If T.J. Miller lived in Denver, he would revel in the city’s exploding comedy scene, legal cannabis and laidback party atmosphere.
As it stands, the 33-year-old, who lives in Los Angeles to maintain his busy schedule of comedy and acting gigs — his most recent include the acclaimed HBO series “Silicon Valley” and Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” — is happy to visit his hometown a few times a year.
Where he still revels in all those things.
“There’s a reason comedians are becoming respected on a national level and not leaving Denver,” Miller said via phone earlier this week. “It’s because Denver has this sort of strange and excellent alchemy between comics, producers and audiences. Unlike in other cities, there’s this overarching scene that bridges the mainstream and the underground, from Comedy Works to the Deer Pile.”
Miller’s grinning mug leads the promotional posters for the second annual High Plains Comedy Festival, which kicks off Aug. 21 and continues through Aug. 23 with various showcases, podcast recordings and open-mic nights at South Broadway-area bars, bookstores, rock venues and, new this year, Civic Center’s renovated McNichols Building.
The festival features 65 comedians, including Miller’s “Silicon Valley” co-star Kumail Nanjiani, former TBS late-night host Pete Holmes, returning favorites Kate Berlant, Sean Patton, Nick Thune, Beth Stelling and Cameron Esposito, and a crush of Colorado stand-ups including Mara Wiles, Andrew Orvedahl, Bobby Crane, Troy Walker, Jordan Doll, Josh Blue and Adrian Mesa.
Last year’s sold-out shows all but guaranteed a return event, and this year makes good on festival co-owners Adam Cayton-Holland (of the Grawlix troupe) and comic-producer Andy Juett’s promise to offer more free programming and, well, more of everything.
“I think we’ll see 3,000-plus people this year at the fest, all told,” Juett said. “People in the industry and just fans in general are trying to find a reason to come to Denver, and maybe High Plains is something that gives people an excuse to mark their calendar and come see what all the fuss is about.”
There’s no substitute for moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in show business. That’s where the industry lives, and never has a comedian or actor starred in a network sitcom or blockbuster film while living in Denver.
Nonetheless, late-night talk shows, Hollywood agents and national media have begun seeking out Denver comics in recent years for deals, profiles and marquee stand-up fests. Denver comic Ben Roy’s triumphant hour-long show at Just for Laughs in Montreal last month came on the heels of dozens of tours and industry requests for his Mile High City cohorts.
“High Plains nurtures that because the profile has raised a ton lately,” said Cayton-Holland, who has appeared on “Conan” and in write-ups from Esquire and Wired over the last two years. “I really hope this festival can become a great place for people to scout comedians, like Bridgetown,” a comedy festival in Portland, Ore.
Since High Plains is run by comics, it goes out of its way to create a camaraderie that includes plenty of pizza, burritos, cannabis and beer — often gratis from sponsors like Sexy Pizza, Illegal Pete’s, Denver Relief and Pabst Blue Ribbon (the latter being one of the few non-local benefactors).
But High Plains organizers and performers have said they strive not to simply hold a festival for other comics, since the growth of Denver’s comedy scene — with its dozens of weekly showcases and open-mics — is the result of non-comics attending the shows, as with any successful music or art movement.
“There aren’t that many cities in the country where people are always really jazzed to see comedy,” said Cameron Esposito, who will perform as part of the Fine Gentleman’s Club festival showcase on Aug. 22 and the Grawlix on Aug. 23.
“But Denver is one of them because it’s just big enough, culturally, but it’s not saturated and jaded like L.A. The fact that you get to see your other comedy friends and also get these great audiences is really rare.”
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642, jwenzel@denverpost.com or twitter.com/johnwenzel
2ND ANNUAL HIGH PLAINS COMEDY FESTIVAL. Stand-up, podcasting and open-mic events featuring T.J. Miller, Pete Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, Kate Berlant, Cameron Esposito, Kristen Rand, Adam Cayton-Holland and dozens more. Various times, Aug. 21-23 at Mutiny Information Cafe, the Hi-Dive, 3 Kings Tavern, TRVE Brewing and McNichols Building at Civic Center. $10-$100. Some events free. highplainscomedyfestival.com.
