Brunswick Side Door Coffeehouse Hosts Adam Groppman Comedy Night Friday

Adam Groppman, a Los Angeles-based comedian with a winding road from Boston rock bands to improvisational comedy, headlined the March edition of the Side Door Coffeehouse at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick on Friday, March 13. Open-mic signups kicked off at 6:45 p.m., the show began at 7:00 p.m., and Groppman took the featured slot from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission was $12 for adults, with children 17 and under admitted free, and homemade refreshments and coffee were available on a donation basis.

The Side Door, held at 1 Middle Street in Brunswick, operates on the second Friday of every month except August and serves as a fundraiser for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick. Music Director Will Bristol organizes the series with a volunteer committee, and Bristol selects featured performers with recommendations from those who know the Midcoast music scene.

Groppman's biography traces an unlikely arc. He grew up in the Boston area and attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon. After graduation, he returned to Boston, where he served as lead singer of a rock band called Furious George, worked for Lotus Software, and wrote music journalism. A later move to San Francisco introduced him to improvisational comedic acting, a pivot that redirected his career entirely. He subsequently relocated to Los Angeles, where, according to event materials, he has developed an affinity for "occasional light smog, melancholy arid beauty and Korean BBQ."

The Side Door describes its mission as providing a space for local musicians and others, professional and amateur alike, to perform for Midcoast residents and visitors in a relaxed setting. The series continues April 10 with Paddy Mills, followed by Cribstone on May 8, Castlebay on June 12, and Ambrosia on July 10.