How Can New 'SNL' Cast Members Possibly Tour?

Tommy Brennan and Kam Patterson, two of the five new featured players on Saturday Night Live have a very busy touring schedule—while the show is in the midst of Season 51. The touring announcements come as no cast changes have been announced, leaving everyone to wonder if there’s any other changes coming for either the show or the lineup. 

LateNighter reported that Brennan will tour nine different cities between the end of the year and May, and will perform up to four shows at each stop. Patterson, according to his website, is scheduled for tour dates in 16 cities starting on December 26 and through June—basically the entire second half of the season. Similarly, Patterson will do multiple nights on each of the tour stops. 

It’s not unusual for SNL performers to do stand-up during the season – Michael Che announces dates from time to time. But those sets are on off weeks, and usually within the New York area, like the show he did in New Jersey last week while SNL was on break. But Patterson in particular is doing something different. He's scheduled to be in Maryland on Saturday, Feb. 7, Georgia on Saturday, Feb. 14, and Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 21.  Unless SNL is taking off the entire month, it's unclear how he will juggle the demanding schedules of SNL with his tour dates. Given the public announcements, it's clear both comics have permission to pursue their stand-up work in addition to their cast member duties. 

That's a big change from Lorne Michaels' past rules, when he wouldn't allow cast members to miss shows for any reason. “If I let you miss shows, I have to let everybody miss shows,” was how Jon Lovitz remembers Lorne's response to a movie request, according to oral history Live From New York. Lovitz wanted to stay but left SNL to do a comedy movie, which would have meant missing only two shows. 

Maybe that's why Michaels has expanded the cast so much in recent years. When he allowed Cecily Strong to do a Broadway run in the 2010s, he had plenty of cast members to fill the void. But Strong had established her stardom by that point – Patterson and Brennan can't say the same. Did the rules change again? Who knows if you'll see much of Brennan or Patterson on SNL in 2026; but you can definitely catch them on the road.