On the verge of starting a Ph.D. in physics, Alex Kaufman ’17 ditched it to launch Bone Dry Comedy. The goal: to steer more comedians—some with TV credits, others with 100K+ Instagram followers—to theaters, taprooms, record shops, and VFW posts across Montana.

Tell me about your effort to seed stand-up in Big Sky Country.
I was doing open mics here in Bozeman [as a grad student at Montana State University]. While in Tacoma and Seattle, I had gotten to see cool, unbelievably funny people. I was like, “It sucks that that’s not here in Montana.” My motivation was to bring those experiences here.

How does Bone Dry money flow to the comedians you invite?
I guarantee them a pretty solid chunk of change to make it worth them coming out. A friend of mine described event promotion as basically a professional gambling addiction. [Laughs] It depends on the performer and other factors, but a show can cost $500 to $1,500. Then I just have to hustle and sell tickets to make that money back and hopefully some for myself.