The 12th Annual Long Island Comedy Festival will kick off on Saturday, July 8 at 8 p.m., returning to its birthplace at the beautiful Theatre Three in downtown Port Jefferson.
The festival will include Island-wide shows at Long Island’s top venues, with each show featuring a different lineup of top comedians.
New this summer is the return of the 50+ Comedy Tour, which features comedians over the age of 50.
The contest, The Search for the Next 50+ Comedy Star, will have a special finalists show on Thursday, July 13 to crown a winner, who will then get to be part of this Fall’s 50+ Comedy Tour shows.
Also new is the Thursday Night Comedy Series at The Comedy Club @ Theatre Three, where Thursday is the new Friday this summer.
And the new show, Moms’ Night Out Long Island, will be the ultimate Girls Night Out, featuring a full lineup of top comedians who have one thing in common… they’re all moms.
“We are so excited to be marking 12 years of bringing the annual summer Comedy Festival to great venues all across Long Island,” said comedian and executive producer Paul Anthony. “Long Islanders have really supported our comedy showcases over the past 11 summers and we appreciate that tremendously. The 12-year mark is a testament to Long Islanders passion for live, stand-up comedy performances. Long Island has had a strong history of comic acts coming from this region, and we’re glad to be a part of the comedy scene here and showcasing so many comedians not only from Long Island, but from the NYC comedy scene, from around the country and beyond. Over the course of the summer tour, we will feature over 50 comedians. That’s a lot of laughs! Long Island audiences are really incredible,” Anthony added.
The Comedy Festival opening night will feature the comic talents of John Santo as master impressionist; Tina Giorgi, who has performed at Caroline’s NYC and in the NY comedy scene; Moody McCarthy, who has appeared on Letterman; and Chris Monty, well-known on the Vegas circuit.
The event will return to the historic Theatre Three located at 412 Main St. in Port Jefferson.
The rest of the Summer 2017 schedule is as follows, with all performances beginning at 8 p.m.:
Thursday, July 13: The 50+ Comedy Tour with Special Guest Rob Falcone at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Thursday, July 20: Thursday Night Comedy at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Saturday, July 22: Long Island Comedy Festival featuring Paul Anthony, Joey Giarratano, Tina Giorgi, Teddy Smith, Goumba Johnny and Maureen Langan at The Madison Theatre at Molloy College in Rockville Centre
Thursday, July 27: Star Playhouse at the Suffolk Y JCC in Commack
Thursday, July 27: Thursday Night Comedy at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Thursday, Aug. 3: Thursday Night Comedy at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Thursday, Aug. 10: Mom’s Night Out Long Island with Maria Walsh, Sherry Davey, Carie Karavas and Patty Rosborough at the The Madison Theatre at Molloy College in Rockville Centre
Thursday, Aug. 17: Long Island Comedy Festival with Maria Walsh, Mike Fine and DC Benny at the Suffolk Theater at 118 East Main Street in Riverhead
Friday, Aug. 25: The 50+ Comedy Tour with Paul Anthony, Steveie G.B. and Tom Daddario at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Saturday, Aug. 26: Comedy Night with Scott Schendinger, Rich Walker and Carie Karavas at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson
Tickets for all of these performances run from $35.
The Long Island Comedy Festival’s mission is to promote the art of live, stand-up comedy, with each performance featuring the best comic talent from Long Island, the New York City comedy scene and around the globe.
In past summers, the comedy festival has presented comedians from as far away as Australia, Ireland and the UK.
Many of the comedians featured can only be seen at the annual summer comedy festival, which makes it a special event for Long Islanders.
The festival’s comedy showcases are best described as a comedy party that audiences are invited to, featuring non-stop laughter and hilarious fun.
To find our more, go to www.LIComedy.com.
