Killin' with kindness

Killin' with kindness

By Dwayne Steward
Metromix

There must be something funny in the Columbus water supply. With Wild Goose Creative's first Columbus Comedy Festival and the recent improv resurgence, laughter is becoming an increasingly popular pastime in Central Ohio.

MadLab Theatre, an alternative troupe that has a knack for the unique, is capitalizing on the trend with the Kill 'em with Kindness Comedy Festival, a six-week tribute to all things funny.

"[Comedy in Columbus] is definitely on the rise," said Andy Batt, MadLab's managing director. "The stand-up and improv scenes are stronger then they've ever been, and sketch comedy has also has a major presence. It's great because having stronger improv and stand-up influences is helping to round out the comedy scene here."

Each weekend from March 12 through April 17, MadLab will host a different type of comedic experience, from sketch comedy to stand-up to the improv.

"Every act is so different, so there's really going to be something unique and different every single week," Batt said. "An audience member could at least find one show that they could love."

Click through the gallery for a closer look at the acts that'll be taking the MadLab stage in the name of laughter during the next six weeks.