Editor’s Note: We’ve reached the halfway point of 2023, and that may not exactly be a fun fact to deal with. But the beauty of it is, there’s plenty of comedy coming through the area to help you laugh it off and soldier on through the existential dread of the dog days of summer. With homegrown talent, national headliners, and open mics galore highlighting the calendar, the plethora of powerful comedy throughout the commonwealth continues to show up, night after night. Enter Mic’d Up, our ongoing weekly series that details the best live comedy shows to consider as you head out and about. Below find our rundown for this week, through Sunday (July 9).
Laura Severse’s Farewell Show at The Comedy Scene
It’s less “we hardly knew ye,” and more “don’t forget us when you make the big time.” Catch one of the commonwealth’s most potent comedic talents as she puts an exclamation point on her life on the East Coast before setting sail for bigger and brighter things. Only the best have thrown down in Foxborough, so it’s fitting that Laura Severse closes this chapter of her bustling stand-up career neighboring the house that Brady built.
LAURA SEVERSE :: Saturday, July 8 at The Comedy Scene, 23 Patriot Place in Foxborough, MA :: Saturday at 8 p.m., $22 :: Advance Tickets
Yannis Pappas at The Wilbur
For all of the off-the-cuff material he’s got at the ready, there aren’t many in the game that are as thoughtful and level-headed, and thought-provoking as Yannis Pappas. With a fresh hour on the brain and a perspective that calls out all sides, Pappas is sure to make his debut at the legendary venue a night to remember.
YANNIS PAPPAS :: Saturday, July 8 at The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St. in Boston, MA :: Saturday at 6 p.m., $25-$35 :: Advance Tickets
Hasan Minhaj at Williamstown Theatre Festival
If his new in-progress hour follows anywhere near the footsteps left by his last two specials, then we are in for one hell of a night in Williamstown. With a dangerously sharp mind and an undefeated ability to dissect topics and even the most mundane details of life around him, Hasan Minhaj has surely carved out a comfortable spot for himself in the upper tier of powerful modern artists, and even if it is just him experimenting with new material, it’s bound to be potent.
HASAN MINHAJ :: Saturday, July 8 and Sunday, July 9 at Williamstown Theatre Festival, 1000 Main St. in Williamstown, MA :: Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m., $30 to $75 :: Advance Tickets