Paul Mecurio Brings His Hit Comedy Show Permission to Speak to Westerly

Paul Mecurio’s career pivot from Wall Street as a lawyer and investment banker to stand-up comedy is the kind of plot twist Hollywood dreams of. But make no mistake – his comedy career is entirely intentional. The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning comedian is bringing his  unpredictable, laugh-out-loud show, Permission to Speak,directed by Frank Oz, to the United Theatre in Westerly on March  7 and 8. And if you’re expecting a traditional stand-up set, think again.

A Providence native, Mecurio grew up surrounded by a mix of cultures, colorful characters, and some questionable Italian-American home decor. “My best friend’s parents had plastic on the furniture in the ‘good’ living room,” he recalls. “There was a picture of the Pope, Jesus, and Frank Sinatra. Sinatra’s picture was three times the size of the Pope’s.”

Comedy is in his DNA, sharpened through storytelling at his uncle’s barbershop and the sales tactics he picked up at his family’s business, Kams Furniture. “Selling furniture gave me the ‘gift of gab,’” he says. “A comedian is basically a salesman, we’re selling you our point of view, trying to make you ‘buy’ the joke.”

But his path to the stage was far from typical. Before making audiences cry-laugh, Mecurio spent his days crunching numbers. “I had no experience in comedy, but I knew I could make people laugh,” he says. “ I figured, if my parents could build a successful furniture business from nothing but hard work, I could take a shot at this.”

Check out Paul's Stand-Up On The Late Show:

Permission to Speak is an unpredictable blend of comedy, candid conversation, and unexpected emotional depth. Award-winning comedian Paul delivers his sharp stand-up routine while sharing jaw-dropping personal stories. Meanwhile, audience members contribute their own experiences, sparking spontaneous, unforgettable moments that blur the line between performance and group therapy. “One guy said he broke up with his girlfriend because she wouldn’t listen to him. Turns out, the fight started when he told her not to shoplift at CVS. The kicker? He was a shoplifter, but only at ‘respectable’ places like Saks and Bloomingdale’s. She got caught stealing a hand mirror and lipstick, and he dumped her in the back of the squad car.”

Paul Mecurio's Permission To Speak Reel

Beyond the laughs, the show fosters connection in a world that often feels disconnected. “When people open up, they realize we have more in common than we think,” Mecurio explains. Bringing the show to Rhode Island makes it even more special. “Performing at the United Theatre is personal. It feels like hanging out in a big living room, just swapping stories with friends,” he says. “After the show, we’re all heading to Olneyville for hot wieners and coffee milk – because what’s more Rhode Island than that?” For more information or to purchase tickets, visit UnitedTheatre.org.