St. Paul's Tommy Brennan of 'Saturday Night Live' to host opening of Mystic Lake Amphitheater
by Jill Riley
June 15, 2026
The Mystic Lake Amphitheater is the new outdoor summer concert venue in Shakopee, Minnesota, and it has quite a lineup for the opening season for this summer: Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews Band, Mumford and Sons, Guns N' Roses, and The Outlaw Festival are all going to be there, to name just a few.
The new venue is also planning an opening event called “Setting the Stage: An Evening of Minnesota Music, Comedy & Community,” set for Saturday, June 20, with a lineup including Motion City Soundtrack, Ber, the country-rock band Rocket Club, students from School of Rock, and DJ Jake Rudh. Hosting the event is St. Paul native, comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member Tommy Brennan.
Brennan joined Jill Riley on The Current’s Morning Show to talk about his Minnesota ties, his work in comedy and on Saturday Night Live, and the upcoming event at Mystic Lake Amphitheater. Listen to the interview above and find a transcript below.
Interview Transcript
Jill Riley: It's so nice to meet you, Tommy.
Tommy Brennan: Hi, Jill, nice to meet you too. How are ya?
Jill Riley: Excellent, I am doing well. It's great to connect with you. Hey, before we get started really into talking about this event, I think it would be great to get to know you a little bit, since this is the first time that we're connecting as a guest on The Current's Morning Show. So, I understand you grew up in St. Paul; I know you went to Cretin-Derham Hall. What was it like for you to grow up in St. Paul?
Tommy Brennan: It's the greatest. Like, I think Minnesota pride is so heavy, but St. Paul pride is pretty big, you know. Now I'm happy to claim the Twin Cities, but when I was growing up, it was a real "St. Paul versus Minneapolis" vibe. I think growing up, like, you know, it felt like everyone in St. Paul knew each other, and now being out in the world, it feels like everyone from Minnesota knows each other. It's been the coolest thing in the world. Like, now I tour, and everywhere I go, there's Minnesotans that come out, which is so fun, being in, like, Phoenix, Arizona, and seeing, like, a bunch of Timberwolves and Vikings sweatshirts in the crowd.
Jill Riley: Oh, funny!
Tommy Brennan: I was in D.C. this weekend, and there was a big group of people wearing Timberwolves and Lynx stuff, and they're always like, "You gotta rep Minnesota," "Thanks for repping Minnesota," and it's like, it's the easiest thing in the world. I love it.
Jill Riley: So, Tommy, when did you get into comedy? At what point did you pursue this as a profession? Like, were you the funny guy in school? Did you start working clubs around Minneapolis? I mean, when did that start for you?
Tommy Brennan: Actually, started after college in Chicago. So, basically, I don't know, I wasn't like the funny kid growing up. I certainly wouldn't say that. I liked attention, for sure. I mean, I'm one of eight kids, so ...
Jill Riley: OK! Understood.
Tommy Brennan: Yeah, that also contributes to the St. Paul Catholic vibe.
Jill Riley: Uh-huh.
Tommy Brennan: I grew up fighting for attention, you know, in a big family, and I was like a theater kid, so I found it that way. And then I went to college, and I thought all that was done, and then when I started working after [college], I had like a sales job, and I don't know, I was just like, "I gotta try something else." And I really missed performing, so I started at Second City in Chicago, started doing sketch and improv. Also started doing stand-up pretty much around the same time, kind of like pursued both those paths, and I would like lie to myself and say it was a hobby, but I was trying to do it.
Jill Riley: Yeah?
Tommy Brennan: Yeah. And then a couple years later, I was able to make the jump and go full time and tour and stuff.
Jill Riley: Yeah, that's pretty incredible. St. Paul native and SNL cast member Tommy Brennan is on The Current's Morning Show. Tommy is going to be hosting Setting the Stage: An Evening of Minnesota Music, Comedy and Community at the new amphitheater in Shakopee, the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, Saturday, June 20. So, I would love to touch on SNL for anyone wanting to get into performance, improv comedy. That's really, I would think, for a lot of people, the dream. So, how did you land a spot on SNL? What was that process like?
Tommy Brennan: I don't know. I ask myself that, you know, every day too. It was the dream for a while, and then I just kind of was like, "I don't know if that'll happen." And then I think it kind of started about a year ago now, I did The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and I think that maybe got some interest going again, and they were like, "Can you submit a tape?" So I sent them some stand-up, and they were like, "Could you do anything else?" And I was like, "That's not a great sign." And then sent them some characters on tape, and they were like, "All right, maybe just we do stand-up instead." I ended up like auditioning just the way everyone else does: You go perform live, and then got a callback. You go do it in the studio with no one in there. There's like seven people, and you're just performing to silence. And I was like an SNL nerd. I've heard so many podcasts, read so many books about it, and it all lived up to the hype of like how grueling the audition process is. And I don't know if I was letting myself believe it, but finally, like after a few weeks after the audition, I was in Las Vegas working at a comedy club. I walked out to get my rental car to go to the airport, couldn't find it in the parking garage, realized it had been stolen. And then, as I'm waiting for a call from the rental company, I get a phone call and I say, "Hi. Yeah, did you find it?" And they were like, "It's Rebecca from SNL, and I wanted to offer you a spot on the cast," and I was like, "My rental car just got stolen. Can I call you back?"
Jill Riley: It's kind of funny how life balances out in a moment.
Tommy Brennan: I know! It didn't give me that moment.
Jill Riley: Yeah!
Tommy Brennan: I couldn't have it. I was like having a panic attack in this parking garage in Las Vegas, and then I finally figured out what happened, and I called them back, and I was like, "I'm so sorry, I ruined the moment, but yes, please, I would love to be part of it. This is a dream come true!" And it's been crazy. It's been the coolest year of my life.
Jill Riley: You know, when we talk about your connection to home in Minnesota, you appeared on Weekend Update, providing commentary. And if I remember correctly, this was an online-only segment that had you commenting on ICE agents in Minnesota, and you showed the tape of footage that, even if you didn't see it on SNL, that I think a number of people saw scrolling on social media, it was this moment of absurd comic relief that I think people needed, because while it does suck to slip and fall on the ice — we all know that, as Minnesotans — people have seen this footage, but you were commenting on the footage on Weekend Update, and I think you said things about this state and the people in this state that, you know, while you are on a comedy sketch show, I think there was something so warm-hearted and there was so much truth to what you said about the people of Minnesota. I wonder if you could talk about that particular appearance at the Weekend Update desk.
Tommy Brennan: Yeah. I mean, it was just like, you know, it was the worst time, and it's still, you know, it's still all happening, and it's crazy. It feels like it was a long time ago, but, like, you know, seeing all these videos of people being arrested or questioned or pulled over or shot, you know, and seeing it in neighborhoods that, like, "Oh my god, that's a mile from where I grew up." I was, like, crying, just looking at my phone every day, all day. And then I saw that video of the guy just eating it on the ice, and it was just like I sat there, I laid there in bed, and I just watched it for like 20 minutes on repeat, and I was really trying to find a way to comment on it all on the show, and I was like, maybe this is the dumbest idea, but I was like, that was truly like the first like good thing I felt that week. So I went into the Weekend Update office, I was like, "This might be stupid, but like, what if I just play this video a ton of times?" And I mean, the first rendition of it was, like, I literally played it like 40 times, and then it was like, by the time we did it on the show, it was, you know, maybe like four times. But it was just like, I think, a very cathartic thing; you know, everyone was feeling so many emotions and anger towards it. It was very hard to talk about it in a comedic way. To me, it was kind of like, that kind of tackled it. Like, that feeling of all of us watching it together, it was just kind of like, "Yeah, screw these guys," like that was like as much as we needed to say.
Jill Riley: It's like the joke wrote itself for you.
Jill Riley: Right. And all I had to say was, like, “Minnesotans rock, and I'm really proud to be from there.” And then, like, the rest wrote itself.
Jill Riley: And I gotta say, you were wearing a Timberwolves sweater. I went, "OK, yes, I love what you did in this sketch, but also you've got to talk about that Timberwolves sweater."
Tommy Brennan: This sweater is so funny. It's, shout-out to this company, they're called — I'm not even ... I don't like ... I'm not sponsored by them. They're called, I think, the Wild Collective or something.
Jill Riley: OK.
Tommy Brennan: But that was a collaboration with Target.
Jill Riley: OK.
Tommy Brennan: That sweater is from Target.
Jill Riley: No way!
Tommy Brennan: And all these people — I would get all these like DMs and emails. I got emails from people being like, "Did someone make that sweater for you? Is that a custom thing?" Like, "Where do I find it?" And I was like, "This is literally available in Target." I had people on tour all the time being like, "Where do I get that sweater?"
Jill Riley: Yeah. Tommy Brennan is on The Current. Tommy Brennan, Season 51 of SNL. Hey, Setting the Stage: an evening of Minnesota Music Comedy and Community is the big opening event for the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater, and you were asked to host this night of music and comedy. How does it feel to come back home and, you know, get to hang out and be with the people in Minnesota and experience some music as well?
Tommy Brennan: It'll be fun. I mean, I'm such a hometown sucker. I love any excuse to come back and rep Minnesota. I mean, I'll get to hang out with my nephews during the day, and then go do this. It'll be awesome. And I love an outdoor venue, and I'm pumped that they're opening a new one. And Minnesota in June — can't really beat it.
Jill Riley: The lineup is Motion City Soundtrack, Ber, and this country-rock band Rocket Club. If you graduated high school — what, in 2012?
Tommy Brennan: 2012, exactly. Yeah.
Jill Riley: I would say that was pretty, like, peak time for Motion City Soundtrack. Are you a big fan?
Tommy Brennan: Yeah. Yeah! When they were like, I think, maybe like Warped Tour, I was probably in middle school, so I knew of them because of my love for the All-American Rejects and stuff. And then, like, you know, seeing a Minnesota band as a part of that group was pretty cool.
Jill Riley: Also, Minnesota's own Ber. And Tommy, I was looking at your Instagram, I was just kind of like looking through some posts that you had made, and I noticed that Ber liked a lot of your posts, and I went, "Do these two know each other?" What's the deal?
Tommy Brennan: Well, that's kind of a classic Minnesotans-on-the-internet thing. We don't know each other, but obviously I post about Minnesota all the time, and so other Minnesotans kind of flock to it, and then I think I had seen or heard some of her music, and then I didn't know she was from Minnesota, so then yeah, it's like, we're, like, Instagram friends. It's like [Nick] Swardson, and I've never really met him, but the second he found out I was from Minnesota, he reached out and we've become like internet friends. Like the band Hippo Campus, I'm the same way. I don't know them, but I'll DM with all of them. Because I'm like, "Well, we're all Minnesotans out here trying to do something."
Jill Riley: They're just as great in person as they are online. And now you'll get an opportunity to meet Ber live in the flesh.
Tommy Brennan: Yeah! I'm pumped. She rocks.
Jill Riley: That'll be really cool. Saturday, June 20, at the new Mystic Lake Amphitheater. Tommy Brennan will be hosting the evening of Motion City Soundtrack, Ber, and Rocket Club, and I understand some students from School of Rock will be taking the stage as well. So, I think that'll be kind of fun. Tommy, how can people keep up with you? Is Instagram a good place to go?
Tommy Brennan: Instagram's good. Yeah, it's somekidtommy. And yeah, and like, I get all my, all my tour dates and stuff like that are all on there, or on punchup.live/tommybrennan … but I'm touring all the time. I come to Minnesota a few times a year. My favorite thing to do in Minnesota every year is I do a run of New Year's shows with fellow Minnesota — and now New York — comedian Geoffrey Asmus, and we do a ridiculous, fun New Year's show. We make everyone share their New Year's resolutions, and we're very kind about it as we make fun of them and tear them apart. But it's a really fun time. I do that every year on New Year's in Minneapolis.
Jill Riley: All right. Well, check in with us again sometime. It was really cool to talk to you.
Tommy Brennan: I would love to. Really nice meeting you, Jill. I love The Current. Been listening my whole life. Thank you for having me.
Jill Riley: Excellent. Thank you so much. Comedian and SNL cast member, and St. Paul native, Tommy Brennan on The Current.
Tommy Brennan: Skol Vikes.
Jill Riley: Whoo!
Credits
Guest – Tommy Brennan
Host – Jill Riley
Producers – Nilufer Arsala, Derrick Stevens
Digital Producer – Luke Taylor
External Links
Mystic Lake Amphitheater – official site
Tommy Brennan – Instagram
Saturday Night Live – official site
