Perfect Storm of Comedy
A comedy hurricane is hitting the island. Forecasts are for one hundred percent chance of laughter, high jinks, and rip-roaring comedy. Residents are advised to get tickets to the upcoming Nantucket Comedy Festival or stay inside and miss out. With such comedians as Lewis Black, Jimmy Dunn, and Mike O’Malley this could turn into the perfect comedy storm.
Lighting will strike this week in the form of comedic gold. The third annual Nantucket Comedy Festival boasts national caliber comedians. Co-founder of the Festival and the Executive Director Kevin Flynn said, “All the nights are very different. Wednesday night was a tribute to female comedians from the past and present. Thursday is more of a Simpson’s night: Mike Reiss, Mike O’Malley, P.C., and Donick Cary (who went to Nantucket High School and became head writer) are all going to be there. Friday night is media meets comedy: Lewis Black will perform, Chris Matthews will be on hand, there will be media clips shown with stories discussed and then end the night with a bunch of stand up. Then Saturday is the SmACKdown Gala Event which is going to be incredible!”
The festival opened Wednesday July 28 with, “Don’t Tell Jerry Lewis!” A Celebration of Women in Comedy. The title was inspired by Jerry Lewis, who famously said at last year’s Aspen Comedy Festival, “Women are not funny.” Bonnie Levison, co-founder of the Festival, and Cory Kahananey, a finalist from Last Comic Standing, think otherwise and set out to prove it.
After the women have their say, the people behind the Simpsons take over Jetties Beach on Thursday night, July 29. Attendees will get an intimate night with the writers that think up Homer’s debacles and Bart’s mischief. Flynn said: “People will be surprised to see how a lot of Nantucket-inspired the Simpsons is. We’re going to show funny clips from the show and then going to have actual real life ACK clips of places that inspired them. We’re going to have the Madaket Mall, going to have clips of a Nantucket quarterback and his father that were featured. There is going to be great stand up, great clips, and great discussion.”
Friday night the its time to turn the comedic heat on the media as the NCF and Fortune Magazine band together to present, “the Daily Steaming Cup of Hardball.” Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s Hardball will be joined on stage by comedians Lewis Black, Joe Scarborough, and Harry Smith. Kevin Flynn will host the event as the media gets roasted and toasted.
Executive Director of the NCF Kevin Flynn, who has had island ties for more than 30 years, has always thought of Nantucket as a creative sanctuary. “I’d be living in LA or New York and then come back to Nantucket in the summer, things would slow down, and I could recharge. The beach, the Theatre Workshop, would just get me in the creative mindset I needed to write. I felt like I could experiment artistically in both stand up and in theatre on Nantucket like nowhere else. I think that’s why so many artists make Nantucket their home or getaway because it allows you so much freedom to create.”
Flynn also believes that comedy is a great way to build confidence, develop relationship skills, and express one’s self. To this end he always wanted to make sure that the NCF gave back to the youth. He said, “ We have a free teens and family day Saturday 10am to noon at Jetties Beach. It’s going to be comedians and writers meeting and teaching the kids. Then kids will have a chance to perform. Also, were going to be launching the Project Comedy Initiative. The Initiative will be a new course at Nantucket High School, in the creative writing department, where kids will learn the art of stand up comedy. Mike Dispezio helped shape the Project Comedy Initiative and with it there is going to be almost 20 lessons in videos put on the Nantucket Server all for free. I’ve been working with Bob Norton from the High School on the course, and it’s going to be offered in the Winter Spring session as a creative writing program.”
The students of Nantucket High School are in for a treat, but not before the island is rocked by the SmACKdown Gala Event, Saturday, July 31. Flynn said, “The SmACKdown is the gala night, six national headliners, three from New York, three from Boston. There’s very few places in the country—I’d say nowhere actually—where you could see 6 headliners perform right after each. People really get a kick out of it, its Sam Adams vs. Brooklyn Lager, decorations are destroyed, and everyone ends up having a great time. Also, Peter Farrelly will be presenting the The Man from Nantucket Award. Also, this year we will be giving the Classic Man from Nantucket Award to Mel Brooks who co-wrote such classics as Spaceballs and Blazing Saddles."
Flynn admits that getting comedians to come to Nantucket is not as hard as getting them to other parts of the country. “I’ve known most of these guys and invited the people I know that would appreciate it. If I were having it in Newark (NJ) I know they all wouldn’t come. But people jump at chance to come Nantucket. It’s for a non-profit for one and the comedians and writers get to spend a nice weekend at a hotel or B&B on a stunning island, while performing.”
If laughter is the universal cure then the island is in luck. With so many funny comedians on one small island all ailments should be cured. Flynn said, “You will see comedy in the most gorgeous setting in the world, and shows that are very creative and fun. I think these will be some of the best comedy shows this year and were a non-profit so all of the proceeds go to support a good cause.”
The Nantucket Comedy Festival continues through July 31. Tickets are available at www.nantucketcomedyfestival.com.
