ROUND LAKE – Round Lake is hosting two nights of hilarious comedy for the Round Lake Comedy Festival. For four years, the festival has been a single night, but this year there are so many acts it had to be expanded to two nights. The festival will take place in the Round Lake Auditorium on Friday, August 14 and Saturday August 15 starting at 8 p.m.
Each night includes performances by four comedians: one hosting, two features and a headliner. August 14 headliner Tim Wright is a comedian from South Carolina who won the 2010 Beach’s Best Comedian Award. His comedy focuses around dating, growing up and what it is like to be a single dad.
Recently named by the Huffington Post as “one of twelve new comedians to watch,” Vicky Kuperman is headlining on August 15. She performed her off-Broadway solo stand-up show to packed houses for five nights at the 2014 United Solo Theatre Festival, where she won “Best Stand-up of the Fest." She has published a novel, “The Russian Drop,” as well as a comedy album, “When I Could Feel,” which is currently on iTunes, Spotify and Pandora and will soon be coming to Sirius XM’s comedy channel.
Besides the headliners, all the other comedy acts are local. Comedian Ethan Ullman produces “Pretty Much the Best Comedy Show” series at Proctor’s in Schenectady. He has also worked with popular comedians such as Todd Barry, Doug Stanhope, Nick Vatterott, and Jeff "The Drunk" Curro from the Howard Stern Show. The host on Friday is Albany’s Jennifer McMullen, who is an HR professional by day and comedian by night. She has performed all over the Capital Region, including the EGG and The WAMC Linda Theater. On Saturday, FLY 92.3 radio personality Shawn Gillie takes the stage with his outrageous comedic commentary.
Dee Watson, the producer of the festival as well as a comedian performing for Saturday’s show, is looking forward to it. She recognizes that there are many talented but unfamiliar local comedians in the area and this festival could broaden their audiences.
“The comedians love this venue,” says Watson. “Each year, the comedians all leave saying it was a magical night.”
The Round Lake Comedy Festival is a fundraiser that goes toward the upkeep of the historic Round Lake Auditorium.
Comedian Schedule:
August 14
Host - Jennifer McMullen
Feature - Ethan Ullman
Feature - Mikael Gregg
Headliner - Tim Wright
August 15
Host - Max Cohen
Feature Dee Watson
Feature - Shawn Gillie
Headliner - Vicky Kuperman
Tickets for the Round Lake Comedy Festival are $15 for one night and $25 for a two-day pass. Tickets can purchased the nights of the festival or by going to deecomedyqueen.ticketleap.com/round-lake-comedy-festival-2015/.
