Comedy without the competition.
In August 2021, local Comedians Priscilla Fernandez, Mo Urban and Amber Frame created Lady Haha Comedy: comedy shows and open mics for women, LGBTQ+, all marginalized folx—and our allies—to perform ANY genre of comedy [not just stand-up] in a supportive and super fun environment. Whether it’s your first time trying comedy or your thousandth—all levels of experience are welcome! Everyone gets at up to 5 minutes of stage time, and it’s free!
Anyone 21+ can come watch current and upcoming talent for fee, but the stage is reserved for marginalized-funny people and our allies. Our only rule is “no hate speech” (sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia and violent speech)—also known as punching down.
We focus on removing barriers to access for minorities who are interested in performing comedy as a career or hobby. We provide stages, education, resources, and connections for those who want to progress their careers/lifestyles in entertainment.
Lady Haha also produces comedy-variety shows in Tucson with an emphasis on diversity and all genres of comedy.
We’re proud to say we are the first and only comedy open mic of its kind—IN THE WORLD—right here in little ol’ Tucson, AZ. We hope to see more of these popping up!
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HAHA @ HOCO
Comedy open mic Tuesdays @ 8pm
Nov 12 | Dec 10 | Jan 14 | Feb 11
Perform any genre of comedy on our stage. Remember, no hate speech is allowed here (racism, inciting violence, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc).
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By ‘wide open mic’ we mean we are more than just a stand-up comedy open mic! We welcome all forms of comedy performances like improv, sketch, storytelling, interpretive dance, song parody, ventriloquism, puppetry, instrumental, poetry, drag, wacky characters, and anything else you can dream-up!
DRAG OPEN MIC (DOM) AT HOCO
Our first DOM in Dec 2023, the second was on Jan 16, 2024, and third June 4, which were such a hit that we plan to do more! Try drag for the first time in a safe environment to decide if it’s something you wanna do for fun or a career. Drag veterans are welcome to practice your performances or you can try new stuff. Provide us with your song by emailing it to the Host Iona Hoya at ionahoya@gmail.com by June 2, in-person signup at 6pm at Club Congress, and it starts at 7pm. Free and 21+ only.
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Since the beginning of time, the comedy industry has been over-saturated with white, hetero-cis-normative men. So when Priscilla was followed to her car by a drunk male comic after her show—for the 20th time—she snapped! That was her exact motivation she needed to create Lady Haha.
For far too long, this industry has welcomed misogeny, homophobia, transphobia, and sexual harrassment/assault on and off stage. Not just that, it unnecessarily became a cutthroat business that created toxic spaces where comedians were paid little to nothing for performances lasting up to an hour as well as maintaining a hostile environment usually perpetuated by the venue owner.
In the hopes of changing the archaic comedy model one open mic at a time, the women of Lady Haha decided it was their time to create an ideal space where people are supported, encouraged and met where they’re at.
We’ve all heard the notion that “good comics are made by surviving the high-pressure environment and competitive grind.” Well, Lady Haha’s response to that is two-fold:
Generally speaking, people who gravitate towards performing comedy have dealt with trauma to such an extent that humor helped them survive it, thus producing some form of mental health challenges. For most of us comics, life is already hard enough; why not create a refuge-like space where comedy and inclusion flourish without the hate speech?
Imagine how much greater we could be by lifting each other up.
Lady Haha believes that if we build a safe and supportive space for marginalized communities, the right people will find us.
The future of comedy is femme, queer, gay, trans, lesbian, BIPOC, people of color, disabled, low-income, immigrants and all marginalized members of society. It is Lady Haha’s hope that this format of operating open mics, and shows spreads like a slow clap that eventually becomes a standing ovation.
