Almost showtime Standing backstage, not 10 paces from a bank of blinding blue lights and a microphone already warmed up by the jokes of three other comedians, Marvellus Lucas looks at the ceiling in a last-ditch effort to calm his nerves. [...] all of Lucas' energy has gone into worrying about how many people would come to the comedy show he put together at Tommy T's Showroom with the help of his business partners, Glamis Rory and Shelly Tatum. Twenty minutes before the show he is still on his cell phone, lobbying friends to show up. Sometimes when your friends are there, you get a little nervous because you have to see these people again. Waves of laughter follow punch lines.