About

Who We Are

Welcome to The Commodore, Tampa’s new home for cutting-edge, top-notch comedy. Founded by five comedians with cumulative decades of experience performing, teaching, and producing comedy in Tampa Bay, we’re a performance and teaching space dedicated to showcasing a variety of comedic voices and styles. We offer shows several nights a week, featuring improv, sketch, stand-up, and more. Our commitment to high-quality, format-breaking work creates a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else in the region. Join us as we chart a course through uncharted comedic waters and give Tampa the home for comedy that it deserves.

Our Mission

At The Commodore, our mission is to be a beacon of adventurous comedy in Tampa. We strive to provide a platform for diverse comedic voices and to foster a growing community of performers and comedy fans alike. Through our shows, classes, workshops, and events,, we aim to inspire, entertain, and cultivate resilience and brilliance in everyday life, right here in Tampa.

Central to our mission is a notion we call “comedic placemaking.” Tampa is a vibrant, special city with a character all its own, and its residents and business owners have stories to tell. is a foremost goal of ours that the shows we program not only reflect the community we serve, but are an integral part of our artistic vision. This is not a garden-variety comedy theater you could find anywhere – it is by Tampa, about Tampa, for Tampa.

Our Philosophy

At The Commodore, we believe in the transformative power of comedy. We are committed to providing a performance space with a point of view that is inviting and inclusive where performers can push boundaries, students can find their comedic voices, audiences can enjoy innovative shows, and everyone can connect authentically. We champion diversity, integrity, and the spirit of exploration in all we do.

Our Team

Kelly Buttermore
John Lasavath
Kevin Michalski
Justin Peters
Matt Walker

Our Values

In addition to building a home for world-class comedy, we want to establish a safe and welcoming space for those who perform and study with us, and to provide a positive, professional alternative to the toxic structures, practices, and behaviors that have pervaded and diminished the local independent comedy scene in recent years. We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusivity and transparency in our policies and daily operations. We all want to live in a city where we can feel proud of our comedy. We are tired of the vulgar, misogynistic, homophobic material we regularly see in our area and we want to curate a space for performers and audiences who are also tired of it.

We expect our performers, students, and all who enter our space to uphold these values.

Become a Supporter

Join us in making comedic history in Tampa Bay! Your support for The Commodore helps us light up the stage with laughter and creativity. Together, we can make this dream a reality for our community, but we can’t do it alone. Pledge your support and be part of our journey! Every dollar we raise goes directly into making this place the best it can possibly be.