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By Ayanna Eckblad

Wedgewood Cove Golf Course & Restaurant on Saturday will host a dinner and comedy show with comedian David Harris.

Dinner will start at 6 p.m. with the show starting at 7 p.m. There will be a cash bar open from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased through Wedgwood Cove’s website, wedgewoodcove.com. Harris will be joined by fellow Midwest-based comedians Ben Marcotte and Steph Rossell.

According to a press release, Harris is a nationally touring, Midwest Emmy-winning comedian and actor. He performs throughout the U.S. and Canada at venues such as the New York Comedy Club, Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy at the Mall of America, the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Goodnight’s Comedy Club in Raleigh and Hollywood Improv Lab in Los Angeles. His comedy special, “Recalculating,” is available on well-known clean comedy site Dry Bar Comedy.

Harris, 46, has lived in the Twin Cities his entire life and began his career performing as a magician around age 13. He incorporated jokes in his magic shows and realized he had a talent for stand-up comedy.

“I guess I’ve always liked making people laugh,” Harris said. He added he felt small as a child, but was able to use his sense of humor to meet people and make friends.

He recalls watching shows like “Saturday Night Live,” talk shows and stand-up comedy shows. He felt especially connected with Jewish and Italian comedians. Being Jewish himself, he found things in the shows he could relate to in his own life.

Eventually, Harris realized magic was a viable career option and decided to pursue it.

“When I learned I could do magic for a living … I was like ‘this is the ticket,’” he said. He mainly performed magic at corporate events.

During college, his career began moving away from magic and more towards stand-up comedy. Harris said magic was more limiting and he preferred having freedom to make people laugh. He attended a few comedy workshops and began doing open mics.

He began performing full time around age 30. Previously, he had worked other jobs while also working on his magic and comedy.

Although he drew inspiration from many comedians he had seen in the past, he said, his ultimate goal was to create his own unique voice.

He began telling jokes that he described as self-deprecating and focused on subjects like work, family, relationships and anxiety.

“The audience can feel when you’re being honest, and you’re being vulnerable, which is a continuous goal of mine,” Harris said.

He also said he likes to include audience members in his shows in a lighthearted way.

He wants people to walk away from his shows having seen something funny without being mean or in poor taste.

“It does feel amazing to get laughs when they happen, but it also feels great to connect to the crowd on something that is really true and meaningful,” he said.

Harris said he has previously done a private corporate event at Wedgewood Cove, but this will be his first time performing a public show at the venue. He added he enjoys bringing comedy shows to smaller towns and cities that may not have that option of entertainment every day or weekend like in large cities.

“Public events are the most fun,” he said. “Clubs and theaters are the ideal spaces for comedy because they’re built for that purpose.”

He said he is also excited to be working with his friends and fellow comedians Marcotte and Rossell.

“You try to work with as many different people as possible, but when you work with your friends, that makes it even more fun,” he said. He will perform with the same group in Mankato at the end of November.

Harris is excited to get on stage and showcase new jokes he has been working on. He is always trying out something new, he said, and always trying to get better at his craft.

“I want people to come and have fun. It feels good to laugh,” Harris said.

More information about Harris, as well as dates of other shows he is performing, is available at davidharrislive.com.