spilling over to San Antonio."
By the numbers: With nearly 1,000 seats, Woodlawn Comedy ranks among the largest stand-up venues in the country, Quade says. It's more than double the capacity of iconic clubs like The Comedy Store in Los Angeles (450 seats), The Second City in Chicago (292), and The Punch Line in San Francisco (240).
It's also significantly larger than San Antonio's Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club, which seats about 350.
What they're saying: Still, Quade emphasizes that the experience remains intimate.
"There isn't a bad seat in the house. No matter what ticket you buy, you always get a premium view of the artist."
If you go: Pauly Shore is headlining two opening night shows at 7pm and 10pm.
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