Madison just got a little funnier.

For that, you can thank the Isthmians of Comedy, a troupe of guys on a simple mission – to make you laugh. In only a year, what started as a concept concocted by locals Stefan Davis and Nick Hart would grow into an attention-grabbing comedy troupe with eight members.

“We’re regular people – we just happen to have the ability to take the tragedy that is this life and make things funny out of it,” said founding member Stefan Davis.

Davis found himself in Madison three years ago at the behest of his mother, who lives in the city. In his own words, what would start out as a visit would lead to a permanent move – and he hasn’t looked back. Now a manager at Argus Bar and Grill, comedy started out as a small interest to Davis that would develop into a side job.

“We want attention. I think that’s why everyone does it,” Davis said of stand-up comedy. “You get a lot of bad attention in high school and you try to find a way to turn that attention into something good, and stand-up comedy is the way to do it. And you have no one to blame and no one to praise but yourself.”

Taking advantage of open mic nights at the Comedy Club on State Street, Davis grew increasingly attached to comedy. There he would meet Nick Hart, become friends and spend time helping each other with their routines. Just a few months later, they would take their partnership to the stage and perform under the same name: The Isthmians of Comedy.

“We thought it was just going to be a one-night thing, but when you put a name on something, people tend to take you a little more seriously,” Davis said. “So we stuck with it.”

From there, the pieces naturally fell into place. The Isthmians of Comedy would be noticed by fellow comics David Leon and Ryan Casey. After taking part in Davis and Hart’s writing meetings, they would soon be invited to perform as part of the troupe. Now, the group has expanded further to include four new members.

While the group is now bigger than ever, each comedian performs his own set with his own signature comedic style. While David Leon includes a character, Appalachian Andy, in his routines, and, according to Davis, is like “a kid on a candy high” – Ryan Casey sticks to a more conversational routine. While Hart addresses social issues in an observational stand-up act, Davis takes a personal approach. His routines stem from a personal well of stories, from the trials of being a parent to his experience as a bartender.

“Truth is always the big thing,” Davis said of his own comedy style. “I don’t ever want to get up on stage and say something that I don’t necessarily feel…Anything I’ve ever said onstage I will stand by.”

Although none of the original members are from Madison, they as a troupe feel Madison holds its own in the comedy industry. In particular, Davis said Madison’s comedy scene fosters camaraderie between up and coming comics.

“In stand-up comedy, there’s a lot of competition…We have all kind of banded together, not just the Isthmians, but the comedy scene in Madison alone…when somebody gets a gig and nobody else gets it, we all get very excited rather than jealous.”

Aside from the troupe’s expansion, there is much to look forward to for the Isthmians of Comedy. In addition to snagging more gigs, including some that hopefully take them beyond Madison, they have a lofty goal, a rehab tour. New member David Pickett, a former alcoholic and drug addict, came up with the idea of visiting local support groups and prisons as a means of helping others who may be struggling with addiction themselves.

“That’s the big dream for next summer,” Davis said.

While the Isthmians of Comedy are still pretty new as far as comedy troupes are considered, they’re well on their way to becoming a Madison fixture. But they don’t want you to think popularity will get to their heads.

“None of us…[think] that we’re better than anyone or that we’re super famous or anything like that. We’re just regular guys…we just love doing stand-up comedy.”

The Isthmians of Comedy will perform with Chaos Revolution Theory at Argus Bar and Grill (123 E. Main Street) Thursday at 10 p.m. To stay in the loop about future shows, visit the group’s Facebook page or visit www.isthmiansofcomedy.com.