Date Night gets hilarious

Being the youngest of four brothers taught Jack Schutze the value of comedy. The Wimberley native realized early on that if he wanted to be heard, he needed to choose his moment, and he’d better make it good.

“It forced me to be very observant,” Schutze said. “I spent a lot of time listening. That’s a lot of what comedy is: Just trying to find something unique to say in the right moment.”

For Schutze and his company, Schutze Scores Productions, the right moment happens to be right now. His knack for observation has revealed a lack of fun entertainment opportunities for adults in San Marcos. His answer: Date Night Comedy - a series of local comedy shows featuring comedians with acts that have been tested all across Texas and beyond.

“I did realize that there’s a lack of content or events for people my age,” Schutze said. “That’s become a big motivator for this show.”

Schutze’s goal is to give local adult audiences a chance to have a fun night out without having to drive to Austin or San Antonio. But more than that, he wants people to laugh.

“Coming out of Covid and dealing with the stress of everyday life, I was looking for ways to spread joy,” Schutze said. “What better way than to gather our friends, turn off our devices and just laugh for a little?”

As Schutze began to produce shows in Wimberley and at Kissing Tree, he noticed a surge of comedians moving to Texas, looking for places to perform. Observing this uptick in local talent added more fuel to Schutze’s comedic fire. Not only were people in San Marcos looking for something to do, but a whole crowd of tried-andtrue comedians had arrived and were looking for a stage.

“One of the reasons for the comedy boom is that the news has been so dark and serious,” Schutze said. “The point of comedy is not necessarily to solve the world’s problems.

We all agree the world is messed up. So let's come and laugh at it instead of crying all the time.”

For all of Schutze’s abundant wit and humor — which he describes as “a little irreverent, with a little bit of social commentary” — he takes the business aspects very seriously. As a graduate from Texas State with a degree in business, Schutze understands the importance of networking, branding, advertising and marketing. This has helped him hone in on what makes a proven show, one that keeps people coming back, time and time again.

“A lot of things that other people have had to learn from the school of hard knocks, I learned from Texas State,” Schutze said. “In the process of booking diverse and interesting acts for our free Thursday shows at Roughhouse Brewing, I was making connections with all styles of comedians. After working with over 200 comics, I found a great lineup to bring stand-up comedy to the people of San Marcos.”

His latest production, Date Night Comedy, will take place at 7:30 p.m. June 15 at The Price Center.

“Tickets are $15 for a top-tier comedy show that will leave everyone in stitches,” Schutze said. “They are all regular headliners and with this show, you get all three in one amazing night.”

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., so arrive early to grab beer or wine. “We won’t have food, so I'm recommending everyone go grab a bite to eat on the Square,” Schutze said. “Bring your friends, bring your family, but leave the kiddos at home for this one.”

For general admission tickets, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. VIP tickets can be purchased in advance. Group tickets are also available. Search for Date Night Comedy Price Center for a list of ticket options, or visit visitsanmarcos. com/event/date-night-standup- comedy-at-the-price-center/3958. Headliner is Chandra Murthy; featured comedians are Ellis Aych and Norman Fischer, with Jack Schutze hosting.

“Comedy is one of the last bastions of free speech,” Schutze said. “It is still highly protected and a place where audiences agree to lighten up and go on a journey of understanding and sometimes just pure silliness. It’s a place where we all agree society is a little odd and it’s interesting to explore that together. It’s not going to change the world, but it will bring happiness to a lot of people for the 90-minute duration of the show.”