Levity in the News

Levity has been getting some great press. Check out what people are saying:

See WPTZ Channel 5's segment about Levity.

The Vermont Cynic of UVM's Jake Dougher said:

Everyone knows Burlington is a music hot spot, but did you ever think of Burlington as a hotbed for comedic talent? If not, you might want to think again.

Levity is an up-and-coming comedy club that seeks to bring some humor to the green mountain state. As it stands, it is the only comedy-exclusive club in the state of Vermont.

Read the rest of the Vermont Cynic article, Levity brings big laughs to Burlington

Seven Days' Dan Bolles had this to say:

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The local comedy scene is legit.

Even as little as two years ago, to call local comedy a “scene” would have been a charitable designation at best. Aside from veterans such as Josie Leavitt and Martha Tormey, it was characterized by a small crew of comics telling mostly mediocre jokes to family and friends at occasional showcases in small venues around the state. In short, not many polished comedians were practicing the craft in Vermont. And demand for them was even less. But then — pardon the pun — a funny thing happened.

Seemingly overnight, local comedians began crawling out of the woodwork. And they started getting funny. Like, really funny. Open mics devoted to standup began appearing regularly at clubs all over Vermont. Comedy showcases, once confined to “infrequent special event” status, started happening several times per month. And then there was the watershed moment: this year’s Higher Ground Comedy Battle in January, which featured by far the most talented group of performers the contest had seen in its seven-year run. Then, this spring, the third annual Green Mountain Comedy Festival further verified scene status with a three-day, statewide laugh riot featuring some 30-plus local comedians. It was official. Local comedy had arrived. And now, it has a home.

Recently, the unlikely epicenter for local comedy has been Patra Café on Center Street in Burlington. The tiny Vietnamese coffee- and teahouse has hosted the state’s most popular comedy open mic for a little over a year — fyi, the last Thursday of every month. Well, the café has been purchased by local comedian Ryan Kriger and has reopened as Levity — Vermont’s first, and so far only, comedy club.

Read the rest of the Seven Day's article, A Guy Walks Into a (Comedy?) Bar

Alice Levitt, also of Seven Days, mentioned our exciting dessert plans:

Just a few blocks away, at 9 Center Street, desserts will soon be available even later — till 2 a.m. Comedians Ryan Kriger and Carmen Lagala opened Levity on October 1. Kriger, a Vermont assistant attorney general, says it’s long been his goal to open a coffeehouse. When local comedy hub Patra Café came up for sale this summer, he leapt at the chance to have his own club.

Levity retains many of Patra’s signature items, including Vietnamese coffee, bubble tea and simple panini. However, Kriger says one of his primary goals is to introduce “great and unique desserts.” He and Lagala, who runs the café’s day-to-day operations, are in talks with New England Culinary Institute graduates to design pastries just for Levity. “We’re looking for people we can partner with instead of going to a bakery and getting ‘that, that and that,’” says Kriger. The owners plan to offer desserts specially paired with wine and beer every night, with regular comedy shows scheduled on Fridays.

Read the rest of the Seven Day's article, Downtown Desserts