As old as Milwaukee’s comedy festival itself, broadminded comedy is the longest-running sketch comedy group around. As the name suggests, broadminded is all-female and eclectic, delivering clever, high-energy, multi-talented performances.
As they sometimes refer to themselves, “the broads” include Stacy Babl, Anne Graff LaDisa, Melissa Kingston, and Megan McGee.
Broadminded – 8 p.m. show, Thursday, Aug. 6
Megan doubts there were shortcuts to learn what broadminded has taught her in the last decade.
“I love that we’ve worked together for so long and really, really get each other – and even try to challenge each other by casting against type,” Megan says. “I’m glad that we’ve performed at festivals, that Monday nights are for broadminded and that we incorporate music, video and guests. I like the rules we’ve developed – like ‘director casts the sketch’ and ‘majority rules’ and ‘sketches must be written up, not scrawled on a scrap of paper last minute in your car.’”
Says Melissa:
“I love the way we learned along the way from each other. I still hope I have time to learn more and work with more creative comedians! Every person I write with helps me see a new direction and challenge.”
Anne suggests she has learned life lessons through broadminded.
“Not knowing quite what I was doing when I started, having to rely on others to teach me things, but also following my own instincts has helped me become a braver person, more trusting, and more self-aware,” Anne says. “I like that we’ve figured things out together. It’s made me feel invested in the group and in my friendship with the broads.”
When broadminded started, Stacy had just graduated from training with The Second City.
“When I was first asked to participate in broadminded, I never thought it would evolve into a show,” Stacy says. “To find kindred spirits like the broads, who are equally committed to a quality product, is incredibly special. I guess I wish I would have been able to see that sooner so that I could have trusted more.”
The broads credit the Milwaukee Comedy Festival as well as Milwaukee Comedy and the semi-annual Sketch 22 comedy collaborations for helping to grow the sketch comedy scene in Milwaukee. Often the only sketch performers in town, broadminded is joined at the 10th Milwaukee Comedy Fest by three other Milwaukee-based sketch comedy groups.
“Gosh, I love that there has been a sketchsplosion recently,” Melissa says. “I think this town is ready for more sketch. Milwaukee Comedy has been such a great support for the creative talent that exists in this city! We have broadened Milwaukee’s definition of funny.”