LAKE WORTH – Two hosts should be twice as nice.
Lalo Rodriguez and Stephanie Wood put that theory to the test on Thursday during the first ever comedy show at Mathews Brewing Company.
“Like I said at the beginning of the set, tandem hosting is a lot like tandem bike riding. You just have to be drunk in order to have fun,” Rodriguez said.
To pull off their 15-minute hosting routine, Rodriguez and Wood identified common themes in their solo sets and attempted to weave them into a cohesive performance.
At times the knitting worked, and audience responded with laughter. At others it was more akin to eavesdropping on someone’s conversation at a diner.
“I think it’s a good change-up from just the normal host,” Wood said. “It’s going to grow as the show grows. I think we’ll get better at that. Hopefully it will be like a highlight of the show – our banter.”
Thursday’s show also marked the first time Rodriguez and Wood combined forces in their new venture, South Florida Comedy, to produce a show. Flip Schultz headlined, with Phil Isme and Matt Ross featuring.
For Wood, it was easily the largest show she’d been part of as a producer.
“It just kind of came together organically because we’re good friends that work well together,” Wood said of the partnership with Rodriguez.
The partnership, combined with the strong lineup, brought approximately 100 comedy fans to the spacious Mathews Brewing covered outdoor patio, whose permanent stage usually features rock bands.
“Every single person that’s here tonight is facing the stage, is drinking, and is clapping right now because they wanted to be here for a comedy show,” Rodriguez said as Schultz rolled through his set.
Following the show South Florida Comedy agreed to produce one show per month through December at Mathews Brewing.
“It was a great turnout for our first comedy show,” said Mathews Brewing events coordinator Kylee Plevin. “I’m pumped. We’re excited. We want to do more.”
Rodriguez and Wood, both of whom live in the Wellington area, intend to increase the amount of local comedy shows in northern Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
“We’re always constantly driving down south for shows and open mics,” Rodriguez said. “So we were like, why don’t we create a scene up here and start growing and cultivating something up here?”
South Florida Comedy has upcoming shows at Coastal Karma Brewing in Lake Park (Oct. 8) and Islamorada Brewing in Fort Pierce (Oct. 23).
Rodriguez and Wood plan to continue dual hosting performance at those shows.
“I think eventually we’re going to get it down pat,” Rodriguez said. “We’re going to be killing as a duo. You don’t see that down here in South Florida. We want to be the first to do a lot of things down here.”
