It's often said that laughter is the best medicine. What better way to heal a battered brain after a hard week of studying than to visit a place where laughs are guaranteed? Luckily, Seattle has more to offer than just rain and overpriced coffee drinks.

Jet City Improv

For the past nine years, the Historic University Theater has been the home of Jet City Improv. Produced by Wing-It Productions, Jet City is a short-form improvised show that lasts about an hour and a half. Similar to theater sports and the show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, actors take and act out suggestions from the audience in songs and short skits. Shows are every Friday at 10:30 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., except on the last weekend of the month, which features Twisted Flicks — another Wing-It show where actors re-dub an old "B-movie" by adding their own dialogue, sound effects and music based on audience suggestions.

Because of how close the theater is to the UW, Mike Christensen, who co-founded Jet City and Wing-It with Andrew McMasters, said that they feel that they are part of the community and are the U-District's "improv of choice."

All Wing-It shows are improvised shows. Every two months, they have a new long-form improvised show Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., except the last weekend of the month. They also have a show at 12:30 a.m. Saturdays, which Christensen recommends for "mature audiences" because of the nature of the show and its language and themes. Other than that, however, all of the shows are all-ages.

"It's a fairly young crowd," Christensen said about Jet City's demographic. "Mostly 25 and under."

Tickets to all of the shows are $10 for general audiences, $8 for students and a $1 discount with a U-PASS. Concessions are available to purchase at each show.

Giggles Comedy Club

If you're in the mood for stand-up comedy but don't want to travel very far, Giggles Comedy Club is the place to go. Located on the corner of Roosevelt Way Northeast and Northeast 53rd Street, this all-ages club features live comedy shows Thursdays through Sundays.

According to its Web site, Giggles offers "no frills or gimmicks, just quality comedy shows" and has brought "some of the biggest comedians to play a club in the Northwest" to its stage.

The Web site also states that Giggles has two shows Friday and Saturday nights. These are headlined by national touring professionals and also feature local talent. Show times and ticket prices vary.

Besides these comedians who come to do shows for them, Giggles also has two open mic sessions during the week, Thursdays and Sundays. On these nights, anybody from working professionals to developing comedians to first-time rookies can perform to their heart's content — as long as it's seven minutes or under. These shows start at 9 p.m. and cost $5.

Giggles is a cash-only establishment, but according to its Web site there is an ATM in the bar. It has a full bar (for those who are 21 or older, of course) and a full menu. To make a reservation, call and leave a message with your name and the number of people in your party.

"If you have a phone, you have a seat," according to the Web site. In fact, if you make reservations and they don't have seats for you, you will get free admission to the club for a whole year. Giggles is available for private functions Mondays through Wednesdays.

Comedy Underground

If you're willing to travel a little farther outside the U-District for a laugh, the Comedy Underground in downtown Seattle is an ideal destination. Open since 1981, this club is "almost exclusively stand-up," said Ron Reid, manager and self-named "commandante regionale."

The Comedy Underground, which also has a Tacoma location, is open seven nights a week, offering shows from open mic nights and benefit shows to comedy jams and regular comedy shows with headliners. It draws a lot of its talent from the Seattle International Standup Comedy Competition, which it holds annually.

"The cream generally does rise to the top," Reid said about these competitions.

He said well-known comedian Dane Cook actually came in second place at one of the competitions before he made a name for himself.

The city of San Francisco holds a similar competition, Reid said.

Some famous names who have performed at the Comedy Underground in Seattle are Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld and Dana Carvey — all before they became famous. These guys aren't the only ones who have performed there, though. UW alumni Tina Kim and Drake Witham have also graced the stage. Witham was the winner of the Seattle Comedy Competition in 2003.

Reid said that the club offers pretty standard pricing, from $4 for open mic nights to about $15 for regular Saturday comedy shows. Sometimes the prices for Friday and Saturday shows go up, but not by much, Reid said. It is a great deal for a place that seats up to 200 and doesn't have a bad seat in the house.

"It's kind of a unique place," he said. "It's the perfect place for stand up."

[Reach reporter Samantha Pak at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]