Dinner, Drinks, and a Dose of Laughter at the Wine Cask Gold Room

Few things lift one’s mood quite like a good laugh. Santa Barbara comedian Carol Metcalf knows this well; brightening someone’s day with a joke is one of her favorite things to do. “To me, comedy is healing,” she said. “Humor is healing.”

It’s this belief that led Metcalf and her husband and co-organizer, Bernard Roth, to host a comedy show at Intermezzo’s Wine Cask in April. What began as a one-night celebration is now evolving into an ongoing series. After the first show sold out, they’ve planned another for Saturday, May 9, which promises a lively mix of seasoned performers and rising talent from across the Central Coast and Los Angeles.

Metcalf, a SAG actor who produces and headlines the evening, is quick to thank her dad for her humor and wit. “I grew up with a really funny and brilliant father,” she said. Metcalf has been a familiar face in the Santa Barbara comedy scene for more than two decades, with roots dating back to performances at venues such as The Comedy Store and The Groundlings.

On May 9, she’ll be joined by MC Maddy Fossatti, a voice actor and music teacher known for her engaging stage presence, and Josh Spear, whose high-energy style has made him a recurring favorite at Metcalf’s events.

Also on the bill is Keith Michael Ashton, a Brooklyn-born comic who has taken his act around the globe and appeared on major networks, bringing a broad, polished perspective to the stage. Rounding out the evening is Deborah Bertling, a Santa Barbara opera singer and performer who adds a personal, comedic twist by sharing stories drawn from her friendship with Metcalf.

Roth and Metcalf have long admired Wine Cask’s Gold Room — a high-ceilinged, atmospheric space tucked just off the courtyard behind the Intermezzo, in El Paseo. Metcalf remembers it from decades ago, when it was home to the original Wine Cask restaurant. After it closed, new owner John O’Neill kept Intermezzo going, using the Gold Room primarily for private events.

Last year, Roth celebrated a milestone birthday there, complete with a live band and catering — an evening that sparked a bigger idea. “Since that was such a lovely space, I was thinking, ‘Carol’s been doing comedy for a long time … why not here?’” Roth recalled.

The show is designed as both a dining and comedy experience. Guests book through OpenTable just as they would for a typical dinner at Intermezzo, with the option to be seated in the Gold Room for the show. There’s a nominal cover charge for the performance, but no drink minimum or required spending.

Patrons can order freely from the Intermezzo menu starting about an hour before showtime — anything from salads and pizza to more substantial entrées — and continue with drinks, snacks, or dessert during the performance. “The idea of being able to book comedy as an open table experience,” says Roth, who notes that the show isn’t just a canned, pre-written stand-up set. “It’ll be a lot more improvisation,” he says. “Improvisational and spur of the moment with the audience.”

The show begins at 8 p.m., with dinner seating starting at 7 p.m. Admission is $15 and may be purchased by reserving the Dinner and Comedy Experience at opentable.com/r/intermezzo-by-wine-cask-santa-barbara.