Block Party Comedy Show

Celebrate Iowa City's 5th annual Downtown Block Party with a night full of laughter at Joystick! 

Sarah Perry, voted Chicago Readers funniest comedian 2021 headlines a night of comedy with feature Jon Silman, opener Mel Macky & host Travis Coltrain. 

This show is likely to sell out so get your seats as soon as possible! If you will be attending with a large group please let us know so we can accommodate - thank you! Please arrive early for better seats. A number of standing room only seats will be available for purchase at the door the day of the event.

Headliner Sarah Perry is a Chicago-based comedian/writer whose fearless delivery and subject matter is highly relatable and resoundingly funny. She has produced multiple successful shows in Chicago including the Laugh Factory's Drink Date Laugh on Fridays. She gained Internet attention when Laugh Factory Hollywood posted videos of her stand-up online, racking up a total of over 4.3 million views on Instagram and Youtube. Sarah has also recently lent her writing and acting chops to WGN's Man Of The People, a late night show hosted by Pat Tomasulo. 

Sarah has opened up for Natasha Leggero, Lynne Koplitz, Michael Kosta, Chris Redd, Jeremy Piven, Esther Povitsky and more. She recently performed in The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, GA in May 2019 and in June 2019 she was named a semi-finalist for StandUp NBC. In November of 2019 she performed a TEDx Talk for her Alma Mater, Columbia College Chicago and in January 2020 she performed at Team Coco House in Chicago.

Sarah Perry is a Chicago-based comedian/writer whose fearless delivery and subject matter is highly relatable and resoundingly funny. In March 2021 Sarah was voted Best Stand-Up Comic by The Chicago Reader. That same month, she was featured on the virtual SXSW Festival. 

Instagram: sperrycomedy

Feature Jon Silman is a stand up comic based in Chicago, IL. He’s performed across the country and internationally in Estonia, and he works regularly at Side Splitters Comedy Club, Snappers Grill & Comedy Club, Coconuts Comedy Club, and Spitfire Comedy House.

He’s worked with Gilbert Gottfried, Jim Bruer, Eddie Brill, Greg Fitzsimmons, J.F. Harris, Greg Hahn, Joe Machi, Tom Rhodes, Gallagher, and many others. He recently toured Florida with stand up comedian and actress Brittany Brave, from MTV and TBS.

He appeared live on 102.5 The Bone on the Cat Named Mo Show, as a paid extra in the movie Any Given Sunday with Al Pacino, and one time he saw Van Halen at an airport although it was the Sammy Hagar version. 

Instagram: @Silmancomedy

Opener Mel Mackey is an “overwhelming ball of energy” from Des Moines, Iowa. She uses comedy to pursue her constant need for attention. With a background in theatre, improv, cheerleading and gymnastics and a long career planning weddings, she just wants everyone to have a good time. She has performed standup across the midwest and hosts the weekly Open Mic at Teehee’s Comedy Club in Des Moines. Whether you’re horny, hungry, or worried that everyone’s mad at you, you’re sure to find her bubbly demeanor either deeply relatable or destructively annoying.

instagram: melaniemackey

Joystick host Travis Coltrain has been described as "Shaggy if he did comedy".  Many of his jokes poke fun at midwestern life, being adopted & working as a bartender. With a background in Theatre, Spoken Word Poetry & being an attention hog, Travis just wants everyone to have a good time. Travis has performed comedy across the country in Iowa, New York & Miami. He performed Floodwater 2020 & his dramedy play, 'Outside' was produced by the University of Iowa theatre department in April 2021. He is the main host of Joystick Comedy Club. When he isn't performing comedy you can find Travis making balloon animals. 

This event is 19+

Doors open at 8 PM / Show at 9:30 PM

After the comedy show there will be a drag show upstairs at studio-13 and karaoke will start at Joystick.