Best of Madison winner Cheshire Cat Comedy celebrates its 300th show with a dynamite lineup of stand-up, burlesque, drag, and musical comedy performers at Crucible Madison on Thursday, March 5.
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About your performers:
Deanna Ortiz is a Chicago‑based stand‑up comedian and writer who has been named Best Standup by the Chicago Reader multiple years in a row and was highlighted as one of Time Out’s Comics To Watch in 2025. She hosts the popular podcast Crushes! and other audio and video series including Crime For Bed and The Drunk Cooking Show. Her work has been featured on platforms like NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, Vulture, WGN News, and FOX Good Day Chicago. Ortiz regularly performs across major comedy venues and brings a sharp, narrative style and relatable energy to her sets.
Joelie Folle is a Chicago‑based burlesque and variety performer known for his irreverent, boundary‑pushing stage presence and self‑described identity as a conversion therapy drop‑out. Since 2021 he has blended boylesque and nerdlesque into performances that mix humor, theatrics, and pop culture playfulness. He has appeared in burlesque showcases around Chicago including Sunday Cabaret Soirée at Meeting House Tavern and Allure: A Night of Burlesque at Opus Concert Cafe, and he has celebrated milestones such as the Joelie Folle 40th Birthday Roast and Variety Show, a mix of comedy roast, drag, burlesque, clowning, and live music. He also co‑produces LIT!, a literary burlesque and variety show that brings together storytelling and performance in Chicago.
Rey Tang is a comedian, writer, performer, and filmmaker based in Chicago, featured in the New York Times and recently written up by the Chicago Reader for her creative work both onstage and off. Rey has performed stand‑up in showcases such as the 2024 SNL Showcase at the Annoyance Theater and her weekly open mic “Pizza Mic,” which prioritizes LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and femme comics. She has also performed at venues including Zanies, Laugh Factory, and Hollywood Improv, and this year toured the country with Here to Pee, a trans protest comedy tour that hit all fifty states. In addition to comedy, Rey has made short films that have screened locally and continues to build community through her work in film and performance in Chicago.
Eli Wilz is a stand‑up comedian and improviser based in Madison, Wisconsin, and a professional member of Atlas Improv Company in Madison. He has opened for comedians including Adam Ray, Ian Karmel, and Johnny Pemberton, and has been named "Best of the Fest" at both Floodwater Comedy Festival and Madison Comedy Week. He has appeared at comedy festivals across North America, including Toronto Sketch Fest, Last Best Comedy Festival, and Milwaukee Comedy Festival. He hosts and produces Stand‑Up at Atlas, a stand‑up showcase that brings comics to Atlas Improv’s stage, and is the creator and host of the monthly Comedy Night at Working Draft Beer Company in Madison. He performs regularly around the region and appears weekly as the halftime act for the Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Band at Cardinal Bar.
Aris Awes is a balding, Greek, and queer stand-up, drag, and theatrical performer based in Madison, Wisconsin. Known for his high energy, Aris's jokes focus on gender, sexuality, dating, and his childhood. He’s opened for Alok Menon, Gwen La Roka, and Rachel Mac and has appeared in UW–Madison productions of Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Spring Awakening. As a producer, Aris is the creator of Hidden Cave Comedy and has helmed the drag and stand-up hybrid show Dressed to Kill in addition to hosting numerous events including Beers with Queers, Oh, My!, and Comedy in the Cavern, mining his own life experiences for comedy gold at every turn.
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Thursday, March 5, 2026
Doors open at 6:30PM, show starts at 7:00PM
Crucible
3116 Commercial Avenue
Madison, WI 53713
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Tickets are $20 (no extra fees). It is recommended to buy tickets in advance in order to guarantee seating and receive weather-related event notices, cancellation alerts, and other updates.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oh-my-its-cheshire-cat-comedys-300th-show-tickets-1982258336044
SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR STUDENTS: $10 cash cover with a student ID!
RSVP on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/events/744941328337263
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Recommended for ages 18+. Per venue rules, attendees under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Lineup subject to change.
Bringing cash to tip your drag performers is highly encouraged.
Seating is first come, first served, so we suggest arriving at the venue when doors open 30 minutes prior to showtime to have your pick of seats.
We do not offer refunds, but if you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend, please contact Cheshire Cat Comedy at cheshirecatcomedyco@gmail.com to redeem for free admission to a future show of your choice.