Comedian Alex Cureau tests material, pokes fun at The Playground audience
Comedian Alex Cureau was accompanied by The Playground host Liz Crandall and American High comic Tommy Armstrong in his comedy show on Wednesday. Receiving a text from Cureau to perform at the student venue was a “cool” experience for Crandall. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
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The basement of Harry’s Bar was packed with attendees chatting, greeting each other and enjoying $2 Shirley temples on Wednesday night. The bar was filled with laughter and excitement, even before the main act took the stage — The Playground’s, Syracuse University’s student-run comedy club, first time being a stop on a comedian’s tour.
“Generally, once a year we get a big name comic to come in,” Liz Crandall, The Playground student manager, said. “I got a DM from Cureau asking us to be a stop on his tour. The Playground has never been an official stop on someone’s tour before, so it was cool to be a part of that journey.”
On Wednesday night, comedian Alex Cureau headlined The Playground at Harry’s Bar. Cureau stopped in Syracuse as the second stop on his current tour, which began on Tuesday in Buffalo.
American High’s Tommy Armstrong and SU senior Crandall opened for him.
“My jokes resonate with middle-aged white guys,” Cureau said during his set. “You guys make me nervous.”
From New Orleans, Cureau said he took an unusual journey to comedy; he played football in junior college and eventually took stand-up gigs in Texas. In 2023, he opened for comedian Matt Rife during his “ProbleMATTic World Tour.” Performing for college students is new for him, Cureau said.
The Playground’s atmosphere and audience are more familiar for Crandall. Performing at The Playground since her freshman year, Crandall is well-versed in the world of open mics and stand up sets.
SU senior Emma Velardi, didn’t know much about Cureau before the show, but knew that her friend Crandall was “pretty funny.”
As a host on Citrus TV’s sketch comedy show, Cuse Tonight, Velardi said she is well tapped in the comedy world. Tonight, Velardi came to support her fellow comics and see her first show at The Playground since their transfer to Harry’s Bar from their original Comstock Avenue location.
During her set, Crandall thanked audience members for braving the extreme cold to go to the bar to watch the show. She criticized the SU party scene, laughed at her past relationships and made jokes about her own therapist.
“There’s a real science to finding a therapist,” Crandall said during her set. “And the truth is to find the person that’s the most like your most problematic parent.”
As Crandall closed her act to the sounds of audience cheering and clapping, Armstrong took the stage with a harmonica in hand.
“My name’s Thomas, Tommy for short,” Armstrong said during his set. “Unless you say it really slowly. Then it’s Tommy for long.”
Armstrong told the audience he has done stand up hundreds of times. However, he’s been told that he has “a lot of courage” to put himself out there.
“That’s not a compliment,” Armstrong said during his set. “No one says ‘How was the comedy show last night?’ ‘Oh it was great. They were really courageous.’”
Promptly after finishing that joke, Armstrong fished a harmonica out of his pocket and riffed, playing badly on purpose. As the audience clapped, he warned them to stop, or he would do it again.
Syracuse University senior Liz Crandall opened The Playground set for comedian Alex Cureau. In her set, Crandall discussed past relationships and therapist advice. Charlie Hynes | Staff Photographer
Cureau started his set by asking if anyone would rather be at the basketball game than at his set. When no one responded, he rolled his eyes.
Cureau made fun of Syracuse, but also he supported his criticisms with his own college inexperience. Asking the crowd what their majors were, audience members shouted out various studies such as film, anthropology and history. Cureau said that they were all “useless.”
“I was raised stupid,” Cureau said. “I grew up learning how to run away from alligators. But what are you guys gonna do with those degrees?”
Crowdwork was a big part of Cureau’s set. He invited the audience to talk to him, ask him questions and make fun of his jokes. One audience member asked about Cureau’s hat, which the audience member first laughed off. Cureau kept pressing, joking that it made him look like he wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Seriously man, you look like you’re from Albany,” Cureau said.
Finishing up his set, Cureau thanked the crowd for letting him try out some new material. Looking over at the lamps being held in the corner as impromptu stage lights, Cureau laughed.
“That’s my favorite part of Syracuse,” Cureau said. “Everything is always a little broken all the time.”
As an early tour stop, Cureau said his jokes were on a trial run, and that there was no better place to try something new than in front of “scary young people.”
Velardi said the SU comedy scene has helped her grow as a professional comic. As a transfer student, she said that being involved with the community helped her feel more at home at SU.
“We’re like one big family,” Velardi said. “We all support each other, and that’s why I’m here.”
Crandall said her and The Playground team take the opportunity to work with a professional comedian seriously. As an aspiring comic, having Cureau perform with her is making her a better, more prepared performer before she graduates in May. It also advances The Playground’s mission.
“We’re a safe space for students to try out sketch comedy,” Crandall said. “It’s a no-stakes, fun environment. Having Cureau here just makes us want to be funnier.”
