The comedian arrives at The Birchmere hot off his first Netflix special
AAfter playing to a packed house last summer, comedian and DC native Donnell Rawlings is back at the Birchmere with his Black & Mild tour on July 6.
“I love going back to Alexandria and seeing how much younger I look than everyone I went to school with,” the comedian joked, noting that he has plenty of friends and family from the area who come out to support him. “This show really feels like a class reunion. Birchmere has so much history and just being a part of that makes me feel good.”
Many in the area know the comedian’s unique journey to stardom. Growing up in Alexandria as a huge comedy fan, Rawlings was a regular at the Comedy Connection in Greenbelt, Md., and the club’s owner challenged him to get on stage and try it himself. The crowd loved him, and suddenly he was on his way to a career he never imagined.
However, the laughs would have to wait a bit, as Rawlings served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in South Korea and at Bolling AFB in Washington, D.C., in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
When his time was up, his comedic chops landed him on the popular “Chappelle Show,” where he played the unforgettable Ashy Larry. That led to a gig on “The Wire,” where he played Day Day Price, a legislative aide and driver for corrupt state senator Clay Davis, who was played by fellow “Chappelle Show” star Isiah Whitlock Jr.
Rawlings’ friendship with Chappelle also played a role in his success. In fact, the iconic comedian produced his first stand-up special, “A New Day,” which premiered on Netflix in February.
“The response has been really good,” he said. “People ask me all the time if I’m excited about this. Maybe 20 years ago, when I was introducing myself to people and needed a business card, it would have been nice. But I’ve had a good career doing standup, so this was for people who have followed me for years, and I think it served them more than it served me. I was already on track to have a good career without the special.”
In the special, Rawlings talks about toxic relationships, visiting New Zealand, getting older and his secret to raising a young son with him.
But don’t expect the comedian to steal his special for his Birchmere show. Rawlings promises it’s all new material, and even fans who see him regularly will see a whole new show.
“I’ve had people come to my shows saying they were going to watch the special last night but didn’t want to spoil anything, but I have a whole new set — an hour of new material,” Rawlings said. “The special helped me get more in tune with my voice and showed me that I know how to captivate an audience. But the next step for me is to go beyond who I am. I’m sharing my life with the audience.”
Playing in front of so many familiar faces is something special for Rawlings, and he compares it to performing at his grandmother’s house for Sunday dinner.
“You can’t lie; there’s always going to be someone in the audience who knows the truth and can expose you,” he said. “It’s very challenging, but at the same time, it’s so nice to know that you can rock an audience of people who are probably going to be more critical than anyone you’d ever perform in front of.”
And that excites him more than anything these days.
“When I was younger, it was super intimidating, but now I look at it as a challenge,” he said. “If I can shake some of the haters I saw in the cafeteria, then I can shake anyone. I’m looking forward to making new memories with the people I grew up with.”
For more information or to purchase tickets to the show, visit www.birchmere.com.
