Entertainers

Solo • Duo • Live • Virtual

UP Variety Entertainment
with The UP Guys

Nels Ross and Richie Derwald are The UP Guys – entertainers on mission to uplift and empower through fun.

Nels is a clean comedian and juggler. Richie is a singer and impersonator. Their solo shows are lauded as "absolutely amazing" and "side-splittingly funny."

And their team shows? The National Comedy Center raves, "The fantastic mix of one-of-a-kind comedy, juggling, stunts, and so much more delighted everyone!"

"amazing show delighted everyone!"

National Comedy Center

"had everyone in stitches!"

Chautauqua Institution

"side-splittingly funny… A+!"

Daemen College

"20,000 fans delighted"

Buffalo Bisons

Fun Facts

About The UP Guys

About Nels

About Richie

Holiday Shows

The UP Guys’ interactive, all-ages, holiday comedy variety shows are a sure hit, with their humor, juggling, music, impressions, and more.

❤️ Valentine's Love & Laughter

Comedy on love, plus the music of Dean Martin, Englebert Humperdink, Tom Jones, Elvis…

🐣 Family Easter Celebration

Great for church and community events celebrating family, friends, faith, and new life.

🇺🇸 "Spirit of America" Shows

Celebrate Liberty, Justice, and the U.S. motto e pluribus unum... with fun and laughter!

🎃 Halloweenish Party

With music like Purple People Eater, Witch Doctor, Ghost Busters, and... Monster Mash!

🎄 Christmas Comedy Variety

Featuring sing-a-longs with Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, and Kermit the Frog.

🎉 Happy New Year!!!

Celebrate past, present, and future with uplifting humor and music through the decades.

✅ Customized Holiday Shows

Ask about customized programs for other holidays too.


⋯ References ⋯

1,000+ Colleges & Schools • 3M Company • Akzo Nobel • Albright-Knox Art Gallery • American Heart Association • ArcelorMittal • Artpark • Association of California School Administrators • Benderson Development • BorgWarner • Buffalo Bisons • Buffalo Sabres • Calspan • Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership • Chautauqua Institution • Cognigen Corporation • Cornell University • Corning Inc. • Corning Museum of Glass • Creative Problem Solving Institute • Dresser-Rand • Fisher-Price • Gold Wing Road Riders • H&R Block • Harley-Davidson • Holiday Valley Resorts • HSBC Bank • Independent Health • Ingram Micro • M&T Bank • Mack Trucks • Mental Health Association • Moog • Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute • National Center for Education Research & Technology • National Comedy Center • National Hockey League • Niagara Power Project • NYS Payroll Conference Association • Ortho Clinical Diagnostics • Peek ’n Peak Resort • Philips Healthcare • Praxair • Rich Products • Rochester Institute of Technology • Roswell Park Cancer Institute • Ryerson • Shea’s Performing Arts Center • Society of Professional Engineers • Strong National Museum of Play • Subway • Uniland Development • United States Air Force • University at Buffalo • Via Rail Canada • Volvo • Wellness Institute • Yada Yada Yada

*solo and team programs

⋯ Reviews ⋯

"Amazing show! The fantastic mix of one-of-a-kind comedy, juggling, stunts, and so much more delighted everyone!"

Lucille Ball Festival
National Comedy Center

"WOW! One of the best shows to hit the Opera House in a long time. Many have stopped to tell me what a wonderful time they had. Count on hearing from us again."

Rick Davis
Fredonia Opera House

"Outstanding! Everyone I spoke to after the show told me how great you were… a true professional."

Louis Maio
Corning Museum of Glass

"An all around great show. The audience interaction is simply the best!"

Tracy Kozlowski
Uniland Development Company

"Thank you for another rousing performance. You had everyone in stitches! We’ve had many acts, and yours is one of the few we enjoy having again and again."

Gwen Papania
Chautauqua Institution

"A smashing success! I have seen many jugglers but knew you were the one for this convention. You were a hit as evidenced by the standing ovations."

Scott Wells
Texas Association of Magicians

"What a ham! Your material was fresh, and the franchisees ate it up. They all said, ‘This turkey was worth the dough!’ Seriously... We were in a pickle and glad you could sandwich it in."

Stephen Stewart
Subway Restaurants

"Truly incredible. Everything from subtly clever to downright side-splittingly funny. On a scale from one to ten, I’d definitely give it an A+!"

Chris Malik
Daemen College

"Thank you for your performance. 20,000 fans were delighted to see your act, and we were thrilled to find a performer of your talent."

Tom Burns
Buffalo Bisons

"The juggling was absolutely amazing, and the lively comic routines were hysterical!"

James Shermer
Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute
*solo and team programs