3324-D W. Cary St.
rvacomedy.com

Second Place: ComedySportz Improv Theatre

Third Place: West End Comedy

Make no mistake: In Richmond, comedy is serious business. The voting for best local comedy group was among the most heated and contentious as any featured in this issue. The repeating champ, Richmond Comedy Coalition, was founded in 2009, and has made its twice-monthly improv night at Gallery5 an area tradition thanks to hilarious programs such as "Richmond Famous," which involves the stories of local notables from Ryan Nobles to Noah Scalin (the May 25 installment will include Marshe and Casey from the stylish Rumors clothing boutique). "It's only appropriate that this award comes from the readers, since our improvisations are based on suggestions from the audience," says David Pijor, one of the Coalition's main yuksters. Also popular is second-placer ComedySportz, a funny professional troupe that also offers corporate classes in improvisational comedy (cause Fred in legal really needs to work on those water-cooler wisecracks). And West End Comedy, an upstart source of ha-has with a name that's as funny as anything featured on stage, takes third.