Comedian Ben Roy is returning to Aspen with an all new comedy set for two nights of laughs.
He’ll first take the stage at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at The Arts Campus at Willits with Nick Ellis and Jordan Lowe, and will return to the venue at 8 p.m. Nov. 13 for “Movie Night,” joining fellow comedians Adam Cayton-Holland and Rory Scovel for an evening of comedy and film. During “Movie Night,” the three comedians will bring a movie of their choice to the big screen — and spend the entire film riffing, roasting, and providing their own running commentary.
“I first experienced Ben Roy when we had him at The Temporary, and it changed my idea of how a comedian can interact with an audience,” Executive Director The Arts Campus at Willits Ryan Honey said. “Since then, he’s cracked me up countless times, including on ‘Those Who Can’t,’ the TV show he created and starred in. He’s a unique talent that simply must be seen in person. With all that’s happening in the world right now, I can’t wait for Ben to make my face hurt from laughing.”
For Roy, performing is his favorite part of the job, stating that he is “1,000% a performer.”
“Writing is a means to an end for me,” he said. “Being on stage in front of a crowd is my happy place.”
His special, “HYENA,” released by 800 Pound Gorilla, was named one of the top specials in 2023 by NPR, likely leading to its licensing on Hulu and Disney+.
“It’s cool it connected with as many people as it did, and for NPR to have shouted it out … that was pretty awesome,” Roy said.
The chance to make his special came together quickly, and Roy said he welcomed the challenge and works well under deadlines.
Last January, he filmed his sixth comedy special, “Milo Didn’t Go to College,” at Comedy Works in Denver. The title is a playful nod to the Descendants, an influential punk rock band, as well as a nod to his son Milo and his own life as a 47-year-old having the freedom of his 20s.
“I think parents will really relate. I was known for ranting and social satire and being angrier. I think a lot of this newer stuff is more heartfelt and emotive. There are times with my close friends that people have actually cried,” he said. “It’s a little heavier, but funny about my life being a dad and also just stuff I went through. So I think it’s a little more sentimental and heartfelt.”
The Maine native, who originally moved to Colorado in 2002, has performed at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, was invited to Austin’s South by Southwest festival in both comedy and in a music category in the same year and has appeared on HBO’s Funny as Hell, several Comedy Central shows and truTV’s Talk Show the Game Show, among others.
He also performs with The Grawlix, a comedy trio with fellow Denver comedians Adam Cayton-Holland and Andrew Orvedahl. Together they created, wrote and starred in “Those Who Can’t,” which ran for three seasons on truTV and later streamed on Max.
The trio has a competitive advice podcast, “Advice Fight.”
“We competitively and aggressively give advice to letter writers. I love podcasting, it’s great,’ Roy added.
Beyond comedy, he is a singer for the punk-rock band SPELLS, performing with band members Chuck Coffey, Rob Burleson and Don Bersell. They have described their sound as vacation rock.
“I started playing music and that was my first love and outlet for being,” Roy said.
In the future, he said he hopes to make a scripted television show in Colorado, a place he loves.
For more information and tickets, visit tacaw.org.