Hidden Gems: Meet Luke Watson of Third Coast Comedy Club

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Watson.

Hi Luke, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I moved to Nashville in 2012 from Atlanta (where I had been performing improv comedy) there were only a handful of improv groups in the city and only two that were regularly performing. In 2013, I founded LOL Nashville (one of the most successful troupes in the city, selling out nearly every show in venues such as The Basement, 12th & Porter, and City Winery).

Two years later, LOL Nashville had started an improv training center and had partnered with the longest-running improv troupe in Nashville, Music City Improv, led by Scott Field. One night after co-teaching an improv class, we were discussing the constant challenges of contracting with different venues each month for shows and the need for a dedicated home for the growing comedy community. That conversation led to Third Coast Comedy Club.

Nashville comics had often been performing at venues built for music or bars. The locals never had their own place dedicated to local comedy.

Third Coast Comedy was the solution, a home for all local comedians, a place that would produce every form of comedy: stand-up, sketch, improv, comedic plays, variety shows, live podcasts, and talk shows. Any type of comedy Nashville wanted, Third Coast would see that it got on stage.​

We formed the company in 2015 but it took us over a year to find and secure a suitable location for the new theater and bar. This club would not have been possible with the amazing donors and contributors that helped us get through the buildout. In April of 2016, we launched a Kickstarter (with a cast, crew and 50+ extras) that ended 30 days later with 211 backers pledging $32,480.

We opened in August of 2016 and have average around 150 shows per season. The pandemic had us closed for nearly 14 months but we were able to finally reopen on May 28, 2021 for in-person shows and our training center reopens for in-person comedy classes the first week of June 2021.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As with starting any business, there’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (literally). The first few months, we had to encounter our biggest challenge: getting the word out. We had spent literally every dollar we had a couple of weeks prior to opening, so we didn’t have a budget for marketing. Because of that, we had to rely heavily on social media, reviews, and word-of-mouth. The first months of performances were financially difficult with low turn-out. And while we were in a beautiful, historic building (Marathon Village) with immense tourist traffic (one of the most-visited tourist locations in Nashville) we were the only business in the building open during the evening hours. As a destination venue, we had to work hard to make our new theater known to Nashvillians and tourists. Over time, more and more discovered Third Coast Comedy Club. And they kept coming back.

Soon, we saw our weekend Mainstage improv shows selling out, followed by weekday sketch shows and so on.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are the only brick-and-mortar dedicated to improv comedy in Nashville (I believe also in Tennessee).

While we specialize in improv comedy, we also have a large variety of shows including: stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, musical improv, variety shows, talk shows, live podcast recordings, drag shows, and more!

We’re known for our Third Coast Comedy Show, with our Mainstage Cast which performs every weekend. We’ve won multiple awards from Nashville’s Alt Magazine, Nashville Scene: Best Performing Arts Group and Best Cheap Date. And second place for Best Comedy Venue.

We’re also known for our training center. We teach improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy. As well as one-off classes where we bring in teachers from across the world, including cast members and/or writers from SNL, Key & Peele, etc. Pre-pandemic we had just over 120 students. Comprised of teachers who have lived, performed, and taught comedy all over the country the Third Coast Training Center exists to cultivate well-rounded, highly-trained performers in the areas of improv, sketch, and stand-up.

The Bar at Third Coast is adjacent to the theater and has a great community-feel with large booths and cheap drinks. PIZZA COMING SOON 🙂

The theater seats 99 and is an intimate space, ideal for comedy.

Additionally, we offer corporate training. We can host your business at our theater, come to your location, or host via zoom. We custom-tailor our trainings for your team and specific goals. More info: https://www.thirdcoastcomedy.club/corporate.html. Past clients include many Fortune 500 companies.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Starting a company is always a risk. Starting Third Coast Comedy Club was no different. There’s the risk of whether or not it will survive. The financial risk of what you’ve invested into the company. The risk of putting your idea out there and the public and community not interested. And while I’d say I was a “risk-taker,” I didn’t really *feel* like a risk-taker until the step which comes for many entrepreneurs: that of quitting your “day job.” That step happened for me nine months after we opened the doors to the comedy club.

We were continually growing our audience, schedule, and training center and it just wasn’t feasible to be juggling both a “day job” and the comedy club. Quitting the job that provided regular paychecks for a theater less than a year old was the biggest risk I think I’ve ever taken. But I’m glad I did it.

Pricing:

• $16 – General Admission – Third Coast Comedy Show
• $22 – Table Seats – Third Coast Comedy Club
• $250 (8-Week Improv Class)
• $225 (6-Week Stand-up Class)

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.thirdcoastcomedy.club/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirdcoastcomedyclub/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thirdcoastcomedyclub/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/3rdcoastcomedy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpyu0kdRclF7uY1nPHmg3bQ
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/third-coast-comedy-club-nashville

Image Credits
John Yates