There might be 100 comedians you can put ahead of Brian Glowacki when you’re listing favorites, but from the moment he first picked up a microphone, the Nantucket native has poured every ounce of himself into his comedy craft. Now, after more than decade of having meals in his car, missing time with his wife and kids, and missing virtually every funeral and graduation, his moment to take the most revered stage in the city has come. But the way he looks at it, it’s not all about him.
On the doorstep of a historic show at The Wilbur, where he’ll take the stage on Saturday (June 4) as the first independent, un-signed local comedian to fill its spotlight in the 100-plus year history of the theatre, Glowacki has turned what originated as a certain amount of absolute terror into a confidence that kicked him into gear, and has resulted in an enthusiastic response that reflects the love he shares for the art of comedy.
Of course, even with confidence comes a sort of pressure — but one that comes from wanting to theoretically kick the door down for other comics to follow in his footsteps and maybe change the game a little along the way.
“It doesn’t feel like my moment, but it feels like a chance for anyone who has a dream, to just pursue it,” Glowacki tells Vanyaland. “I chased this thing with every ounce of my energy, and I feel like this is a moment for anyone who wants to do something big. Here’s an opportunity to do it. It might sound corny, but it’s less about me and more about all of us.”
Glowacki knows he got lucky with having the access to legendary comedians that the local scene has offered, but he wants his encouragement to not only far exceed the realm of comedy, but he also hopes he can, at the very least, be a living example for the kid in a small town that doesn’t have a comedy club within reach. In other words, if someone from a sandbar out to sea can do this, then so can you, regardless of where your aspirations are aimed.
However, comedy is Glowacki’s field of expertise, and he knows that there are plenty of killer comedians in the region that can smoke any stage in the country, regardless of their current stature in the game. It’s that keen sensibility that brought him to getting Boston Comedy Festival finalist Janelle Draper in the mix for this show at The Wilbur, as well as Alex Giampapa, and Glowacki is humbled to not only have this opportunity, but to be able to perform alongside someone like Draper, who he can’t applaud enough – and for good reason.
“At the suggestion of Alex, I went and checked out Janelle’s material, and as soon as I saw her, I knew it was exactly what we needed to put this show over the top, because I want to put on a good show all around,” says Glowacki. “I don’t want it to just be about me, but instead, I want my friends to come see awesome comedy all night. I told Alex that it was a good thing that we have Janelle on the show, because in three years, we’re going to be opening for her.”
That level of camaraderie and support has been the catalyst for Glowacki, and his unwavering enthusiasm and optimism when it comes to the scene is a rarity, in some ways. At the base of it, he just wants everyone to feel like they’re on an even playing field. No hierarchy of headliners, features and hosts. He just wants every show to feel like a barbecue where you’re sitting around the fire with your buddies, cracking jokes and having an all-around blast. Not to mention, the level of competition, and the resulting sour grapes, he has witnessed before is another driving force for what he hopes is a chance to break the cycle of competition, because as he puts it, there’s plenty out there for everyone.
“I don’t want comics to see each other as competition on any level, because there’s room for all of us. I don’t do what any other comic does, and they don’t do what I do,” says Glowacki. “There’s a lane for all of us, and especially with this New England scene, if it’s me that makes it, that’s fine. But if I’m the dude who’s at the bottom of the wall helping people get over, but I never get my chance to get over the wall myself, that’s fine too. As long as I’m around it, and I’m around people who care about this artform and put some real effort into it, then I’m fine either way.”
It’s been 11 years since Glowacki first told jokes at an open mic at Carlins in Ayer, and for every second that has followed, he’s done the same completely consumed by the art form, and convinced that one day, he’d be taking center stage at The Wilbur.
But even while that conviction is actively in fruition, and all the long nights away from his family have seemingly paid off in the form of this career milestone, Glowacki knows he could very easily be sitting in the back room of a Fudruckers the next day, so he’s just looking forward to soaking in the moment and hopefully establishing the idea that if you work your ass off, you can sell tickets in one of the toughest comedy cities in the country, and even perhaps get a shot at killing on one of the most prestigious stages in comedy history.
“If all I leave behind after [the Wilbur show] is showing that you can still do the things you want to do while still being supportive of your friends and not stepping on anyone’s neck to get there, that’s the mark I would like to leave.”
BRIAN GLOWACKI :: Saturday, June 4 at The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St. in Boston, MA :: 9:45 p.m. :: Event Page and Info