Renaissance Man Allan Sidley A Favorite on the Northern Virginia-Washington D.C. Comedy Scene 
Did you have a rough day, a rough week, or a rough year? Do you need to de-stress? Do you need to leave your woes behind?
Three words: Tysons Comedy Cellar. Located in the basement of Tyson’s Biergarten, TCC is a comedy room run by rising star Allan Sidley, located in Northern Virginia.
Sidley, a witty and wry host, organizes and performs on Tuesday/ Wednesday/Thursday nights in Tysons. He is doing so by building a following with everyone ranging from stand-up comedy snobs to people looking for something new to try.
The 29-year-old former technical consultant, gave up his suit and tie several years ago to grace the comedy stage and has never looked back.
“I gave up being financially secure, but my life is a lot simpler now,” he says, “and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“From the first time I was on stage I felt like this was it – making the right choices, making people laugh; I was on fire. I never once felt that way about a line of code.”
This feeling has only grown for Sidley. His first venue was the DC Improv back in January of 2014, a short-form improv performance in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway. The topic was the world’s worst bosses. From the start, everything clicked for Sidley.
“I was excited when the audience suggested that. I mean the world’s worst bosses?! I had tons of experience to draw from… My instincts are really good when I don’t have time to think. That was a fun night, the first time I felt like I was in the zone. Everything was easy.”
His comedic journey has been interesting, to say the least. Lots of long, challenging nights had him questioning himself. “I got tired of performing in front of three people at these local shows, it drained me and killed my confidence. I dreaded performing. I thought I could maybe do it better.”
Organizing shows on and off in the past with varying degrees of success Sidley re-dedicated himself to the art. He eventually landed his first room in Fairfax, and started putting together graphics for the shows, booking talent, and putting up flyers in the blistering cold.
“One night I was out passing out flyers and it was 25 degrees, there was a wind chill, it was miserable…and I loved it. I still have no idea what I’m doing, but back then I didn’t even have a hint of a clue.”
Fast forward to now, where he’s working at the ideal venue. “It’s two stop lights away from my house…haha.”
So what is Sidley feeling when he enters the stage?
“Excitement and energy from the audience. There is definitely anxiety, but the connection with them, that comedian flow state – I am just in it. There is no overthinking,” he explains.
“It’s about the perfect pace and the perfect jokes; almost like I have them in the palm of my hand, and I am leading them on a journey. While doing ‘stand up’ you have to stay a stay a step ahead. For me, it’s a very positive experience. It’s great fun!”
When Sidley, a 2007 graduate of George Marshall High School, was inspired by Dave Chappelle when he was a teenager, as well as George Carlin and Larry David. Growing up he did not miss Seinfeld and he has seen every episode of South Park twice.
Sidley, a bit of a Renaissance man, enjoys rap music, and his favorite recent travel destinations include Budapest, Greece, and Slovenia.
He said that he is proud that his shows usually reflect “diverse representation.” He does his best to have “people of color, women, and Latino comics, as opposed to having eight white guys standing around telling the same jokes.”
A 2011 graduate of Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s of business info technology, Sidley said that he knew his passion was in comedy, it was just a matter of timing. He added that the business world gave him great preparation for the world of entertainment.
“Being in business taught me how to be organized and how to build a system that works. For what I am doing in comedy it helps to build a system to follow proper procedures and steps,” he said, “and to revisit it regularly, to always see how I can make it better.” And more entertaining for his audience!
Matt Rofaugaren, the owner of Tyson’s Biergarten, and the rest of the crew strongly support Sidley’s vision, giving him and other comedians a platform to entertain audiences three nights a week.
“The food is delicious, the drinks are cheap, the staff is friendly, the comedy is hilarious,” says Sidley, “and the vibe is relaxed – perfect for a great local night out.”
So, go check out a show, they are all FREE, at least for the rest of the year.
Tuesdays 8 p.m. – Local Showcase, the talent is vetted and the list is locked. The place to be on a Tuesday.
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 8 p.m.– Open mic, come to see the DMV’s funniest up and comers. Want to perform? Sign-up is at 7:30 p.m.
2nd & 4th Wednesdays 8 p.m. — An experiment to save humanity. A new themed show every other week. Upcoming themes include Dad Jokes, Game Show, Risky Risque, and Something Spicy.
Thursdays 8 p.m. — Professional Show, people you have seen on TV or heard on the radio headline the showroom.
Tyson’s Comedy Cellar at Tysons Biergarten, 8346 Leesburg Pike, Tysons, VA 22182. Located right outside the Greensboro Metro on the Silver Line.
Stay up to date with shows and content here:
Follow on IG @TysonsComedyCellar and facebook.com/TysonsComedyCellar
Keep up with Sidley’s content at https://www.sidleystandup.com/and IG @SidleyStandup
Follow Sidley on | Facebook | Twitter | Youtube
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