Our Local Comedians
Key West is full of interesting characters. These are the ones who get up on stage to prove it.
Tom Dustin
Edgy, original, and hilarious is the consensus of his comedy. Bostonian Tom Dustin is the only American to ever win the $25,000 Yuk Yuk's Great Canadian Laugh-off. He was so hilarious that the contest was closed to all future American contestants (USA! USA! USA!) He was also the winner of the Sam Adams Comedy Festival (Beer! Beer! Beer!) He's done Comedy Central, The Comedy Channel (Canada), local & national radio, podcasts, festivals, and roasts. His debut album, Dangerous Now, made it to the top 5 on iTunes and is played often on Sirius satellite radio. Tom is one of the best kept secrets in comedy; revered by famous comedians and mentioned frequently on the Joe Rogan Experience. Most recently, Tom was the subject of a documentary film, "Tom Dustin: Portrait of a Comedian", which highlights Tom's journey in standup comedy, his friendship with comedian/director, Joe List, and his issues with alcoholism and depression. It's hilarious, heartfelt, and honest; It gives a rare look into the comedians' lives, paths and struggles.
Steve Crane
Steven Crane was born in California, spent his youth in Chicago, and is currently in the process of spending his adulthood in Key West. Steve is an alumni of Bradley University, where he graduated at the bottom of his class with a B.S. in Debt Management. Steve has also graduated from the Second City of Chicago's Improv Comedy Program and Comedy Writing with the Onion Program, where Steve worked with a team of writers to publish a work of eventual non-fiction titled "Trump's America: Buy This Book and Mexico Will Pay For It". Steve spends most of his time helping run "Key West Adventures" - his family owned, Mom-and-Pop Jeep rental shop. Steve aspires to one day live in a world where other people write his bio for him.
Gwen Filosa
Gwen Filosa is a journalist covering Key West for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald.She has appeared at Comedy Key West since 2016 and has also performed at the Key West Theater, the San Carlos Institute and the Greenwich Village Comedy Club in New York. Gwen also hosts a weekly comedy radio show, The Gwen Show, on Island 106.9 every Thursday at 6 p.m. She lives with her dog, Pedro. Her parents still pretend she's not gay.
Caleb Hogan & Aubrey Urban
Caleb Hogan is a classically-trained pianist, composer, and comedian. He grew up in Oklahoma in what his friends now tell him was a religious cult. Caleb calls it "boot camp for a career in comedy." After moving away from home and finding out that arranged marriages and exorcisms at family cookouts are not, in fact, normal, Caleb has a lot of stories to tell and a unique perspective to share on stage through stand-up and song.
A veteran of the stage through his solo piano concerts and impressive theater resume, his credits include two solo piano albums (including the nationally-recognized Reflections), composer for the documentary "Ancient Aliens Debunked," and lead script writer/composer for the upcoming stage musical, Stay, set to debut in Nashville in 2025. He has assigned himself the title of Composer-In-Residence at Comedy Key West, mainly because he believes the club owners are unlikely to read his bio page. (They did read his bio, and he's rightfully the Composer-In-Residence.)Aubrey Urban is a Chicago-born stand-up comedian who got her start in Boulder, CO, and has since performed in various venues around the country. In 2019, Aubrey took a weekend trip to Key West, an excursion she describes as "fine." However, when an unexpected turn of events caused her flight home to be cancelled, the next words from her mouth were, "Well, I guess I live here now."
She now performs regularly at Comedy Key West, bringing her unique and cerebral humor to the local comic lineup every week. Aubrey has also featured in several theater productions, radio shows, and music projects, showcasing her talents at sketch comedy, vocals, and character work.
Joe Madaus
Joe Madaus, born in Massachusetts to a school teacher and a dairy farmer, moved to Key West in 2010 to work on an obscure TV show. When the production folded, Joe stayed, choosing to tough it out by crewing on a snorkel boat. For over a decade, he’s endured the Florida Keys’ harsh conditions, guiding tourists with mostly true stories. In 2016, Joe and his partner Anne Walters launched Comedy Key West with the Downward Dog Comedy Showcase in Anne’s fitness studio. The debut was a hit but banned from the venue. Undeterred, they relocated to the BottleCap Lounge a week later. After performing there for three years, Covid shut down the world and forced Joe and Tom Dustin to open their own location at 218 Whitehead St. Suite 5. What began as a five-week, 30-seat experiment has grown into sold-out stand-up comedy shows six to seven nights a week. Comedy Key West, the only comedy club in the Florida Keys, features weekly national headliners and nurtures local talent.
email: comedykeywest@gmail.com