Cool Beans Comedy, held at The Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, offers classes that give children a shot at stand-up comedy.
Well, sort of. Craig believes in the philosophy of good trouble, and teaching children to harness that energy and turn it into punchlines. The result, he says, can be life-changing. As an actor, writer, producer and comic, Craig earned the badge of a troublemaker after being suspended 30 times between middle and high school and at the time, it was no laughing matter. But, as an adult, he earnestly grins about it over a Zoom call from his Pasadena home.
For most of his youth growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, Craig’s rambunctious and outspoken nature was frowned upon until the eighth grade, when his theater teacher encouraged him to embrace it. When the school district announced they’d be cutting the arts programs, he decided to apply for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He was accepted and made the move.
As word got around about his mentoring, he decided the next natural step would be working with kids as a full-time gig. In 2009, Cool Beans Comedy was born. There, he and his team host rehearsals at The Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, helping kids and adults better understand comedic writing, stage presence, and performance.
For Craig, getting his students to understand the motto “name it to tame it” helps them to talk about the things that aren’t always uttered explicitly out loud and may be holding them back. The courses provide them a chance to take ownership of it with humor. Some of his young comics have Down syndrome or autism, and some are dealing with the loss of a loved one.
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