“Where I learned to do comedy and be funny was here,” Tucker said.
During the pandemic, Tucker and his wife bought a house in Chapel Hill and have split their time between the Triangle and New York City since then. Last spring, he began discussing the possibility of a hyper-local sketch showcase with Swartz and McEwan.
This fall, Tucker traded the SNL writers’ room for Carrboro’s, returning home to teach sketch-writing classes at UNC, a gig that allowed him to reimmerse himself in the burgeoning local comedy scene.
Swartz said Black Sheep Comedy stemmed from her and McEwan’s desire to revive a supportive, beginner-friendly sketch and improv tradition that the area maintained prior to the pandemic.
“We just really wanted to bring comedy back here to Carrboro in a fun way that was really community-focused, where we believed that anyone could get on stage and anyone had the ability to be trained,” Swartz said.
Several “Once Upon A Time in Carrboro” cast members were Black Sheep Comedy students just a year and a half ago.
Swartz also said that while the South may lack the established infrastructure that entertainment hubs like New York and Los Angeles offer, the region is emerging to the forefront of new and innovative comedy.
“That’s what’s fun about doing this — this show isn’t being done anywhere else,” Swartz said.
Audience member and Carrboro resident Samantha Boucher said the show made her feel a sense of pride for Carrboro’s distinctive culture, expressing particular appreciation for the postgraduate-specific humor.
“Watching this, I felt like, ‘Wow, this is my community,’” Boucher said. “I felt so seen by it.”
Boucher also said the show’s tone expertly blended town spirit and satire.
“I loved the way that they tap into the heart of what Carrboro is — people who really want to love their community and express that love while also making fun of it,” Boucher said.
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