This week (June 11-13) marks the return of the fifth annual SketchFest NYC, a three day sketch comedy festival featuring over 20 different shows and performers from all over the world. Here’s a little more information about SketchFest NYC from the press release:
To celebrate the fifth anniversary of SketchFest NYC, the festival is welcoming featured performers like Kevin McDonald (Kids in the Hall), and the Striking Viking Story Pirates, as well as returning favorites like Kristen Schaal and Summer of Tears. There are over thirty four groups performing, hundreds of performers, surprises galore, and the whole thing caps off on Saturday at midnight with the Closing Night Craptacular, the sketch comedy party to end all parties.
All SketchFest NYC shows take place at the UCB Theatre in New York.
On a related note, it seems that the venerable UCB Theatre may be facing a little friendly competition in the fall from The Scene Theater, a brand new Greenwich Village venue “committed to cementing New York City’s position as the sketch comedy cultural center of the world”. Lou Wallach of Comedy Central and Park Slope filmmaker Morgan Spurlock are both already signed on as members of The Scene’s Board of Directors and Spurlock’s production company, Warrior Poets, will be the production company of record for the theater, and help develop shows that appear there for film and television. According to The Scene Theater’s website the venue will feature, “performers from Saturday Night Live, The State, Stella, and The Big Gay Sketch Show, with more talent being added regularly”. OK, those names are not exactly groundbreaking, but the whole thing sounds interesting and people are always looking for a place to play, one more venue surely couldn’t hurt the NY comedy scene.
Full SketchFest NYC 2009 lineup after the jump. Purchase tickets here.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
7pm: Blitzkrieg + Sidecar, Featuring College Humor TV
8pm: Team Submarine + Kristen Schaal, Featuring Front Page Films
9pm: The Apple Sisters
10pm: Rue Brutalia
11pm: A Week of Kindness + Murderfist, Featuring Studio 8
Midnight: Olde English presents Very Fresh
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
7pm: BriTANick
8pm: The Money Kids + Pangea 3000, Featuring Scott Gairdner
9pm: Harvard Sailing Team + The Riot Act, Featuring The Imponderables
10pm: The 3rd Floor
11pm: Kevin McDonald’s Hammy and the Kids
Midnight: The Rejection Show
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Noon: Striking Viking Story Pirates
2pm: The College Humor Show
4pm: Inside Joke: An Evening of Lies
6pm: Free Love Forum + BOF, Featuring Escape Pod Films
7pm: The Story Pirates present Found Magazine + New Exc!tement, Featuring Scott Gairdner
8pm: Steve & Jordan
9pm: Summer of Tears
10pm: Elephant Larry
11pm: Fearsome
Midnight: SketchFest NYC’s Closing Night Craptacular