I got this letter from Dan Conlin, the owner of The Jukebox Comedy Club in my inbox today and we should all support Peoria’s only and most unique comedy club. Buy a gift card online. I don’t want to see this local business go under, so please help them out.
Below is the letter from Jukebox owner, Dan Conlin, who’s a friend and a local business owner that has brought laughs and great talent to Peoria for years. He’s also encouraged and fostered local comedians in the area.
Read the letter and donate to his comedic cause please. Within the letter I’ve added some photos from MBIP trips to the Jukebox Comedy Club.
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Unprecedented Times: a letter from dan Conlin, the owner of the jukebox comedy club
For 30 years we have brought live comedy to you every week. Every Week. In the almost 20 years that I’ve owned the club, we’ve brought not only some of the top comics from across the nation to you, but also introduced you to up and coming rising comics who have gone on to huge careers. The Jukebox stage has been graced by comedy greats such as Anthony Jeselnik, Tom Segura, Maria Bamford, Doug Stanhope, Lisa Lampanelli, Tommy Chong, Gilbert Gottfried, Norm MacDonald, Robert Klein, Kevin Pollak, Louie Anderson, Marlon Wayans, Christopher Titus, Jim Norton, Bobcat Goldthwait, Tom Arnold, David Alan Grier… and the list goes on and on! We believe in the talent that is right here in Central Illinois, too - we’ve provided a stage for Open Mic to foster and grow our local comedy scene for many years!
Like many small businesses, we understand and support the guidelines but must acknowledge, this is truly hurting us. Even without shows, our overhead remains significant. Without ticket and drink sales, we will be struggling to get through this. Unfortunately, we cannot offer curbside comedy – although we wish we could! We’ve applied for small business grants and assistance but there is no guarantee that we will be selected. Like all other small businesses, we need your help to get us through. The best way you can do this is to purchase a gift certificate to be used at an upcoming show, or tickets for an upcoming show. We will be adding more dates, further out, to our website as soon as we can. The gift certificates can be used for tickets, food and drinks for any upcoming show! Gift certificates for various amounts can be purchased online at jukeboxcomedy.com – if there is an amount not listed that you would like to purchase a gift certificate for just let us know! We are happy to make that happen for you!
It will take all of us coming together (virtually, please respect and follow the social distance guidelines – the more we stay in, the sooner we can be out, together, again) to get through this time. We appreciate those who have purchased gift certificates or tickets for an upcoming show and hope more will do the same to make this time a bit less stressful. We promise you an awesome night out filled with laughs as soon as we can open the doors, safely, again.
We know we have been quiet. Our newsletter has not gone out and our social media has been silent. This was not intentional, and we did not mean to worry anyone – we are still here and ready to open our doors as soon as we can.
Like all of you, we too, have needed to get a few things in order. For myself, at the club, working with agents to rebook comics that need to be rescheduled, book new comics for when we are open again, work with local health officials and other clubs to discuss ways we can keep everyone safe and healthy when we are able to open again, and of course, try to take care of myself in this time, too. For Holly, who handles most of our marketing and social media, there has been a lot on her plate personally, too. In addition to having a son with special needs, her daughter has a rare, life-threatening auto-immune disease that attacks her lungs, heart, joints, and skin. The treatments used to keep her alive and healthy have left her with a very compromised immune system. Her efforts have been focused on isolation to keep her daughter (and son) as safe and healthy as possible without the need to leave the home. We cannot stress enough that even if you may not be impacted by this virus, it could be life-threatening to someone else. Please do all you can to keep yourself, and others, healthy. Although we cannot be together through this, we feel that we are ready together – even if only virtually for now – to jump back into bringing laughs to you online.
While we are extending the date before we can re-open through the end of April to remain in compliance with the social distancing guidelines, we will be stepping up our social media presence to bring some laughter to your lives and look forward to interacting with you on those platforms.
We believe in live stand-up comedy and the power of the laughter it brings, the healing it provides, the break from reality it allows, the memories and good feelings it leaves us. This will never change. We all need laughter in our lives, especially now.
I am sending much love and appreciation to you, we cannot wait to have the laughter fill our comedy room again. We look forward to seeing you back, soon, and hope that you will consider purchasing a gift certificate to use when our doors are re-opened. Until then, please follow the shelter in place and social distancing guidelines, wash and/or sanitize your hands, and please, please stay safe and healthy. We will see you soon!
Dan Conlin, Owner
Jukebox Comedy Club
P.S. – if you purchased tickets for Greg Hahn and Mick Foley you should have received an email letting you know the reschedule dates for Greg and Mick. Your tickets have been transferred to the new show date. If that show does not work for you, we are happy to provide you with a ticket credit for any show for the remainder of the year. We are in the process of rescheduling Erica Rhodes, John Roy, Brett Erickson, and Bobcat Goldthwait. We will update you as we have the new dates confirmed.
Greg Hahn has rescheduled for July 24 – 25th
Mick Foley has rescheduled for September 20th
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Buy a Jukebox Comedy Club gift certificate by clicking here.
Related Posts: The Jukebox Comedy Club Presents: Wendy Liebman, Emo Philips, Tom Green and Gilbert Gottfried.