This Pasadena comedy program is teaching kids to turn their pain into punchlines

Corey Martin Craig wants your kid to be a troublemaker.

Well, sort of. Craig believes in the philosophy of good trouble, and teaching children to harness that energy and turn it into punchlines. The result, he says, can be life-changing. As an actor, writer, producer and comic, Craig earned the badge of a troublemaker after being suspended 30 times between middle and high school and at the time, it was no laughing matter. But, as an adult, he earnestly grins about it over a Zoom call from his Pasadena home.

Now, Craig is teaching comedy to budding child comics, and when he looks back on that wayward chapter of his life, he realizes it was merely a prologue to the self-actualization he gained through the artform. “My dad died when I was six, and my outlet was getting into trouble,” Craig said. “They diagnosed me with ADHD, OCD and Tourette’s and gave me medication to try to fix those problems. All it did was make me overweight, so then my outlet became humor to deal with the pain.”

For most of his youth growing up in Lincoln, Nebraska, Craig’s rambunctious and outspoken nature was frowned upon until the eighth grade, when his theater teacher encouraged him to embrace it. When the school district announced they’d be cutting the arts programs, he decided to apply for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He was accepted and made the move.

Out of high school, he landed the Warner Bros. S.T.A.R.S. internship, where he worked in the procurement department until he made his way onto the studio’s production team. One day he was chatting with a producer who challenged him to try standup comedy. At first, he was skeptical, but after taking the stage, he was hooked.

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Craig performed standup in between jobs at Warner Bros. for seven years before taking what he’d learned and paying it forward. He began to train kids in the fundamentals of stand-up and helped stars Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Chinguun Sergelen and Lex Lumpkin land roles on Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series “All That.”

As word got around about his mentoring, he decided the next natural step would be working with kids as a full-time gig. In 2009, Cool Beans Comedy was born. There, he and his team host rehearsals at The Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, helping kids and adults better understand comedic writing, stage presence, and performance.

Craig says that what he loves most about teaching kids is taking everything he’s gained through his training and passing the mic. “I think stand-up comedy is the best art form for self-empowerment. I get to be the big kid at heart and help kids deal with their problems.”

For Craig, getting his students to understand the motto “name it to tame it” helps them to talk about the things that aren’t always uttered explicitly out loud and may be holding them back. The courses provide them a chance to take ownership of it with humor. Some of his young comics have Down syndrome or autism, and some are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

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At Cool Beans Comedy, Craig says these parts of life are embraced positively and in a way that helps kids find their self-confidence during their most formative years. The classes are taught in a group setting and mimic a writer’s room, where students write down what they want to talk about, what’s on their minds, and what’s important to them. Craig says this exercise allows the kids to see themselves differently and find the unique characteristics that will lead them to craft funnier, more insightful jokes.

Colin Chon, 9, a Pasadena local and student at Cool Beans Comedy, said in a Zoom call that he was shy the first time he tried doing stand-up but was able to gain confidence as the courses progressed and as he saw other kids take the stage.

“It makes me feel better because if they can do it, I can do it too,” he said.

While most adults are terrified of public speaking, Craig said these classes help break that fear early on and teach comedic structure and how to win over an audience.

“If you’re thinking about it, give it a try,” Craig continued. “You’re given this opportunity to find yourself, talk about yourself and find competence in who you are. You can expect to have fun talking about what makes you laugh, finding your comedic voice and potentially making fun of our parents and siblings all in good-natured fun.”

The organization’s next courses for kids 7-15 and teens and adults will be offered June 23, June 30, July 14, July 21 and July 28. Morning classes are offered from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and afternoon classes from 2-4:30 p.m. At the end of the course, participants will be able to showcase their skills at a performance held at The Ice House Comedy Club on Aug. 4. The courses are offered year-round and begin every two and half months.

For more information and class schedules visit coolbeanscomedy.com.