Will Devito turns Katz’s Deli into New York’s most unexpected comedy club

Filmmaker and producer Will Devito, 25, is redefining what live comedy can look like in New York City. Through his organization, Underground Overground Comedy (UO), Will has spent the past 18 months helping small businesses draw new audiences by transforming their spaces into temporary pop-up comedy clubs—raising more than $60,000 for local establishments along the way.

Now, Will and his team are taking on their biggest project yet: hosting a one-night-only comedy show at the city’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen, the legendary home of New York’s most famous pastrami.

Turning a bustling deli into a 250-seat comedy venue in under an hour is no small feat. Will, who directs the project, plans to capture the event in a genre-bending documentary and comedy special that will serve as a “proof of concept” for a larger series.

With help from his Hunter’s Fund grant, Will is purchasing production equipment and paying staff to bring this bold vision—and laughter—to life.