Kids 'N Comedy to Mark 30 Years With Anniversary Showcase at Gotham Comedy Club

On May 17, Kids 'N Comedy will mark its 30th year with a special anniversary showcase at Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. The event will feature current students performing live, joined by alumni who have gone on to successful careers in entertainment. Comedian Ryan Beck will serve as MC for the celebration.

Founded in 1996 by husband-and-wife team Jo Ann Grossman and Stu Morden, Kids 'N Comedy offers students ages 10-18 professional-level training and real stage experience, writing and performing original stand-up at established New York venues rather than in traditional classroom settings.

"Kids 'N Comedy is about giving kids a feeling of real power, the power to make a room laugh," said Jo Ann Grossman, Producer & Director. "When they hear an audience respond, it changes how they see themselves."

Over the years, the program has expanded beyond stand-up to include improv, sketch comedy, and comedic acting, giving students a broader creative toolkit and exposure to multiple performance styles.

"Thirty years and I'm still helping kids punch up their jokes," said Stu Morden, co-founder. "It's usually the most fun I've had all week."

Staff includes Mary Cella, head teacher, a stand-up and improv veteran who has helped shape the program's performance-first curriculum; Molly Winiarski, teacher and program alumna; and Sunny Laprade, teaching assistant, a New York-based comedian whose monthly show sold out The Bell House in 2025.

Adding to the milestone: actress Emily Morden (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Rewrite, Law & Order: SVU), who credits Kids 'N Comedy with sparking her passion for performing, returns this season as assistant director. As the daughter of the founders, she is now helping shape the next generation of young comedians.

For 30 years, Kids 'N Comedy alumni have built careers across the entertainment industry. Alumni guest appearances at the 30th anniversary showcase will include Claire Friedman, an Emmy-nominated writer and Peabody Award winner for her work on "Saturday Night Live" and a humor columnist for The New Yorker; actor and comedian Matt Pavich; Griffin Newman, known for "The Tick" and the "Blank Check" podcast; singer-songwriter Gene Noble; Alejandro Kolleeny; Jameer Pond; Ryan Drum, a visual effects editor whose credits include the Oscar-nominated "Marty Supreme" and "Song Sung Blue"; Jon Cortizo; Mike Witzer; Jordan Rochelson; Frank Marsico; Rachel Resnik; Christopher Ferguson; and John Teufel, with additional alumni expected to participate.