The LineUp

Join us for the 3rd annual Catskills Comedy Festival Opening Night Kick-Off comedy event. Ophira Eisenberg hosts Jocelyn Chia, and Raanan Hershberg on the MainStage of the Community Theatre.

AGES 17+

Ophira Eisenberg is a Standup Comedian, Writer, and Podcast Host (NPR, CBS, CNN, The Moth, HBO, Comedy Central, iHeart) who headlines theaters and comedy venues across the world, tours regularly with the Moth Mainstage, and hosts the weekly parenting-comedy podcast Parenting is a Joke (Webby Finalist for Best Host). Her new comedy special, I Used to Be Nicer, produced by Lewis Black/Stark Raving Black Productions, is available now. She also hosted NPR’s Ask Me Another for 9 years. Her breakout memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy (Seal Press) has been optioned for a television series, and her solo show Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars won Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts and just finished a successful European tour. She recently returned from the Just For Laughs festival where she performed her 3rd gala for CBC/Global Television.

Jocelyn Chia is a Georgetown Law graduate and former M&A attorney. She eventually ditched corporate America to tell jokes to strangers. She is now a regular at the New York City comedy clubs including the legendary Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club, and is an international touring headliner. She has been featured in Vulture, South China Morning Post, CNN, BBC, The New York Times, and The Independent UK. She has been on The Howard Stern Channel of SiriusXM, MTV, AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live, Fox News Saturday Night, Gutfeld! on Fox News, ABC, Vice TV, Discovery+, and Comedy Central.

Raanan Hershberg is one of comedy's most explosive voices, high-energy, joke-dense, and relentlessly funny. He's performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Comedy Central. His special Jokes from the Underground was named one of The New York Times "Best Comedy of 2022," with critic Jason Zinoman calling it "the funniest YouTube special of the year". Raanan has since released Brave, filmed at The Comedy Cellar, and It Could Have Been Better, now streaming on Amazon. On stage, his solo show Off the Grid premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival, where Hy Bender of Best New York Comedy declared it "one of the best one-man shows you are likely to see anywhere.”

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

When a twitter troll’s post about John’s ass goes viral, it sends him spiraling down a rabbit*hole* of epic spiritual proportions.

“Silk And Loose” examines what it means to age gracefully in Gay America, and how to process life so far as someone about to turn 50. At mid-life, have our dreams come true? Are we ever who we thought we’d become? And it’s a musical.

Recommended for mature audiences only. Graphic language and visuals, discretion highly advised. Sexual themes and explicit language.*

AGES 18+

John Hill (Broadway: Hairspray, The Boy From Oz) has cohosted Andy Cohen Live every weekday morning on SiriusXM for over a decade. He also hosts his own live radio show The John Hill Show every Tuesday. TV audiences know him from his work as a producer on Watch What Happens Live, Project Runway, and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Past solo work includes Wellness Check, Hate Actually, John Yun, and Skinny Corpse. John was in residency in NYC at The Green Room 42 and toured the US.

As a solo performer, John Hill has brought his work to NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Austin, Dallas, New Orleans, and four seasons in Provincetown.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

Sean Patton makes his Catskills Comedy Festival debut with An Evening with Sean Patton, upstairs at The Community Theatre in Catskill Village. The show will be a verbal celebration of life. A deep exploration of the beauty of Human flaw. Specifically his own. Opening for Sean will be **LizaBanks Campagna.

AGES 17+

Sean Patton is a comedian based in New York, by way of New Orleans. He began doing stand-up in the Crescent City and has since performed in comedy clubs and festivals across the world. His festival appearances include The Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW, Just for Laughs (Chicago, Toronto, Montreal). He's performed on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Conan, and Comedy Central’s The Half Hour. More recently, he's been on @midnight, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, This Is Not Happening, Showtime's Live from SXSW, TruTV's Comedy Knockout, and This Week at the Comedy Cellar. He released his second album Scuttlebutt on Helium Records. His next album King Scorpio was released as a special on YouTube. His special Number One streamed on Peacock and is currently available on 800lb Gorilla’s YouTube page. As for acting, he's appeared on IFC's Maron, TruTV's Those Who Can't, and both seasons of FX’s English Teacher. He more recently appeared in season 5 of HBO’s Hacks**.

Opening for Sean will be LizaBanks Campagna. LizaBanks is a New York City based comedian and tour guide. Her work blends cultural commentary, internet chaos, and on-the-ground storytelling. She performs comedy regularly in New York and travels the country for shows.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

Does comedy have boundaries? Can comedians go TOO far? Where is the line between comedy, protest. opinion and free speech? Join moderator Sarah Austin Jenness (The Moth) as she sits down with comedy professionals to ponder these deep and important comedy questions. Panelists include: John Hill (Bravo, SiriusXM), Lauren Kincheloe (Stand-up Instructor), Eddie Brill (Letterman)

Sarah Austin Jenness joined the staff at The Moth in 2005, and as Executive Producer, she has worked with hundreds of people to craft and hone their personal stories. She is one of the hosts of the Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour, and launched The Moth's Global Community Program -- coaching storytelling workshops in the US and Africa to highlight world issues including family homelessness and public health. Moth stories she has directed in the past decade have been told during the UN General Assembly and as far afield as the Kenya National Theatre. She believes stories have power and can change the world by creating connection.

John Hill (Broadway: Hairspray, The Boy From Oz) has cohosted Andy Cohen Live every weekday morning on SiriusXM for over a decade. He also hosts his own live radio show The John Hill Show every Tuesday. TV audiences know him from his work as a producer on Watch What Happens Live, Project Runway, and Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Past solo work includes Wellness Check, Hate Actually, John Yun, and Skinny Corpse. John was in residency in NYC at The Green Room 42 and toured the US.

Lauren Kincheloe - After goofing off on stage in New York City and Los Angeles for 20 years, Lauren Kincheloe moved to Kingston and started Squalid Gold Comedy School. For five years now she has been cultivating the local comedy community by coaching, teaching workshops, and producing shows that feature her awesome students.

Eddie Brill is a writer, actor, producer and stand-up comedian. He spend years as the warm-up comic/ Standup Comedy Coordinator for The David Letterman Show. Eddie was the architect and former creative director of the Great American Comedy Festival. Eddie is on the board of advisors for TCCFEST.

**AGES 13+

**All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

Lineup is subject to change

Step Right Up to The Sunday Comedy Cavalcade!AGES 6+
Gather the whole gang for The Sunday Comedy Cavalcade, a throwback extravaganza bringing pure, wholesome showmanship straight to the Bridge Street Theatre stage!

Led by Bridge Street's own host with the most, Timothy Dunn, it’s 60 jam-packed minutes of non-stop giggles, high-energy slapstick, and tap-your-toes singing. This all-star lineup weaves side-splitting comedy together with live musical numbers guaranteed to entertain audiences of every generation:
Timothy Dunn is a performer, comedian, director and educator with more than two decades of experience in theatre and comedy. A longtime performer, writer and producer at New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, he has also appeared on stage across the country and worked as an on-camera host for Animal Planet, FuseTV and HQ Trivia. Now based in the Hudson Valley, Timothy is Associate Artistic Director at Bridge Street Theatre, where he also teaches improv and works with young performers — including classes and programming for kids from preschool age through their teens.

Carmen Borgia is a musician and sound designer with early roots in theatre. He did the sound mix for 2024 Sundance non-fiction film and Emmy winner Going To Mars, as well as 2012 Emmy Documentary winner An Original Duckumentary — not a typo, it’s a documentary about ducks narrated by Paul Giamatti. Carmen also supervised the American voice dubbing for Pokémon, seasons 11–14. He and his wife, Alison Davy, moved from NYC to Catskill, NY in 2012. In 2015, he founded Ukulele Catskill, a weekly ukulele jam that is still going strong for all skill levels and provides a fun public space for people to develop their musical skills. You can find Carmen’s music on all the regular music streaming services.

Jolly Joe Jester is a Hudson Valley–based comedian, improviser, musician and host blending clowning, storytelling and song into joyful, unpredictable performances. Founder of Happenstancery, he has built a welcoming improv community since 2020, offering low-cost, inclusive workshops and shows across New Paltz and beyond. Jolly Joe invites audiences to play, laugh and rediscover creativity. His mission is simple: **bring people together, spread love and maybe, just maybe, help save the world.

Peter Daniel Straus is a versatile actor-comedian whose work spans network TV, feature film, theater, nightclubs and circus the world over. He began his career as a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown and has since appeared as a featured comedic performer at the Metropolitan Opera, a starring guest artist at The National Stage of Norway, and multiple times on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show. On screen, he originated “Pierre the Mime,” infiltrating Impractical Jokers, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, played the mechanical automaton on ABC’s Deception, the Abe Lincoln Statue in the Golden Globe-winning A Different Man**, - plus a turn as a tiny vampire in a recent KitKat commercial.

**🌟 Special Bonus: Learn the Tricks of the Trade!

Stick around after the curtain falls for our FREE, hands-on Physical Comedy Workshop!
**
Ever wondered how the pros pull off those hilarious trips, double-takes, and slapstick stunts without getting hurt? Immediately following the show, headliner Peter Daniel Straus will lead a fun, interactive 30-minute workshop where kids and adults of all ages can jump on stage and learn the physical comedy techniques, stunts, and silly skills they just saw during the performance!

Bright, breezy, and packed with song and laughter, it’s the ultimate Sunday afternoon outing for kids, parents, and grandparents alike. Grab your tickets now for the biggest spectacle in town!

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

AGES 13+

Join us upstairs at the Community Theatre for an exclusive screening of Danny Is My Boyfriend, a fully improvised feature comedy from writer-director-stars Lucy Sandler and Mechi Lakatos.

After discovering they’re dating the same man, a recovering codependent living with her mother and a socially awkward babysitter fumble their way through a series of misguided schemes, enlisting a parade of eccentric and unqualified accomplices in a half-baked mission to get revenge.

Danny Is My Boyfriend is a hilarious, strange and tender tale that proves you don't need a big budget to make a good movie. It has been winning audiences over on the festival circuit, including sold-out screenings at Slamdance, where it caught the attention of mumblecore pioneer, Joe Swanberg.

A post screening Q&A with the directors will be moderated by local filmmakers/comedians Stephanie Ibarra & Anna Torzullo.

Lucy and Mechi have been creative collaborators and best friends for seven years. They feel called to the process of scratching at something larger than themselves, and committed to the complex work of pulling back the veil of illusion that the modern world has erected between us and the depths of our potential to experience the unknowable.

directed by, story by, produced by LUCY SANDLER, MECHI LAKATOS
co-produced by RACHEL BRUNNER, TRACE LE, SIVAN KATZ AMBROSE, JOEY FITZSIMMONS
director of photography JAKE WOLFERT
edited by GRACE MCINTEE
original score IAN SWEET

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

For the third year in a row, Local Laughs returns to the Avalon Lounge during the Catskills Comedy Festival, bringing together some of the Hudson Valley's funniest comics for one night. Hosted by Dan Madonia, this showcase features local and regional talent delivering sharp writing, fresh perspectives, and wall-to-wall laughs. Whether you're discovering your next favorite comedian or cheering on hometown talent, Local Laughs is a festival favorite that proves some of the biggest laughs come from close to home.

AGES 17+

**The lineup

Dan Madonia (**HOST)— Dan Madonia’s comedy has been featured at festivals around the country. These include SXSW, Woodstock Comedy Festival, The Los Angeles Scripted Comedy Festival, the Republic of Texas Motorcycle Rally and The Great American Comedy Festival in honor of Johnny Carson. He has been featured in High Times Magazine, Deathsquad Podcast Network, is the Co-Creator/Star of the Webseries, Relationsh*t, performs regularly for the Wounded Warriors Project and is a former writer for LoveTV Born and raised in upstate New York,
Max Rosenthal - comedian and filmmaker based in the Catskill area. He's performed around Catskill and at bar shows around NYC, opened for Eugene Mirman, and appeared on Seven Second Delay on WFMU.
Gabrielle Johnson - started comedy in 2025 and has performed at venues including Laugh It Up Comedy Club, plus bars and breweries throughout the Hudson Valley and NYC.
Richard Francis Williams - stand-up comedian and television writer working since 1996. Appearances include Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Chelsea Lately, Punk'd, The Howard Stern Show, and the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival. Writing credits include MTV's Next and Date My Mom, E!'s Excused, and Fox Sports' The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Two-time Emmy nominee.
Geordan Mallas - a comic from the Hudson Valley who performs across the Northeast, known for his offbeat, sharp writing and unassuming stage presence. He’s dedicated to giving the audience a fun and memorable experience everywhere he goes.
Brittni Taylor - stand-up comedian who performs around New York, a finalist at the Queer Comedy Club, and recently a featured performer on the Comedy Social platform. She also dabbles in improv and sketch writing.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

Hot off his brand new Netflix special "The Family Plan", Headliner Jared Freid brings his hilarious take on dating, relationships and family to the historic Catskill Community Theater. With Opener **Alex English.

JARED FREID
**Jared Freid is a stand-up comedian, podcaster and author based out of New York City. His most recent stand up special, “37 & Single” premiered on Netflix in 2023 to rave reviews and rose to the Top 10 most watched TV in the US and Canada on Netflix. In addition, The New York Times touted “In the crowded field of dating jokes, Jared Freid…distinguishes himself...”. With a strong focus on dating and relationships, Jared’s comedy reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if you know a lot of millennials that are obsessing over dating apps, trying to be real adults, and worrying about their bodies.

In June 2026, Jared had his first book, “Walking Red Flag, Dating Advice From Your Favorite Guy Friend” published by Simon & Schuster. PEOPLE magazine described the book as offering "brutally honest" dating advice and highlighted its blend of comedy with practical guidance, while Publishers Weekly called the book a "friendly and refreshingly blunt resource for exhausted daters" and praised Freid for bringing "welcome levity to his generally sound advice" on relationships and communication.

Jared has appeared on a number of television programs over the years including multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show” and as a regular contributor on “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network. He recently made a guest appearance on ABC’s the "Golden Bachelor" where he hosted a group date roast of the Bachelor, Mel Owens. Jared also voiced the comedic narrator role on Peacock’s popular reality show “Love Under Cover” and he can be seen in the independent romantic comedy “31 Candles.”

In addition to his hectic touring schedule, Jared hosts two highly rated weekly podcasts including his “JTrain Podcast”. The show has a cult following of loyal fans. Guests have included: Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Colin Quinn, Sal Vulcano, Bert Kreischer, Dave Attell, Michelle Wolf and more. It’s been called “A Dear Abby for Dudes,” which is why both men and women tune in religiously. Many of Jared’s fans say that his advice has helped them in their personal lives. Jared also co-hosts the popular podcast “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches, where they discuss their takes on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hookups to relationships.

In 2019, Jared released his first full-length comedy album “Always a Momma Bear” through Virtual Comedy Network. The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Jared was also named a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laugh’s comedy festival in 2017.

Jared is currently on his The Table For One Tour. For additional information, please visit jaredfreid.com.

AGES 16+

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

Peter Peter Presents:
“A SCHTICKY SITUATION”

Comedy you can’t squeeze into a box! Our astonishingly talented ALL-STAR CAST features both new and returning delectable oddballs yanked from the stages of burlesque nightclubs, international circus, and other planets, conveniently brought right to you for a night you’ll never forget (even with therapy)! Fasten your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a weird and wonderfully fun and funny ride!!

Hosted by Sir Richard Castle, and staring Pinky Special, Evil Hate Monkey, Amy G. & your impresario** Peter Peter!

AGES 21+**

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Bradford Scobie (Sir Richard Castle) is a comedic character actor and writer who somehow fell ass-backwards into the wacky and wonderful world of burlesque. (As a host. Not a stripper.) His burlesque/comedy show, “Sir Richard Castle’s Naughty Little Show” currently runs at the legendary Slipper Room Palace of Variety in NYC. Every year he hosts The New York Burlesque Festival’s prestigious “Golden Pastie Awards”. He is swollen with pride to be hosting “Shticky Situation” at the magnificent Catskills Comedy Festival for three years and hopefully counting…
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Pinkie Special is a NYC based hula hoop artist. She has been dazzling audience for over 20 years with unique energy and skill. You can catch her performing in nightlife, the circus and kids parties, and on stages from Coney Island to Europe.
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Monkey is an award-winning primate who has been flipping and stripping for audiences since 2002. Pioneering his own niche in the international circus/cabaret scene. He has attended circus school, headlined festivals all over the world, staged 3 full-length theater shows including "All or Nothing" at Ars Nova , produced national tours, and won several awards including the Burlesque Hall of Fame King of Boylesque 2010, Most Comedic 2010, Best Duo 2006 and Most Innovative 2008. Additionally, Monkey is proud to say he was the first contestant “X’d” off America’s Got Talent Season 14!

Monkey's original mix of circus skills, absurd humor and over-the-top personality has earned him a cultish following developed over the course of two decades. He’s sure to turn heads and make you question your next banana eating experience!

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Amy G is an Olivier Award winning actor who has toured as a comedian and singer for over 20 years in 46 countries.
Film: Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace. Julius Onah’sSamo Lives TV: Saint X(HULU), Bull (ABC),Extrapolations (AppleTV), etc. She wrote, produced and starred in Big Time (Best Comedy, TV Pilot and Actress - Cannes World Film Festival, Paris Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, etc.)
Stage: Opium (Cosmopolitan Las Vegas), Absinthe (Spiegelworld NY), La Clique(Paris Bobino), La Soiree(West End and Off-Broadway- Union Square Theatre), Club Swizzle(Sydney Opera House), and many seasons across Europe hosting Palazzo. She wrote, comedy directed and starred in Anti-Gravity’s Crash Test Dummies (New Victory Theatre), and was the first ever solo female clown to lead The Big Apple Circus (Lincoln Center BigTop). Her digital comedy content has 10M+ views. @amygforce (IG/TikTok), The Amy G Show on Facebook, or visit amy-g.com.

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Peter Peter (aka Peter Daniel Straus) is a versatile actor-comedian whose work spans network TV, feature film, theater, nightclubs, and circus the world over. He began his career as a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown and has since appeared as a featured comedic performer at the Metropolitan Opera, a starring guest artist at The National Stage of Norway, and multiple times on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show. On screen, he originated "Pierre the Mime," infiltrating Impractical Jokers, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, played the mechanical automaton on ABC's Deception, the Abe Lincoln Statue in the Golden Globe-winning A Different Man, and roles in Ballbuster (with Jerry O'Connell) and the cult favorite Hurricane Bianca: From Russia — plus a turn as a tiny vampire in a recent KitKat commercial. As his nightlife personae Peter Peter, he's been a fixture of the New York scene, performing at The Box, The Slipper Room, House of Yes, Soho House, and The McKittrick Hotel.

In healthcare, Peter spent decades as "Dr. Peety," a medical clown with Big Apple Circus' Clown Care Unit and Healthy Humor, bringing humor to patients, families, and staff at major NY-area hospitals including Columbia-Presbyterian, Mt. Sinai, NYU, and Yale. He's also been the university Clown instructor at CAP21 Theater Conservatory. He's co-owner of Really Really Inc., where he creates weird and wonderful content and brands. A Sarah Lawrence College grad trained at Ringling Bros. Clown College and the British American Drama Academy, he's a proud member of Actors' Equity and SAG-AFTRA — and is delighted to both produce and perform in A Schticky Situation at the Catskills Comedy Festival.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

AGES 17+

Nico Carney makes his Catskills Comedy Festival debut upstairs at The Community Theatre in Catskill Village, with Maddie Peck opening the show. Nico takes the stage for an extended set exploring growing up Catholic in Savannah, Georgia as the oldest of four, being a trans man, and whatever else he finds silly and interesting.

Nico Carney is a NY based standup comedian, actor and writer. Nico made his late night TV debut in 2024 on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Before that Nico was named a JFL New Face in 2023 and as part of the inaugural Netflix is a Joke Introducing Showcase in 2022. He was named a Comedian You Should and Will Know by Vulture in 2024.

Maddie Peck is a New York-based comedian and writer who co-hosts Last Drop Comedy, a popular monthly show at Brooklyn’s Union Hall. She performs regularly across New York and has appeared on the hit podcast We’re Having Gay Sex.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

**Sign up to perform at the Kids Comedy Open Mic at Café Joust on October 18th from 12pm-3pm, you can sign up in advance by emailing Joustcafe@gmail.com with subject line “kids open mic”.

Open mic is for kids ages 7-14, and begins promptly at Noon. Each performer will have 3 minutes to do their stand up routine.

Got stage fright? Run out of jokes? Not to worry, we have a joke bucket and several books of jokes on hand!

Carmen Borgia will kick off the open mic by warming up the crowd and performers with a free Ukulele sing-along workshop for everyone.

Carmen Borgia ** is a musician and sound designer with early roots in theatre. He did the sound mix for 2024's Sundance non-fiction film and Emmy winner, "Going To Mars" as well as 2012 Emmy Documentary winner "An Original Duckumentary" - this is not a typo, it's a doc about ducks narrated by Paul Giamatti - Carmen also supervised the American voice dubbing for Pokemon on seasons 11-14.
He and his wife, Alison Davy, moved from NYC to Catskill, NY in 2012. In 2015, he founded Ukulele Catskill, a weekly ukulele jam that is still going strong for all skill levels that provides a fun public space for people to develop their musical skills.
You can find Carmen's music on all the regular music streaming services.

**
This is a FREE all ages event!**

Got some comedy material that you think will Kill? Or maybe it needs a bit of punching up? Come try it out in front of comedy pros Ophira Eisenberg, Lauren Kincheloe and a live audience. Ophira and Lauren bring their comedy chops to Left Bank Cidery to help take your material to the next level. All level of performers are welcome and audiences are welcome.

Ophira Eisenberg is a Standup Comedian, Writer, and Podcast Host (NPR, CBS, CNN, The Moth, HBO, Comedy Central, iHeart) who headlines theaters and comedy venues across the world, tours regularly with the Moth Mainstage, and hosts the weekly parenting-comedy podcast Parenting is a Joke (Webby Finalist for Best Host). Her new comedy special, I Used to Be Nicer, produced by Lewis Black/Stark Raving Black Productions, is available now. She also hosted NPR’s Ask Me Another for 9 years. Her breakout memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy (Seal Press) has been optioned for a television series, and her solo show Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars won Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts and just finished a successful European tour. She recently returned from the Just For Laughs festival where she performed her 3rd gala for CBC/Global Television.

After goofing off on stage in New York City and Los Angeles for 20 years, Lauren Kincheloe moved to Kingston and started Squalid Gold Comedy School. For five years now she has been cultivating the local comedy community by coaching, teaching workshops, and producing shows that feature her awesome students.

Some material may not be suitable for all ages.

FREE EVENT

Show Up Go Up Open Mic Variety Show. "The Most Misunderstood Show in Comedy.”One of the most popular events of the festival.

LOTS of ways to get onstage: The Bucket of Destiny! Bucket of Bar Tabs! The infamous Joke Challenge! Best Text! Create A Segment! Last Joke! & More! This is your chance to take the stage and show festival audiences what you got!
**
Everyone is encouraged to sign up in advance by emailing: Erikmarino71@gmail.com

ALL COMICS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE FREE PUNCH UP EVENT prior to this event at Left Bank Ciders.
**

Hosted by Erik Marino (an Emmy-nominated, Peabody Award-winning writer who can make anyone 17% funnier; including SNL, Weeds, Roast Battle and the episode of Ellen when Ellen came out of the closet), his famous open mic event returns to the Catskills Comedy Festival. This isn’t your ordinary open mic — Erik keeps the show moving with interviews, comedy material swaps, and other unexpected twists and turns.

**AGES 21+ ONLY
LIMITED SEATING

Get ready for an unforgettable night of laughter and fine wine at The Grapes of Laughs, a unique comedy shows where each stand-up comedian’s set is paired with the perfect wine to elevate the experience.The evening will feature Brian Balthazar (HBO MAX, Today Show, VH1, Page Six) and Erin Hawkes (Voted “Best Comedian in the Capital Region” ). Hosted by creator Ophira Eisenberg**(The Late Late Show, NPR, The Moth). Each comedian’s act will be paired with a carefully selected wine by a local wine expert Dori Fackler to enhance the mood and flavor of their set. From dry approachable whites to bold complex reds, each wine will complement the tone and energy of the comedian’s style, creating a truly immersive experience. Our wine expert and host lead the audience through the tasting of wine and then segue to introducing the comic whose persona and act is a perfect pairing to it!

**Admission includes:
Wine, small bites, show and gratuity.**

Standup and creator of the show Ophira Eisenberg, who is an aspiring wine snob, wanted to create something unique where comedy lovers and wine enthusiasts can come together in a cool setting, for a night of fun, laughter, and a little wine education. Just like a great wine, comedy can have its own distinct flavors, and this show gives the audience a chance to taste the perfect pairing for every punchline.

Ophira Eisenberg is a Standup Comedian, Writer, and Podcast Host (NPR, CBS, CNN, The Moth, HBO, Comedy Central, iHeart) who headlines theaters and comedy venues across the world, tours regularly with the Moth Mainstage, and hosts the weekly parenting-comedy podcast Parenting is a Joke (Webby Finalist for Best Host). Her new comedy special, I Used to Be Nicer, produced by Lewis Black/Stark Raving Black Productions, is available now. She also hosted NPR’s Ask Me Another for 9 years. Her breakout memoir Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy (Seal Press) has been optioned for a television series, and her solo show Leaving A Mark: A Comedy About Scars won Women in the Arts & Media Award for Solo Show Scripts and just finished a successful European tour. She recently returned from the Just For Laughs festival where she performed her 3rd gala for CBC/Global Television.

Brian Balthazar is a television personality, executive producer, and pop culture commentator. He recently appeared on the HBO MAX competition series “Human Vs Hamster,” which is a real show - as a sideline correspondent and co-host alongside Saturday Night Live’s Sarah Sherman and NFL Network host Kyle Brandt. In between hosting specials and series, Brian regularly appears as a “talking head” on television news programs including the Today Show and NBC News Daily, providing entertainment headlines and hilarious spontaneous remarks. (Hilarity is subjective.) Previously, he appeared as a recurring guest on The Wendy Williams Show, providing the Inside Scoop on celebrities and segments on What’s Trending. A sought after expert on pop culture who provides both insight and irreverent humor, he’s been a regular guest host and panelist on a variety of shows including Page Six TV, The Talk, Amazon Live, People Now! and a number of shows and documentaries appearing on VH1, Tubi, and more.

Erin Harkes is a stand-up comedian and musician based in Upstate New York. She has been passed at NYCC and as a feature Funny Bone comedy clubs across the country. With just over a decade of experience, Erin has had the privilege of opening for renowned comedians such as Mark Normand, Craig Robinson, and Demetri Martin. Her career also includes the release of two comedy albums and a YouTube special with one more on the way! Wanting to stay local and not face rejection in a major city, Harkes created more opportunities in the upstate area producing multiple regular comedy shows including Women Aren’t Funny (a monthly all female line up in Saratoga), Chicks Are Funny (at the Albany and Syracuse Funny Bones, with occasional appearances of the showcase in Hartford and Richmond. She’s hosted at New York Comedy Club and performed in all the major clubs in New York, Toronto and Montreal! Harkes has been regularly voted “Best Comedian in the Capital Region” by throngs of folks unable to remember anyone else’s name.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

AGES 17+

¡Oye chicos! Vamos al Avalon Lounge for this entirely improvised hour of latine hilarity. All are welcome!

Havana Club is New York City’s premier Latine improv-comedy duo and exclusive membership club, starring long-time friends Taylor Gonzalez (half Rican and half Salvi) and Julian Hernandez (a whole Cuban). Founded in 2022, they have been performing their signature “overly proud improv show” at all the top venues in NYC, including: UCB, Second City, BCC, The New York Comedy Fest, The Fun & Dumb Fest, Indie Fringe, and many more.

Taylor Gonzalez has spent over a decade producing and performing in various multimedia experiences in the City. As a playwright and producer, he’s the co-creator of perfect10s, a bi-annual theatrical showcase in NYC featuring emerging artists. He’s helped develop several influential underground projects such as The Diverse As Fuck Comedy Festival, Flexx Magazine, deadass, Lo-Fi NYC, and youarenotalone. He teaches improvisation at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective and his full-length play Chapter Meeting premiered in New York City at The Wild Project in July.

Julian Hernandez is a regular boy from Tampa, FL. He teaches improv and clown across New York, having studied at iO (Chicago), UCB (NY), and FIZGIG (NY). He’s opened for Maria Bamford and Chris Gethard and even done puppetry at St. Ann’s Warehouse & The 14th Street Y. You can see his audience-driven physical comedy at The Second City New York with Havana Club or across the city as Wisard. Hell, they even let him cook on Search Party (TBS). He’s directed and performed original clown shows at the New York Comedy Festival from 2022 to 2024, pushing the envelope with experimental musical clown (how accessible).

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org

This showcase features recent graduates of Lauren Kincheloe's Squalid Gold Comedy School. Watch Kingston's freshest comics take the stage for an evening of homegrown hilarity. Featuring Elena Cruz, Jess Edelman, Mie Inouye, Jill Mary, Sarah Mesler, and Svetlana Chirkova. Hosted by **Lauren Kincheloe.

Lauren Kincheloe - **After goofing off on stage in New York City and Los Angeles for 20 years, Lauren Kincheloe moved to Kingston and started Squalid Gold Comedy School. For five years now she has been cultivating the local comedy community by coaching, teaching workshops, and producing shows that feature her awesome students.

Mie Inouye - is a professor of political theory and an aspiring Bills fan. When she's not making jokes or grading papers, you can find her two-stepping and country-swinging at the VFW.

Jill Mary - Local Veterinarian, mother of three kids, and generally exhausted, Jill has been using stand-up as her much needed alternative to therapy for two years. She has been featured in past Squalid Gold shows, opened for touring comics such as Isabel Hagen and Adam Mamawala, and was a finalist in the 2025 Ladies Room Comedy Festival in Harlem.

Elena Cruz - A Staten Island native, Elena Cruz has called the Hudson Valley home for 26 years. She is the chef and co-owner of the beloved Diego’s Taqueria, which can be found on the pop-up scene these days (@diegoskingston). Her credits include: Food Network’s “Chopped”, Kingston’s Assembly, Bard’s Spiegeltent, and Carnegie Hall (TWICE). She firmly believes that when life gives you a dumpster fire, you might as well make s'mores.

Sarah Mesler is a Hudson Valley based, Michigan born stand-up comedian. A recent graduate of Squalid Gold Comedy School, they have performed at Assembly, Spiegletent at Bard, Unicorn Bar, and the Rosendale Theatre. Mesler explores themes of sexuality and gender in a candid style, proving that nothing is too serious to joke about.

Svetlana Chirkova - Svetlana climbed over the iron curtain of the crumbling Soviet Union to be raised by kangaroos in Australia, eventually settling in Kingston, NY where she dreams of founding a pastoral retreat for senior German Shepherds. She has played in bands, created rock operas about whales and bacteria, and is currently the co-host of the "4 minutes in heaven"
comedy open mic.

Jess Edelman- Originally from Syracuse, Jess Edelman has called Ulster County her home for over 25 years. Like many, she took the pipeline from SUNY New Paltz to Kingston where she has lived, worked and laughed for over a decade. Jess is the producer behind Queer KIngston, as well as the host for Stockade Sessions, a monthly stand up open mic at Kingston's Stockade Tavern. Jess is proud to have lubed up the stage for Beth Stelling, Charlene Kaye and Isabel Hagen.

All sales are final. We know unexpected things happen though, and we’ll try to help where we can. If you have any questions, please email info@tccfest.org