“Black Power Rangers Comedy Tour” comes to Knoxville August 16
August 5, 2023

Black stand-up comics from across the South
unite to make audiences laugh

KNOXVILLE - The Black Power Rangers Comedy Tour makes its way to the Marble City Wednesday, August 16. The comics will be taking the stage at local theater and event space, Central Cinema, and the show is sponsored by local comic book shop, Nirvana Comics. The lineup includes comedy heavyweights Brandi Roberts (Raleigh,NC), Jordan Centry (Charlotte, NC), Cordero Wilson (NYC), Black Power Rangers founder Wills Maxwell, Jr (Wilmington, NC), and special guest comic, Brandi Augustus (Knoxville).

Last year marked the first ever Black Power Rangers Comedy Tour. The all-black lineup had four back-to-back stops and garnered local and national press coverage along the way. This year, the tour expands to 10 cities including stops in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

The comedians were assembled by Maxwell, who has a deep appreciation for all of them. “These are performers that crack me up and I couldn’t be more excited to do this with them,” said Maxwell. “We’ve all seen each other at different shows in North Carolina and it’s just exciting to have shows with all of us at once. I didn’t have to twist anyone’s arm to join me on this adventure, they were all game immediately, and that means a lot to me.” Maxwell is especially thrilled to partner with Nirvana Comics to bring the show to Central Cinema, Knoxville’s Neighborhood Moviehouse. “The point of the tour is to reach as many people as possible and make them laugh. I’m honored to work with a Black-owned comic book store to bring the show to Knoxville. Nirvana Comics was founded because they wanted to provide a place where everyone would feel welcome walking into a comic book store, and that’s exactly how we want people to feel about our comedy show as well.”

The “Black Power Rangers Comedy Tour” stops include:

7/26 Watts & Ward in Raleigh, NC- 7:30 p.m.
8/15 Starlight on 22nd in Charlotte, NC- 7:30 p.m.
8/16 Central Cinema in Knoxville, TN- 7:30 p.m.
8/17 Third Coast Comedy Club in Nashville, TN- 9:00 p.m.
8/18 Gallery 992 in Atlanta, GA- 8:00 p.m.
8/19 Alchemy Comedy Theater in Greenville, SC- 9:00 p.m.
8/23 Dead Crow Comedy Room in Wilmington, NC- 7:00 p.m.
8/24 Coalition Theater in Richmond, VA- 8:00 p.m.
8/25 The DC Arts Center in Washington, D.C.- 7:30 p.m.
8/26 The Lou Room in Baltimore, MD- 8:00 p.m.

“This is us building off of what we started last year,” said Maxwell “This isn’t just a tour, it’s a movement. We’re going to continue to highlight Black voices and connect Black talent across the South.” When asked who the intended demographic is, Maxwell replied “Anyone who wants to laugh.”

Tickets and Information are available here.

Wills Maxwell has been on the North Carolina comedy scene for the better part of a decade. He’s well-known to viewers in Southeast North Carolina for his comedy news segment “What Did We Miss?” which aired weekly on ABC/CBS affiliate WWAY for 5 years, with 182 episodes reaching a viewership of 110,000 households. Wills won Port City’s Top Comic in 2019, was a regional finalist in StandUp NBC in 2018, and a finalist at Ultimate Comic Challenge in 2020. He hosted Wilmington’s late-night talk show “Late Fear with Wills Maxwell” for three years. He has also opened for several comedians including Ramy Youssef, Roy Wood Jr., Tim Meadows, and Jim Gaffigan.

Brandi Roberts is a rising comedic talent based in Raleigh, NC and is a regular at the historic Goodnight’s Comedy Club. She has performed at the Oak City Comedy Festival (Raleigh, NC), the North Carolina Comedy Festival (Greensboro, NC), and the 1865 Festival (Atlanta, GA). She has opened for Yamaneika Saunders, Katie Hughes, Ali Siddiq, The Plastic Cup Boyz, amongst many others. Brandi uses humor to bring people together. She is witty, raw, and charismatic. She hosts the popular “A Comedy Experiment” showcase at Watts & Ward every month.

Jordan Centry has always had a love for comedy. From growing up in Stoneville, NC, to obtaining a master’s degree from UNC, Jordan has a knack for approaching everyday observations and experiences with intelligence, silliness, and a touch of southern that audiences find hilarious and charming. Jordan first began standup in Winston-Salem, NC, before becoming a fan favorite in Charlotte, performing in shows and festivals across the southeast. Jordan has opened for comedians such as George Willborn, Clint Coley, and Samuel J. Comroe. Jordan is popular for his “Everything Wrong With-” music video commentary on TikTok and Instagram.

Cordero Wilson – Cordero Wilson is a NYC based comedian who grew up a biracial nerd, in the 90s, in small town North Carolina. This sounds like the perfect start of a Netflix show, but you don’t have to wait for the pilot to get this man’s perspective. Through storytelling, singing, and quick fire crowd interaction, Cordero offers his own comedic take on Pop culture, social commentary, observational humor, and tales from the every day struggle of a black nerd. He’s co-creator of the Negro Jump Podcast, preformed for Harlem Comedy Fest, Chicago Nerd Fest, and comedy clubs across the US.

Brandi Augustus was born in Plainfield, New Jersey to a single mom with a history of addiction and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she learned how to navigate life as a joke, Brandi takes all that she has experienced and transforms her trauma into relatable stories that will have you laughing and reevaluating life.

Now, Brandi Augustus is a not only a staple entertainer on the East Tennessee arts scenes but she is also a mother, advocate, activist, community leader, all around bad ass and radical truth teller.

Currently, she is the Radical Hospitality Coordinator at Highlander Research & Education Center, Co-Chair of the Appalachian Community Fund and sits on the Advisory Board of The Bottom, a Black-woman led bookstore and community center that is located in the heart of East Knoxville.

Brandi has recently opened for amazing comedians Holly Lynnea and Katherine Blanford. During Brandi's second year of performing at the Second Bell festival she opened for Big Boi aka Daddy Fat Stakks. Needless to say, her price is going up!