The New York Comedy Festival kicks off Wednesday with five days of stand-up, live podcasts and panels. New York is already one of the top cities in the world for comedy and is full of shows on a nightly basis, but the festival offers something special for audiences and performers, alike.
For New Yorkers, the festival offers the chance to see comedians from Chicago, Los Angeles or whose “home” is “whatever city I’m playing that weekend.” Likewise, comedians who aren’t native New Yorkers get the chance to enjoy the city’s great audiences and comedy scene. LA-based comedian, Jackie Kashian is so excited she dropped the f-bomb, “I’m always so fucking psyched to do stand-up in NYC that I’m flying in that day, doing the show and flying to do a week in Seattle the next day. So, I will be in NYC for less than 24 hours because NYC rocks.”
The podcasts, panels and TV-themed shows are a great introduction for people who may not consider themselves stand-up fanatics. Andrew Schulz is excited about the Guy Code/Girl Code Live show, explaining that it will be an evening of NY’s hottest young comics. “It’s a stacked show,” Schulz enthused. “I honestly can’t think of another TV show that showcases that many stand-ups. As you know, stand-up is always funnier than any TV show. So they get to see us really do our thing.”
And, of course, there’s always the “camp reunion” atmosphere that draws comedians to any major festival. As Rick Newman, of Stage 72, puts it, “It’s concentrated.” Newman explains that the industry is a community and the festival is more than just a party. “It gives everyone the chance to see each other.”
Here are some highlights from the schedule:
- Jackie Kashian performs at UCB Chelsea on Wednesday at 8:00 pm
- Guy Code/Girl Code Live is Wednesday night at Caroline’s at 9:30 pm
- Baby Talk with Dan Levy, hosted at Stage 72, Saturday at 7:00 pm
- New York Comedy Writers Panel — Moderated by Alan Zweibel, hosted at Stage 72, Sunday at 3:00 pm
Featured performers include: Hannibal Buress, Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, Maria Bamford and Bill Maher. Full schedule and tickets available at NYComedyFestival.Com.
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