Laugh Your ACK Off
Now in its fourth year, the ever-riotous Nantucket Comedy Festival is returning to Nantucket from Thursday, July 28 through Saturday, July 30. The festival will take place on Jetties Beach, as well as at other local venues, and includes a number of entertaining shows, activities, and star-studded events.
The festival opens with a Free Children’s Day on July 28 from 11 am to 1 pm at Jetties Beach. Festival Director Kevin Flynn will be the MC as featured festival comics perform family-friendly material. Children will get a chance to come onstage and try out their own material—it’s the perfect opportunity for young, aspiring comics.
The first of three main festival shows will be “A Night of Funny Women” (men are welcome too!) on Thursday evening, July 28. This event, which celebrates women in comedy and stars Kathleen Madigan who won Comedienne of the Year, will take place at the Methodist Church, at 2 Centre Street. The evening lineup also includes Karen Morgan, Debbie Loeffler, and Kelly MacFarland. General admission tickets range from $75 to $95 depending on seating section, with a $150 option that includes a pre-show cocktail party at Gypsy and prime seating.
On Friday, July 29, Jetties Beach will host “An Evening With Lewis Black,” a night of laughs from the renowned comedian/actor/author who appears regularly on The Daily Show and in his own HBO specials as well as in feature films. This sell-out comedian and a couple of his friends will invoke incontinent laughter as they make compelling points about the absurdity of our world. Tickets are $75 for cash bar access and general admission seating in rows 7-15, and $150 for open bar (with waitress service) and GA seating in the front 6 rows.
The Nantucket Comedy Festival’s main event — The “Comedy Smackdown Boston vs New York” — will be held on Saturday July 30. A festival favorite, this gala is presented in the style of a boxing match, featuring six of the country’s funniest comedians going head-to-head, round after round, with celebrity judges. Beer, hot dogs, and non-stop laughter will be served. Tickets range from $100 to $150 for GA seating in rows 2-5 surrounding the ring, with a $300 option that includes ringside seating at tables with waitress service and full open bar. It’s a show not to be missed!
The festival, which is produced by comedian Kevin Flynn, was developed to bring top comedic performance to Nantucket in support of the local community. Ticket sales benefit the festival’s charity, ProjACK Comedy, an educational initiative that has been implemented in Nantucket-area schools this year to encourage comedic self-expression and confidence through creative writing. The program provides a series of videos and interactive worksheets, giving teachers and students the tools they need to begin writing and practicing stand-up comedy in their classrooms. ProjACK Comedy allows students to build their communication skills as they use comedy to relate to real issues. If you would like to donate to the cause, please contact Marissa at Marissa@nantucketcomedyfestival.com .
Tickets for the main events may be purchased in-person at the Nantucket Theatre Workshop Box Office at 2 Centre Street (lower level), 508-228-4305, or online at www.nantucketcomedyfestival.org. For questions about ticketing, the festival, or ProjACK Comedy, please contact sales@nantucketcomedyfestival.com
