Denver's Emerging Comedy Talent Competes in New Faces Contest 2024

Backstage at last year’s New Faces Contest, local comedian Eeland Stribling felt the familiar mix of nerves and excitement. He listened as the first few comedians went up, each delivering their best material and receiving roaring applause.

"I remember thinking ‘Oh, no!’ as I listened to them," Stribling recalls. "I am very competitive, so I knew winning would be difficult because everyone was doing so well. When I walked out on stage, I said, 'I am really nervous,' and the audience laughed. I'm not sure why, but sharing a little bit of how I felt got the crowd laughing and rooting for me."

His performance was a hit, and by the end of the night, he was crowned the winner of the 2023 New Faces Contest.

"When they announced my name as the winner, I just breathed a deep sigh of relief," Stribling says. "Something about winning, even though it didn't change the world for me, reaffirmed that I enjoy what I do and am on the right track."
The 24th Annual New Faces Contest at Comedy Works will begin on Wednesday, May 22, with local comedians competing for the coveted title and cash prize. This beloved competition is a rite of passage for Colorado's rising comedians. The first round will take place on Wednesdays through July 2 to determine who will advance to the semifinal round, which will culminate in an exciting finale on October 16. New Faces is a component of Comedy Works' New Talent program, which flourished under the leadership of the late Deacon Gray and for more than two decades has provided aspiring comics with a platform to hone their craft and gain valuable stage time.

"It's a great way for these up-and-coming comics, who may have had a lot of local success or are doing shows out of state, to really showcase their work at what they would hope is or could be their home club," says Ashley Chapa, general manager of Comedy Works' downtown club. "We have so many good contestants in this contest. There are a few of them that I wish could all win, but that is not how this contest works, so I am very excited to be a part of New Faces this year and see how things unfold."
This year's contest attracted over 200 applicants, out of which the club's staff selected 168 contestants. Chapa and her team whittled down the participants by determining whether the prospective competitor had been a regular participant in Comedy Works' New Talent program, was consistent, and was available on all dates throughout the contest's six-month duration. "Truthfully, if we could let every single person who fills out the form do the contest, we would," Chapa says. "It's truly nothing personal; it's all about if availability lines up and if they have been performing regularly on New Talent Nights."

Chapa also highlighted the unique judging process, emphasizing the importance of the audience. "The audience is the judge," she explains. "We choose a handful of people who are not there for a specific person to help judge the contest. The Comedy Works staff does not do any judging other than tabulate all the scores, so after we do the math, we announce who moves on to the next round. It's cool because it's people's choice."

The contest is "pay to play," with each contestant contributing $20 to cover the prize money. According to Chapa, third place is typically around $500, second place is $750, and the grand prize is $1,500, though owner Wende Curtis may occasionally add more money to sweeten the prize.
While winning the New Faces Contest was a significant accomplishment for Stribling, who had previously competed in the competition in 2019, he admits it has not significantly altered his career trajectory. “It hasn’t provided that many opportunities. It's a cool thing to say, because people know Comedy Works is one of the best clubs in the country. When you win New Faces, you win prize money, but you don't get promoted in the Comedy Works system," he explains. "I'm still in the same spot I was in before I won, so it’s not like I get to do more shows at Comedy Works. It's a little bit of money and bragging rights. So in that aspect, it really hasn't given me much, but it does give me confidence that I'm headed in the right direction."

One of Stribling’s hopes for the future of the contest is that it might offer winners more tangible benefits.

“I wish Comedy Works would think about changing it so that if you win New Faces, maybe you get a Wednesday night to do your own show or pick a weekend where you get to feature host with a comedian you really want to work with,” he muses. Still, Stribling is proud of his accomplishment and remains active in Denver's comedy scene, including the upcoming New Faces Contest, which he hopes to win for the second year in a row.
As the New Faces Contest begins in May, Comedy Works will once again become a battleground for comedic talent, with comedians delivering their best material in an effort to make their mark on Denver's scene.

"I am a Denver native, so it was exciting to win the New Faces competition, and I am very proud to be a part of the scene," Stribling says. "The talent here is next-level. There's just so much comedy that happens here, so to whoever's reading this, go out and support live comedy. We're still in the age of social media and consuming content on your phone, but nothing beats a live comedy show and seeing how insane the world is through the eyes of a bunch of people who probably need a lot of therapy."

New Faces Contest 2024, Wednesday, May 22, through Wednesday, October 16. Learn more and get tickets at comedyworks.com.