Home for the weekend
Some weekends just feel like coming home.
Not in the literal sense, but in that deeper way where the people, the energy, and the environment all feel familiar. Comfortable. Like family. That’s what a weekend at Tacoma Comedy Club feels like.
The comedy scene can be fast-paced and unpredictable. Performers are constantly traveling from city to city, stepping into different rooms, reading new crowds, and adapting to whatever energy walks through the door that night. But spending a three-night stretch at the same club brings a welcome sense of comfort.
Mike Coletta | Comedian
Mike Coletta | Comedian
When a strong headliner is in town, they bring a crowd that came specifically to see them. Even though it’s technically a different group of people every show, the vibe tends to be surprisingly consistent. That predictability becomes a gift for the comics. They can start to feel out the rhythm of the room, find the pockets where jokes land best, and know how to navigate the space before the doors even open.
And every once in a while you get a weekend where everything just clicks. The room feels right, the crowd feels familiar, and you’re reminded how much of this world is built on relationships. It starts to feel less like a revolving door of strangers and more like a small community that just keeps showing up night after night.
A big part of that feeling comes from the people behind the scenes who keep the venue running. The manager at 6th and Proctor is an absolute powerhouse. She runs a tight ship, keeps everything moving smoothly, and somehow still manages to be one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
Mike Coletta | Comedian
When she’s running the room, you know everything is handled. Performers are taken care of, staff knows exactly what they’re doing, and the guests feel it too. She and the rest of the staff create an environment where comics can relax a little, focus on their set, and trust that the rest of the night is going to run the way it should.
Rooms don’t feel that good by accident. It takes someone who understands how all the moving pieces fit together and knows how to keep them moving without anyone even noticing the work happening behind the scenes.
Mike Coletta | Comedian
I really enjoyed getting to know Joe Machi a bit behind the scenes. We had the chance to chat about travel, day-to-day life on the road, where he calls home, and how the crowd was shaping up that evening. Joe opted not to have his photo taken, which is totally fine, I genuinely just enjoy hearing people’s stories. Those real, human conversations are often the best part of the night, getting to know someone as a person rather than just the persona that comes with a recognizable name.
JR Berard | Comedian
I also got to work with the wonderful Mike Coletta. He’s one of my husband’s best friends, so having them both on the same show made the night even more fun. It’s always special when work and community overlap like that, and getting to capture those moments while everyone is doing what they love is a pretty great place to be.
From a photography perspective, comedy is one of the most fun environments to document. Expressions are animated, gestures are big, and every laugh break creates a new moment to capture. No two shows are the same, which means every night tells a slightly different story.
JR Berard | Comedian
And when the room is full and the crowd is fully locked in, the energy is something you can actually feel.
Weekends like this are a reminder of why I love documenting the comedy scene. It’s creative, unpredictable, and full of fleeting moments that only exist for a few seconds before the next joke lands and the room erupts again.
But more than anything, it’s about the people: the performers, the staff, the audience, and the small community that forms around a stage for a few hours each night.
And weekends like this one?
They feel a lot like coming home. 🎤
Host: JR Berard
Feature: Mike Coletta
Headliner: Joe Machi
