Spence Whitman headlines sold-out comedy show ‘Problem Solved’

On Friday night, anticipatory chatter and the smell of popcorn filled Varsity Theatre as groups of friends, family and community members gathered for the debut of Spence Whitman’s comedy show, “Problem Solved.” After months of preparation, the  performance had finally arrived.

The set featured a 10-minute opening by Sophie Taylor, fellow UNC student, followed by a 50-minute performance from Whitman. During their performance, both shared anecdotes from their lives, portrayed characters and interacted with audience members throughout their time on stage.

While both performers had experience in front of live audiences, this was their first time organizing their own show. Most of their previous performances had been with False Profits, a comedy group at UNC. 

Much of the material was new to the audience. Some had previously seen Whitman and Taylor perform with False Profits, and attended to support the pair and see them perform again. A few volunteered to help with the show by handing out tickets. 

New audience members expressed their excitement to see Whitman perform. Kaya Smith-Burgess, a junior media and journalism student, said she discovered the show through Instagram. 

“He’s funny on Instagram and he’s funny on TikTok, so I wanted to see what he would be like on stage,” Smith-Burgess said.

Whitman said he had prepared a set with a general outline and incorporated improvisation based on the crowd’s energy for an engaging performance. He wanted the performance to be fun, and made an effort to eliminate as much stress from the experience as possible by preparing and checking everything before the big night. 

“I was feeling good before the show,” Whitman said. “I put a lot of faith in myself to prepare properly, and I trusted that I would. And so today, I just knew that I wanted to do my best and coming out of it, I know I did talk with people, so I feel really good.”

Taylor and Whitman also practiced some improv and danced to loosen up before taking the stage. Taylor said that it was thrilling to perform a rehearsed set in front of an audience compared to the spontaneous nature of performing improv. 

“This [live comedy] is more like you're already predicting how the audience might react to your jokes,” Taylor said. “So it's interesting to get that feedback.”

Attendees remained fully engaged throughout their performances. The show was sold out, every seat filled — as one person turned to their friend, laughing at one of Whitman’s jokes, other audience members across the theater laughed loudly. As Whitman told a joke, switching from holding a microphone in his hand to setting it on a stand, his voice echoed through the intimate space. 

Whitman switched from joking about the sweet to the sinister, tackling subjects ranging from love languages to mental health. Whitman requested that specific material should be kept a surprise for future audiences. 

After the show, attendees gathered in the lobby and cheered for both performers as they exited the theater. Whitman said he appreciated the support from those who came to see him perform. For him, it felt like he was having a fun conversation with a large group. 

Taylor said that she felt proud of their show. Whitman also said that that it was a success. He said that being in college gave him the opportunity to experiment with headlining his own stand-up show — a risk that ultimately paid off.

“Who knew so many people enjoy coming to a random comedy show on a Friday night? But they do,” Whitman said. 

Whitman and Taylor are looking forward to doing more shows in the future. For information on future events, visit Whitman’s Instagram. 

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