Dugan to Bring Big-Name Comics to New Cat Series, Daughter Designs Artwork

The Cat has recently asked nationally known comic Dave Dugan to jump in a little more with them and not only do comedy but also host comedy shows and bring in comics.

They’ll call it “Dave Dugan presents Comedy at the Cat.”

Dugan said, “Due to well-received standup comedy nights the past few years, The Cat Theatre in Midtown Carmel has decided they might like to expand a bit and include a few more comedy shows to mix in with their calendar of theater productions.”

Dugan, a Carmel resident and Carmel High School graduate is an Indianapolis-based comedian who is famous nationwide and around the world and has appeared on Comedy Central, HBO and VH-1.

If anybody has connections in the comedy world, it’s Dugan, whose long-term plan with The Cat “is to bring in some fairly big names for some of the shows,” he said.

While Dugan didn’t spoil any surprises by sharing any of the comic acts that he’s expecting to book, he said, “The potential is there to bring in some fairly recognizable acts.”

The Cat is a cozy theater that offers seating for 110 patrons.

“Comedians love performing at intimate theaters, and it could work well in their routing as a tour stop,” Dugan said. “That’s the vision anyway. Still in the growing stages first though while presenting some very funny and experienced comics from the Midwest.”

The first show of this nature is this Saturday at the venue, located in midtown Carmel at 254 Veterans Way. Saturday’s lineup will feature experienced headliner Troy Davis and his daughter, CoLee Reyes, who will open the show. There’s a family-affair angle, being that Father’s Day is around the corner, so expect lots of comedy bits about raising kids, marriage and family from these two, as well as from Dugan, who returns with a different show for those who have seen him before at The Cat.

Dugan said, for this Saturday, “I’ll be a co-headliner and host. My daughter — although a naturally funny 19-year-old — will not be on the bill.”

But in keeping the theme consistent, Dugan’s daughter did the artwork for her dad’s new comedy series. The Cat’s theater manager loved her artwork and thought it would be a nice touch, he said.

The Times readers might recall my July 2020 newspaper column that introduced Dugan’s daughter, Riley Dugan, then 16. She told me how her comedian father inspired her to join Carmel High School’s WHJE student-run radio station (where she was host of a “Discover” music show as a sophomore and where her father worked humor into his spot as a radio personality when he was in school at CHS), he taught her to be more confident (because she was “a painfully shy person), and he instilled in her his passion for music.

Dugan likes to brag about his daughter, who just wrapped up her freshman year of college. Although her university doesn’t have a radio program, the now 19-year-old continues one of her other passions, majoring in Art and was offered a summer job this year teaching at an art summer camp.

He was thrilled, and really proud, to share that Riley’s artwork design would be used for his new comedy series.

Dugan said, “Ever since she was old enough to coordinate a ‘drawing instrument,’ Riley’s natural passion has been art. She has covered the spectrum, from creations which she conceived by thinking ‘outside the box’ to more simple, retro-style etchings. And I’m not complaining, that by designing several past family Christmas cards, her God-given talent has saved me money.”

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at [email protected]/