Press Release
Contact: Joe Hannum 440-463-5091 joehannum@gmail.com
or Rodney Bengston 440-334-0141 rodbengston@sbcglobal.net
Cleveland Comedy Festival back for 9th year of laughs
Comedy contest, ‘Cleveland All Stars,’ ‘Cleveland Tonight!’ among highlights
The Cleveland Comedy Festival is back for its ninth year featuring a bit of everything for all tastes and the chance to see up and coming comedians set to make their marks.
“The festival always gives us the chance to show off Cleveland’s great comedic tradition to the local people here as well as the comedians who come to participate in it,” said Cleveland ComedyFestival co-director Joe Hannum.
One of the festival highlights is the annual contest final set for 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Hanna Theatre in Playhouse Square. The contest has 48 contestants from throughout the United States vying for the top $2,000 prize. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
“Many of our comedy contest winners have seen their profiles raised after winning our festival,” Hannum said. “After winning our contest, 2013 contest winner Brad Wenzel got invited to the Great American Comedy Festival and won that, which is held in Nebraska to honor Johnny Carson.”
Other show highlights include:
Cleveland’s own Jason Lawhead, who worked at Hilarities and spearheaded the growth of the local comedy scene years ago, returns home to share the stage with own of his comedy mentors Jimmy Shubert in a show on Thursday Nov. 17th at Sachsenheim Hall. Both Lawhead and Shubert have appeared on NBC’s Last Comic Standing (Shubert was a finalist in 2014) and headline comedy clubs and theaters all over the country. They will appear together for one night only on 11/17, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Mike Polk Jr. is coming back at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 to the Hanna Theatre with another
version of “Cleveland Tonight!” with the special theme of “We Can Be Heroes” featuring the music of
David Bowie tribute band Diamond Dogs with all net proceeds aiding The Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.
A Cleveland All-Stars show is set for 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 at the Hanna Theatre featuring local favorites Jeff Blanchard, Juanda Mayfield, Dave Arena and Bill Squire. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
A bit of theater gets thrown in with “The Madness of Tyler Whidden” set for shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Playhouse Square’s Kennedy Theatre. It will showcase a collection of short plays from Cleveland-born playwright and comedian Tyler Whidden written during his three years as a writer and performer for MidnightMadness. With topics touching on religion, politics, family and rock & roll, this show starring Cleveland actors promises to be a hilarious romp through the twisted mind of one of Cleveland’s own. (In association with Cleveland's Ensemble Theatre.) Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
For a chance to see the newest comedians on the scene, the Class Clown Graduation show is set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20 in Kennedy’s Theatre featuring children 10-17 performing their first 5-minute stand-up routine. “We’re always surprised by how well the kids do after a four-week workshop,” Hannum said. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
For information on all Cleveland Comedy Festival shows at Playhouse Square visit www.clevelandcomedyfestival.com, www.playhousesquare.org or call (216) 241-6000.
The Cleveland Comedy Festival is a 501c3 non-profit arts organization committed to promoting
Cleveland’s rich comedic history and securing its vibrant future. Festival sponsors include
Ambiance, Playhouse Square, Hilarities, oWOW Cleveland, the Funny Stop, the Bop Stop, Sachsenheim
Hall and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.