Sommore’s Mother’s Day Comedy Show Marks Final Wilmington Event for Local Promoter

May 12, 2025

Before & After Entertainment closes its Delaware chapter with a sold-out show, eyes monthly comedy series in Atlantic City

By Saquan Simpson

WILMINGTON, Del. — Laughter, music, and heartfelt community moments filled the Playhouse on Rodney Square on Sunday night during “Sommore and the Chandelier Experience,” a sold-out Mother’s Day comedy showcase that also marked a turning point for local event promoter U’Gundi Jacobs.

The show, headlined by Sommore and hosted by comedian Turae, featured opening sets from comedians Timmy Hall and Richie Redding. DJ Tim Dogg energized the crowd as attendees arrived, dancing in the aisles, taking selfies, and sipping drinks before the show began.

Sommore, widely known as the “Diva of Contemporary Comedy,” entertained the crowd with her signature blend of sarcasm, sharp social commentary, and candid takes on relationships, gender equality, and pop culture.

Her set touched on topics including Steve Harvey’s Hairpiece, as mentioned by Katt Williams on Club Shay, Shay. Shannon Sharpe’s recent controversies, and  President Donald Trump’s political antics. 

She also playfully referenced music legends Frankie Beverly and Luther Vandross, drawing laughter as she compared generations and their soundtracks to love, heartbreak, and everything in between.

Jacobs, the founder of Before & After Entertainment, announced following the performance that the event would be his final comedy production in Wilmington for the foreseeable future. Starting in June, Jacobs will launch a new monthly comedy series at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J., at what is billed as the largest indoor water park in the country.

“Tonight was bittersweet. It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of another,” Jacobs said. “I started doing events in 1991 here in Wilmington at the Longshoreman Hall. Tonight culminated all of those years of practice and gave me the wings to turn the page.”

The event, which Jacobs said was the first sellout for an independently produced comedy show at the Playhouse in more than 25 years, held special significance for the Wilmington native. He was joined by family members, including his mother, siblings, son, and grandson, and said the show’s success represented perseverance through personal and professional challenges.

“We did it at a professional venue, with a professional team, top-notch across the board,” he said. “To do this on Mother’s Day, with my mother and family in the crowd—it meant everything.”

Jacobs also used the moment to recognize Wilmington community leader Shorty Wright for decades of service and announced that a portion of the event’s proceeds would be donated to Child Inc., a local nonprofit that provides therapy and support services. 

Jacobs credited the organization with helping him through his own journey with anger management and domestic violence classes.

“I want to make sure others can get the same support I did,” he said. “We’re offering scholarships so people can access counseling and therapy when they need it.”

The event was sponsored in part by the Leroy Tice Law Firm, whose support helped make the production possible. Jacobs said their contribution was instrumental in allowing Before & After Entertainment to donate a portion of proceeds to charity.

As a final surprise, Jacobs invited local comedian Sweet Tea to the stage, giving her an opportunity to close out the night with a brief two-minute set that wished all mothers in the audience a happy Mother’s Day.

“Before & After Entertainment is still a valuable asset to this city and this region,” Jacobs said. “But it’s time.”

In the end, Sommore and the Chandelier Experience was more than a show—it was a celebration of comedy, community, and culture, capping off a memorable Mother’s Day with style, heart, and humor.