Mike Birbiglia canceled a set of upcoming shows with John Mulaney on Thursday to pursue an unnamed “dream project.” The writer and performer announced the news in an exclusive message to his fan club, sharing the four impacted shows would be prioritized in his 2027 solo tour.
The dates affected are Aug. 30 at The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Sept. 10 at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire; Sept. 11 at The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; and Sept. 12 at the Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Upcoming dates at the Ozarks Amphitheater in Camdenton, Missouri (this Saturday, Aug. 15); Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri (Aug. 16); Pinewood Bowl Theater in Lincoln, Nebraska (Aug. 21); and the The Ledge Amphitheater in Waite Park, Minnesota (Aug. 22) remain unchanged.
“I wanted to let you know that a dream project of mine came together for this September. Which is great. Like, really really great. I can’t wait to tell you more. I think you’ll love it. But I can’t tell you yet,” Birbiglia wrote. “That said, it means I’m no longer able to perform some dates on the John Mulaney Mister Whatever Tour.”
Birbiglia expressed remorse for the last-minute change in plans, and while he emphasized that refunds are available for those interested, he encouraged everyone who purchased a ticket to keep theirs and still support Mulaney’s headlining show.
“As you know, this is something I always try to avoid, but in this case there’s no way around the schedule overlap,” Birbiglia said, adding: “Still go see John’s show. It’s epic. It will be John’s best special in my opinion … You will LOVE it. Top of his game.”
He continued: “Also, those four cities will be the first four dates (or nearby) that I put on my tour next year. I’m so excited to share my next hour of comedy with everybody and share with you my secret project.”
Birbiglia is best known for his one-man shows that he later filmed as Netflix comedy specials — including “The Old Man and the Pool” and, most recently, “The Good Life.” He also hosts the weekly “Working It Out” podcast with comedian guests. Mulaney joined the podcast in January for a hilarious interview that previewed some material from his Mister Whatever tour, including a bit about taking financial care of his wife Olivia Munn’s large Vietnamese family.
Riffing off an anecdote in which he takes nine of Munn’s family members shopping, Mulaney emphasized that he loves that he can financially assist his growing family, considering his parents never had to rely on his success to get by. His mother and father are both lawyers, while his mother-in-law and her relatives are largely Vietnamese refugees to the U.S.
“With parents of some success, you can’t really do anything for them. And it brings me great joy to help out, to help and do fun things for Olivia’s family,” Mulaney said.
Fans of Birbiglia and Mulaney can expect all that and more at the upcoming tour dates. As for what’s in store for Birbiglia’s super-secret dream project, we’ll have to wait and see.
